heathersheppard
Chirping
I am looking for a bit of help. I am a fairly new chicken lady. I have 5 hens all two years old, purchased from my pet chicken.
I have a two year old barred rock hen who is laying around and acting lethargic. She can walk, but doesn't seem to want to and when she first stands seems wobbly and puts her wings out. She is pooping a green and yellow diarrhea. I have separated her with food and water, but she isn't really interested. She's also not bothered that she's away from the rest of the flock as she normally would be.
For a while now, almost a year, she has been eating her feathers. Her bum feathers and some on her chest. She also eats the bum feathers of the two girls under her in the pecking order. (Also, she did not molt a few months back when all four other hens did-everyone got their feathers back and then she started pecking the bums of the other lower order hens again).
I provide oyster shells at all times and they have constant access to food. And I've seen all the girls eat oyster shell with my own eyes at one time or another.
I had read that feather eating can be habitual, but now I am wondering if something is wrong with her that she's not absorbing calcium properly?
I also have noticed a few soft eggs in the past few weeks, but more recently I've had two times where there was just a yolk spot in the nesting box. I am not positive it is her, but I believe so. Yesterday she was just laying in the nesting box, next to my broody girl, so I thought maybe she was feeling broody. But now she's just plain old lethargic.
I have looked in the coop to see if there was anything off, and I've noticed yolk among the poops and what appears to be solid pieces of soft shell. Like wads of skin?
Her comb and eyes are bright and look good. Her abdomen and vent area are soft, and a wee bit hot. She doesn't have mites or lice. Other than the lethargy, not eating or drinking, and egg issues she appears fine.
I don't really know what to do, but I am thinking she may be having issues with internal laying. I don't know if I should try to get antibiotics, vitamins and/or electrolytes and try to treat or just make her comfortable if this is incurable?
All other hens are acting normal, except my buff orpington who has been acting broody the past week, but I've dealt with this with her last year. So it's normal for her.
Any thoughts or plans of action would be very helpful. Thanks.
I have a two year old barred rock hen who is laying around and acting lethargic. She can walk, but doesn't seem to want to and when she first stands seems wobbly and puts her wings out. She is pooping a green and yellow diarrhea. I have separated her with food and water, but she isn't really interested. She's also not bothered that she's away from the rest of the flock as she normally would be.
For a while now, almost a year, she has been eating her feathers. Her bum feathers and some on her chest. She also eats the bum feathers of the two girls under her in the pecking order. (Also, she did not molt a few months back when all four other hens did-everyone got their feathers back and then she started pecking the bums of the other lower order hens again).
I provide oyster shells at all times and they have constant access to food. And I've seen all the girls eat oyster shell with my own eyes at one time or another.
I had read that feather eating can be habitual, but now I am wondering if something is wrong with her that she's not absorbing calcium properly?
I also have noticed a few soft eggs in the past few weeks, but more recently I've had two times where there was just a yolk spot in the nesting box. I am not positive it is her, but I believe so. Yesterday she was just laying in the nesting box, next to my broody girl, so I thought maybe she was feeling broody. But now she's just plain old lethargic.
I have looked in the coop to see if there was anything off, and I've noticed yolk among the poops and what appears to be solid pieces of soft shell. Like wads of skin?
Her comb and eyes are bright and look good. Her abdomen and vent area are soft, and a wee bit hot. She doesn't have mites or lice. Other than the lethargy, not eating or drinking, and egg issues she appears fine.
I don't really know what to do, but I am thinking she may be having issues with internal laying. I don't know if I should try to get antibiotics, vitamins and/or electrolytes and try to treat or just make her comfortable if this is incurable?
All other hens are acting normal, except my buff orpington who has been acting broody the past week, but I've dealt with this with her last year. So it's normal for her.
Any thoughts or plans of action would be very helpful. Thanks.
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