Problem with new hen

[Linda4949]

We bought four hens over a week ago. Three are settling in very well, but one Rhode Island Red acts like something is wrong with her. The others will eat out of our hands but she just looks at it when it is held an inch from her beak. She has lost feathers in her back and vent area. We've treated her with Food Grade DE, but the other thing is she also walks slowly holding her left foot up hestantly as she walks. It's like something is wrong with her. She has laid eggs since being here so I don't think that's an issue, but she is smaller than the others and her eggs are smaller with a little gritty shell. I've seen her eat laying crumbles, scratch and loves meal worms. But she just acts so different than that other three I'm afraid something is wrong with her especially the way she walks. Any body have any suggestions recommendations?

 

[realsis]

have you checked the bottom of her feet? could be she has a sore or something on the feet? I'd check her feet and legs really well to see if there are any signs why she is walking that way. check her vent well. this could be a sign. loosing feathers might be due to mites or bugs. I'd give her a bath check the vent well and also treat for bugs. how is her poo? see how her poo is compared to the others. I think possibly a bug treatment might help with the feather loss. she might have bugs in her vent area causing her to walk funny. shells that are gritty according to my chicken health book could be a sign of egg drop syndrome. symptoms are pale shells no shells or gritty shells. it says after molt she will renew with good eggs. hope this helps. good luck to you

 

[Linda4949]

Thanks for the comments. I looked at her feet the yesterday when we dusted her for bugs, but I don't really know what I'm looking for. They didn't appear to have any sores. I haven't checked her poo in comparison to the others but will have to probably stay out there a while and watch them. I thought about giving her a bath because her vent area looks pretty dirty. Since we just dusted her yesterday, won't it take a couple of days before that dust will help? Also, do you know if Food Grade DE will kill mites or should I use something else?