Rhode Island Red is ill

[flossy1021]

"Red"- (I know - very original name)is acting funny today. Usually very playful and follows me everywhere around the yard- she's tame and loves to be held. Today she just stands inside the coop and didn't even want to come out into the yard. She has a little saliva on her beak and doesn't seem to want to eat or drink. Should I put her in isolation and see if she is stressed and see if I can get her to eat? She's about 24 wks old. Should be laying but hasn't started yet. Any suggestions ?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, she is just getting ready to lay, but I would give her a thorough exam. Feel of her crop for fullness or puffiness, feel for weight loss through the breast bone area after picking her up, check the lower belly for swelling or tightness, look at her droppings for anything unusual, and insert a finger an inch or two inside her vent to check for a stuck egg. Offer her some water, and if you have vitamins with electrolytes, add some. Offer some chopped egg or tuna, or wet feed to get her eating.

 

[flossy1021]

Thanks. Will do- if there is an egg stuck what do I do? My girls are between ages 20-26 weeks old and non are laying yet. I was feeding them Dumor brand grower food and they were slinging it out of feeder and not eating much so I just changed brands ( Tuesday) to purina flock raiser. The feed store said not to feed layer feed til they were laying. She walked around a little more this evening and I also put another fan in the coop thinking she may be hot. She went back in the hen house this evening but did not go up on the roost. I'm going out to see if she walked up the ramp to the roost and let you know.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have crushed oyster shell (calcium) for them to take as they need it? Flock raiser is good but doesn't have enough calcium for layers, and they are at the age where they can start on layer feed. I like Purina or other name brands better than Dumor because they are not as powdery, but I have used it. I prefer pellets, and you can gradually change to those which may help with the wasting.
If you feel a stuck egg or suspect one, you can give some extra calcium in calcium gluconate found at most feed stores, but a human Tums or calcium tablet can be given orally or crushed into some feed with water or yogurt. Make sure she is drinking well, since dehydration can lead to egg binding

 

[flossy1021]

Do you have crushed oyster shell (calcium) for them to take as they need it? Flock raiser is good but doesn't have enough calcium for layers, and they are at the age where they can start on layer feed. I like Purina or other name brands better than Dumor because they are not as powdery, but I have used it. I prefer pellets, and you can gradually change to those which may help with the wasting.
If you feel a stuck egg or suspect one, you can give some extra calcium in calcium gluconate found at most feed stores, but a human Tums or calcium tablet can be given orally or crushed into some feed with water or yogurt. Make sure she is drinking well, since dehydration can lead to egg binding

 

[flossy1021]

I just Brough her into garage where it's cooler she's in a wire kennel with straw water and feed. Gonna try to give her tums in yogurt. Her crop feels ok from what I can tell. Stomach feels soft and don't feel an egg she's never been very big but hopefully I can fatten her up a little. She's my tamest and sweetest and keeps to herself. Hopefully this will help. She's sleepy tonight. Thanks again

 

[Eggcessive]

Wow, such a sleepyhead, LOL. The Let us know how she is doing in the morning.

 

[flossy1021]

Ok will do. Thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate it.