Shaking hen with head down

[nkacerek]

Went to the coop this morning and my one RIR hen who is 2-3 year (not really sure) was acting funny. Has head down and is just backing away from everything with her breast near the ground. She is also molting right now and when I picked her up she is shaking. Saw her eat and I treated her with ivermectin about a week ago (4 drops in between wings) as we have a cocci problem that I have been treating with corid. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am keeping her in my bathtub and am going to try feeding her warm oatmeal and salad greens and put some electrolytes in her water. no blood in poop, looks very normal

 

[sheila3935]

If she is in a bad molt she may have got chilled. Maybe warming her up will help.

 

[nkacerek]

Thank you for the advice! I have her on/in a towel at the moment but she is still shaking and just seemed uneasy on her feet this morning almost dizzy...

 

[jjthink]

I hope the warmth helps. Lots of comfy pine shavings or straw in the tub to keep her comfy and warm. If she has a best buddy maybe buddy can keep her company......it was pretty darn cold first thing today here in NJ....

..but it does sound like something more may be going on, unfortunately. Do you know if she's been eating, drinking, pooping, well? Did you get a good look at her yesterday - was she fine? Any chance she could have eaten anything moldy, poisonous? She may need a vet (if possible) if you don't see her readily rallying in warm, comfortable conditions. Poor dear. Maybe also a bit of electrolytes (Pedialtyle, Gatorade) dribbled on bits of fruit she really loves......

At work going nuts so may not see your response in real time. Hopefully others will..... Sending good wishes for your girl.

JJ

 

[nkacerek]

I only had a chance to see her last night after it was dark and she was roosting...seemed just fine. she is eating the warm oatmeal I made her along with baby salad greens. i mixed up some electrolytes in a dish of water but she doesnt seem too interested. has pooped in the tub once when i first brought her down from the coop about 11am and it looked completely normal. she just seems really light. nothing moldy or poisonous that i know of, i did put down some left over peat moss in their run a few days ago and let them have at a lasagna leftover.

 

[barbieszoo]

Maybe an inner ear problem causing her to be off balance and shaking her head trying to get it out? Not sure what to do for that, although I think there are posts in the archives about it.

 

[stoopid]

Check her crop, if she ate that peat moss, and then drank water, it may have plugged her up there....just a thought.

 

[jjthink]

If she seems really light she may have parasites and be weakened from it. Urgent issue. Totally treatable but have to HURRY and keep getting nutrition into her...
JJ

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Most likely she is overstressed from the molt, ivermectin, and corid treatments so close together could be the cause for shaking. Her system cant handle it. Now she's being fed oatmeal, greens and electrolytes. I recommend that you stop all "treatments" and provide her regular feed and freshwater without all the additives. You have to get her system back to normal during periods of stress...ie...molt.