She's NOT EATING! Help!

[Brian]

I have 16 hens that free range. For the last three days, one of my hens (the barred rock) hasn't eaten. In addition to pellets inside the hen house, and free ranging all day, I give the girls a morning, afternoon, and evening treat (scratch and black oil sunflower seeds). They all come running. Even though the barred rock reluctantly comes, she eats none of it. Also, in the morning, when I am letting the hens out, she is the last to walk out...seemingly disinterested. She looks good, but then, she'd a ball of feathers, so it's hard to say if she has lost weight.

Under the roost in the hen house, I can see no bloody or unusual stools.

Help?!

Brian

 

[PeeperKeeper]

Sounds like you may want to bring her in for awhile. So you can watch her a little closer. Check her crawl, beak, vent and anything else you can think of. Dose her with Poly-Vi-Sol ( the plain stuff actually has more vits in than the one with iron) ,
Has it been really cold there lately?

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Bring her inside and put he under a 25 watt light in a nice quiet place. The Poly-vi-sol is a good idea. Cook her some brown rice and scramble egg with some yogurt added and offer it to her with plenty of fresh water. Watch her close and observe if there is anything peculiar with her. Best of luck.

 

[bayouchica]

Hi Brian,
When was the last time she laid an egg?
How old is she?
Has she molted yet this fall?
When my hens go thru a molt,they feel terrible & don't eat as much as normal.
I'd seperate her & give some V&E,maybe scramble some eggs for her & see if she'll eat. See what here poops look like.

Good luck,hope she gets better, Miriam

 

[Brian]

I don't know when she laid an egg last, with so many hens it's hard to know who's been in the nesting boxes, and who has not. I'd have to wait and watch all day to know.

Some hens have molted, some have not. I see a bunch of loose feathers in the hen house, so I know some are still molting. I do not see any strange poops under the roost.

The weather here in Oregon hasn't been very cold. Not yet to freezing at night, but still colder than, say, a month ago.

Brian

 

[Pinky]

For the last two years, one of my hens stops eating about a week before she goes broody.

 

[bayouchica]

Hi Brain,
How's your hen doing? Have you been able to get her to eat?
Can you pick her up & see if she has any new feathers coming out?