Sick Chicken hates being touched, how to treat her?

[bibzybean]

We rescued some chickens a couple of months ago from an egg farm. One of them has always been particularly bullied - she has a bare back and bottom and is constantly pecked at. She also HATES us - we have had chickens that don't like being picked up before, but she is on another level. She runs away if we're anywhere near her and if we try to touch her she screams bloody murder and won't stop flapping.

She has recently become ill - lethargic, sleeps during the day, less interested in food. She doesn't lay eggs, although she hasn't since we got her (except once or twice). It is a sorry sight to see. Our last two chickens had similar symptoms before they died. We took them to the vet, got a few different antibiotics, which helped for a little while until they declined and we had to put each of them down.

My question is how do we treat a chicken that is terrified of even standing near us? Is it worth wrangling her and shoving pills down her throat every day and traumatising her? We are also not financially in a great place, so I am wondering if it is even worth getting the medicine if it is just going to prolong her decline until she dies. We are thinking of separating her for a bit and letting her stay in the house, would this make the others pick on her more do you think?

How do you think it would be best to treat her?
Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

Most of us have some chickens who get frightened and are uncooperative when approached or handled. During the dark at night or before daylight in the mornings, are a great time to approach them on the roost, pick them up, examine or give medication or worm. Most antibiotics on now taken out of feed and farm stores in the US, and possibly only available from some of the online shops for pigeon and fish fanciers. If she has a reproductive infection or disorder, it is up to you whether or not to medicate her. Antibiotics may or may not help, and most are not approved for egg layers or other chickens. I would probably just make the rest of her life comfortable, offer decent feed and clean water, and let her live with her flock. If she begins to be bullied or pecked by others in the end, I prefer to place them in a wire dog crate with food and water so they are not hurt.

 

[bibzybean]

Most of us have some chickens who get frightened and are uncooperative when approached or handled. During the dark at night or before daylight in the mornings, are a great time to approach them on the roost, pick them up, examine or give medication or worm. Most antibiotics on now taken out of feed and farm stores in the US, and possibly only available from some of the online shops for pigeon and fish fanciers. If she has a reproductive infection or disorder, it is up to you whether or not to medicate her. Antibiotics may or may not help, and most are not approved for egg layers or other chickens. I would probably just make the rest of her life comfortable, offer decent feed and clean water, and let her live with her flock. If she begins to be bullied or pecked by others in the end, I prefer to place them in a wire dog crate with food and water so they are not hurt.

Thank you, will do.