sick chicken

[lollypop1478]

Hi, my sussex bantam has been a bit lethargic for a few days now, she is about 4 years old she hasnt laid an egg for about 2 years but has seemed fine in all other ways. I have 3 bantams, the other 2 seem fine. They are free range and share the garden with my 3 runner ducks. I feed them a mixture of layers pellets, corn and oyster shell with a few meal worms every now and again, with fresh water every day. back to the sick one, the only symptoms she had to start with was her eye lids were a bit puffy and droopy, she was following the other 2 around and then puffing herself up and going to sleep, I have seem her eating but not drinking, I have now got her inside as it was raining yesterday but she doesnt want to eat at all now?? please help

 

[annie3001]

hello.
i may not have the best advice, but she could be drinking, if you havent seen her. you can try and measure the water and then check the water after a few hours.
i dont know your climate , so how is your weather conditions where you live? pehaps the chicken is cold? i had a few very cold chickens, brought them in the house, warmed them up a bit. however mine were going thru a very bad molt.

is your chicken molting?
wish i had more advice. sorry.

 

[JayDee]

Disclaimer: I'm a real newbie to hens!

But because our Blanche has been ill, I've had to learn a lot quickly. If she has puffy eyelids I'd be thinking an infection.

Otherwise, all the standard stuff should be checked: has she been wormed, are there mites/lice causing her problems? Is she pooing normally? Is her crop hard or soft? Is she dirty around her vent?

If she's not eating on her own, you may need to syringe feed her. I find though, with a lot of animals an infection will stop them eating if they can't smell their food. So they'll eat if it's put in their mouth, but won't go for it themselves.

Hope you figure it out!