Sick hen help please!

[Bumblebee-chicks]

My 1.5- year old serama hen is doing very poorly and I'm wondering if anyone had any idea what is going on. She is a fairly infrequent egg layer and usually they are soft shelled. She has oyster shell but doesn't like it so I've tried to provide liquid calcium intermittently. Yesterday she laid an egg that was actually not as soft and ate it, which is normal (though annoying) for her.

By evening her comb was dark red, purple and she started acting lethargic but I figured she felt off but would be fine by morning. All day she's been lethargic, eyes closed, seeming to labor when breathing (heavy breathing, tail bobbing), dark red comb, and does not seem to be eating. She seems not to be pooping either or very very infrequent. She is a house hen (her sister is severely disabled, see other posts) so diseases found outside are unlikely.

I've been giving her water in a small cup and have added liquid calcium and just recently hydrohen. Please help!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your hen.

How many mg is in the liquid calcium, can you post a photo of the product you are using?

A photo of her and her poop may help too.

I'd work on getting at least 300mg Calcium into her, she may be having trouble expelling another egg.

 

[Bumblebee-chicks]

I'm sorry about your hen.

How many mg is in the liquid calcium, can you post a photo of the product you are using?

A photo of her and her poop may help too.

I'd work on getting at least 300mg Calcium into her, she may be having trouble expelling another egg.

I use: Morning Bird Calcium Plus Supplement for Avian Health, Liquid Calcium Formula with Magnesium and Vitamin D3, 4 Fl. Oz.

I haven't been very exact in dosage, just a squirt (probably a half tablespoon) into a small cup of water (the cup is probably three or four tablespoons). She's had some sips here and there. It seemed too soon for another egg. Could she have an infection?

I've not seen any poop i could guarantee that was for sure fresh and hers. I will take photos if she does.

 

[WoDia]

@Bumblebee-chicks I totally agree with @Wyorp Rock. Take her advice. The tail-bobbing is a sign of her attempting to lay another egg. And yes, they will pant as well. Very recently, my Serama hen, Seasons, had a laying issue. Her eggs were very soft-shelled (squishy, like there wasn’t even a shell). She wouldn’t eat her oyster shell either. I gave her Tums, broken up into small pieces directly (opened her beak, popped the pieces in, and had her swallow them). It took her a few days, but she laid a bit stronger-shelled egg. And after that, she finally began laying normal eggs again. She had the same kind of symptoms that your girl is exhibiting. Continue to offer food/water, keep her in a quiet, comfortable place, and see if that all helps.

 

[Bumblebee-chicks]

@Bumblebee-chicks I totally agree with @Wyorp Rock. Take her advice. The tail-bobbing is a sign of her attempting to lay another egg. And yes, they will pant as well. Very recently, my Serama hen, Seasons, had a laying issue. Her eggs were very soft-shelled (squishy, like there wasn’t even a shell). She wouldn’t eat her oyster shell either. I gave her Tums, broken up into small pieces directly (opened her beak, popped the pieces in, and had her swallow them). It took her a few days, but she laid a bit stronger-shelled egg. And after that, she finally began laying normal eggs again. She had the same kind of symptoms that your girl is exhibiting. Continue to offer food/water, keep her in a quiet, comfortable place, and see if that all helps.

Definitely worth a shot and had she not just laid an egg it would have been my first thought. When she does lay regularly it's at least a day apart. Is that your experience? Just in case that's why I have been and will continue to provide calcium.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I use: Morning Bird Calcium Plus Supplement for Avian Health, Liquid Calcium Formula with Magnesium and Vitamin D3, 4 Fl. Oz.

I haven't been very exact in dosage, just a squirt (probably a half tablespoon) into a small cup of water (the cup is probably three or four tablespoons). She's had some sips here and there. It seemed too soon for another egg. Could she have an infection?

I've not seen any poop i could guarantee that was for sure fresh and hers. I will take photos if she does.

Follow the directions on your bottle instead of giving a "squirt" or you can find Calcium Citrate+D3 at stores like Walmart. Give her 1 tablet once daily for a week. This will give her 300mg Calcium Citrate daily.

 

[Bumblebee-chicks]

Follow the directions on your bottle instead of giving a "squirt" or you can find Calcium Citrate+D3 at stores like Walmart. Give her 1 tablet once daily for a week. This will give her 300mg Calcium Citrate daily.

Thanks I'll do that first thing tomorrow.

 

[Bumblebee-chicks]

Follow the directions on your bottle instead of giving a "squirt" or you can find Calcium Citrate+D3 at stores like Walmart. Give her 1 tablet once daily for a week. This will give her 300mg Calcium Citrate daily.

Is that an okay dose for tiny chickens too?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is that an okay dose for tiny chickens too?

Yes.
This dose is given when in crisis, it's not a long term dose.

 

[WoDia]

Definitely worth a shot and had she not just laid an egg it would have been my first thought. When she does lay regularly it's at least a day apart. Is that your experience? Just in case that's why I have been and will continue to provide calcium.

From my own experience, that’s normal. They’re prolific layers, but sometimes I might get only 2-3 eggs in a week from a particular hen. As long as they’re laying normal eggs, no need to worry. Provide a dish of oyster shell at all times.