Sick Hen...not sure what it is or what to do...

[MamaMarcy]

One of my two naked neck hens is all of a sudden a bit lethargic, puffed up (feathers), and one foot crosses over the other.

Does this sound like anything in particular? she did eat tonight. she's in a coop with one rooster, 8 other hens, and 2 ducks. She does have a heat lamp and uses it.

 

[froggiesheins]

Those symptoms could be almost anything at this point, she is just not telling you enough to figure out what could be wrong.
Look for: egg bound/ /external parasites/ has she even been wormed/ injuries / etc...
How old is she?

 

[MamaMarcy]

She's about 16 months old. No sign of external parasites. Never been wormed (I hatched her). No other birds showing signs of illness. Not sure on the egg bound part...all my hens have been on a laying strike for about 2 months if that helps? No noticable injuries. Our pug puppy likes to go after the birds but is always supervised, he's tiny, and the naked necks usually clobber him if he gets too close. anyway I don't see any bruising, missing feathers, etc. I'm about to go check on her...

 

[froggiesheins]

Well then at this point it is up to you if you want to isolate her tonite or wait till the morning to see if anything changes. If you do bring her in, do the general electroyletes / high energy foods [eggs/mealworms etc] check her for egg bound.
Has she gone thru a molt this year yet? Another possibility it that. Keep posting what you find...LOL

 

[MamaMarcy]

I fear the worst. I just found her on the floor of the run - she usually sleeps in the hen house house under the heat lamp with her NN sister. She was just laying there kinda in a ball. I picked her up and inspected her with a flashlight...kinda new or me. Earlier I just looked briefly for parasites. Her breastbone was really protruding, which I found odd, so I compared to her sister and my buckeye hen...this sickly one seems REALLY SKINNY. I set her under the heat lamp. She tried to get up and was unable. I'm going to leave her there tonight, but I suspect at this pint it's comfort care. I told her good night, and to enjoy the heat. :-( She just looks to me like she's going to die soon. She was acting fine yesterday.

I'm not sure how to check for egg boundness...but I felt around her rear and nothing felt odd aside from her obvious scrawniness.

My poor Jolie.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I fear the worst. I just found her on the floor of the run - she usually sleeps in the hen house house under the heat lamp with her NN sister. She was just laying there kinda in a ball. I picked her up and inspected her with a flashlight...kinda new or me. Earlier I just looked briefly for parasites. Her breastbone was really protruding, which I found odd, so I compared to her sister and my buckeye hen...this sickly one seems REALLY SKINNY. I set her under the heat lamp. She tried to get up and was unable. I'm going to leave her there tonight, but I suspect at this pint it's comfort care. I told her good night, and to enjoy the heat. :-( She just looks to me like she's going to die soon. She was acting fine yesterday.

I'm not sure how to check for egg boundness...but I felt around her rear and nothing felt odd aside from her obvious scrawniness.

My poor Jolie.

Bring her indoors, rather than risking her fallin' or wanderin' away from warmth. Check her poop, to be sure it's not coccidiosis. If it's not that? I'm wondering if you've wormed 'em ... that's what I'd suspect to be your problem at this point. And, if it's worms? You'll wanna keep the dosage(s) minimized, so as to shed the worms slowly enough as to not created fatal circumstances from havin' too many die too quickly. I would, unless you're sure it isn't likely, immediately dose her w/ fenbendazole at the rate of 20 mg/kg of body weight (based upon her true measure, rather than estimation )-;~

 

[MamaMarcy]

I don't see signs of coccidiosis from how the poop looks. We had it once before with chicks in a different coop.
We do have dogs, so it's possible they have scavenged dog poo...worms like that or bird specific worms? Sorry if I am ignorant. Unless the medication you recommended is found in dog/cat dewormers I'm afraid I can't get ahold of any with tomorrow being a holiday...till Wednesday. I do have meds on hand for coccidiosis but I don't see ANY bloody stools...or any abnormal stools at all...

She's secure in the coop. I have her locked in and the heat lamp warms any area she's in. I suspect stress in there is less than in our house (we have 3 young kids who are crazy loud, 2 cats, and 2 indoor dogs in a 2 bedroom that is less than 1050 sq feet). The only quiet area would be our bathroom, and it's so cold in there...with nowhere for a heat light.

Off to look at what ingredient is in the wormer I have on hand...


thanks everyone for all your help!!

 

[MamaMarcy]

All I have here is piperazine If she's still with us tomorrow I'll run to the neighbors to see if she has any on hand (of the one you mentioned). Too late to head over there tonight...boo.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I don't see signs of coccidiosis from how the poop looks. We had it once before with chicks in a different coop.
We do have dogs, so it's possible they have scavenged dog poo...worms like that or bird specific worms? Sorry if I am ignorant. Unless the medication you recommended is found in dog/cat dewormers I'm afraid I can't get ahold of any with tomorrow being a holiday...till Wednesday. I do have meds on hand for coccidiosis but I don't see ANY bloody stools...or any abnormal stools at all...

She's secure in the coop. I have her locked in and the heat lamp warms any area she's in. I suspect stress in there is less than in our house (we have 3 young kids who are crazy loud, 2 cats, and 2 indoor dogs in a 2 bedroom that is less than 1050 sq feet). The only quiet area would be our bathroom, and it's so cold in there...with nowhere for a heat light.

Off to look at what ingredient is in the wormer I have on hand...


thanks everyone for all your help!!

Well, I'm thinkin' you might find albendazole or fenbendazole ... we could make do, for an initial dose. post the following details on anything you find:

Brand Name:
Active Ingredient(s):
Percentage of concentration (how many milligram per which unit)
Suggested dosage, and for what animal(s)

I'll check back in in the mornin' and see what we can do ...

 

[froggiesheins]

Thanks for jumping in there geek, worms / external parasites tops the list. We see what the morning brings.....