Sick hen.. or not??

[demonic]

I have a 6-7 month old australorp hen. She gets bullied by everyone else. She has no food in her crop. Everytime I see her it’s always empty. yesterday I saw she looked weak. I brought her inside and gave her some food so she can eat, and she acted fine. She made noises, walked around, and ate almost all her food. When I put her back out she had a small crop, so at least she had something. Today I see she looks very weak too. I brought her inside again, with food, and this time water. She again, moved around, is alert, and makes noise., but she looks so weak. I don’t know what to do and I’m scared this might be something else. Right now she is sitting down in her cage. Her tail is up but a few minutes ago it was down. I’m scared because maybe a month or two ago and I had a black Jersey giant rooster displaying similar symptoms in which he died. However, he looked worse and didn’t make noise and looked way weaker. I hope this is just something from her having no food to eat, and will get better. I administered a Vitamin E, gave her spinach, rice, and layer food. What else can I do, and what else Could this possibly be?

 

[demonic]

also, she doesn’t lay yet. There’s another australorp hen the same age that gets bullied a lot and doesn’t lay but she doesn’t look weak or anything, and she still has food in her crop, so we don’t worry about her.

 

[MaxwellHouse]

I would give antibiotics and create additional food and drinking water containers. Potentially, being bullied because she is weak/sickly. Then because scared to eat/drink due to bullying - not eating and drinking. The reason I always go ahead and give a broad spectrum is I had poultry die that necropsy stated ANY antibiotic would have worked. I did not want to give antibiotics unless necessary and did not know that sick as they hide it so well. After that experience, as she was acting normal and basically fell over DEAD - I ALWAYS give antibiotic - even if only one dose. Also, some antibiotics also act as anti-inflammatory like doxycycline.

 

[WIchickMama]

Is she underweight? Can you feel her breastbone?

Not laying yet might be ok as she is young and the says are just getting longer. But if she is not eating enough she likely won't produce eggs either.

Do all the other hens bully? Or is there just one? Seems like she isnt the only one getting picked on as you stated another was also be bullied. Might need to remove the bully for a few days so she has to re-establish herself into the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

You might try some Poultry NutriDrench or B complex to give a boost and help stimulate her appetite. Scrambled egg is always received well in my flock. Have you wormed your flock recently? Look her over for lice and mites. Watch your flock to see who seems to be bullying her away from food. She may need to be fed separately, but I have rehomed bullies before. Multiple food and water stations is a good idea. Is she having any diarrhea?

 

[demonic]

Is she underweight? Can you feel her breastbone?

Not laying yet might be ok as she is young and the says are just getting longer. But if she is not eating enough she likely won't produce eggs either.

Do all the other hens bully? Or is there just one? Seems like she isnt the only one getting picked on as you stated another was also be bullied. Might need to remove the bully for a few days so she has to re-establish herself into the flock.

I think the bullies are mostly my one year old ISA Brown hens. they don’t peck that much, but don’t really allow the 2 bullied ones to eat.

 

[demonic]

You might try some Poultry NutriDrench or B complex to give a boost and help stimulate her appetite. Scrambled egg is always received well in my flock. Have you wormed your flock recently? Look her over for lice and mites. Watch your flock to see who seems to be bullying her away from food. She may need to be fed separately, but I have rehomed bullies before. Multiple food and water stations is a good idea. Is she having any diarrhea?

It’s been a while since we wormed the flock. This is what her poop looks like. We assume it’s greenish because of the spinach she ate. Before it was mostly just liquid, but now there is solid.

 

[demonic]

I would give antibiotics and create additional food and drinking water containers. Potentially, being bullied because she is weak/sickly. Then because scared to eat/drink due to bullying - not eating and drinking. The reason I always go ahead and give a broad spectrum is I had poultry die that necropsy stated ANY antibiotic would have worked. I did not want to give antibiotics unless necessary and did not know that sick as they hide it so well. After that experience, as she was acting normal and basically fell over DEAD - I ALWAYS give antibiotic - even if only one dose. Also, some antibiotics also act as anti-inflammatory like doxycycline.

What kind of antibiotic can chicken eat. I don’t think I ever administered antibiotics before. In her water, she has some probiotics. Is this the same thing?

 

[demonic]

Here is a video of her, I can’t tell if her breathing is off. Please watch The whole thing. Sorry for background noise. Sometimes, she slightly opens her mouth and breathes heavily it looks like, or is this just normal?

 

[demonic]

anyone? Im so confused. She doesn’t even want to eat or drink now. She only ate a little bit of hard boiled egg.