Sick Hen questions

[The Hen]

I have a hen that has been sick for about 3 weeks now. I live in Michigan and it's very cold so I brought her in the house and she lives in a container. Her wings are droopy, she is extremely skinny, she can barely walk which i think is due to low energy, if she falls over she can't get back up, she does eat, but doesn't gain any wait. My husband mentioned about worms so going to get worming and worm her tmro. I haven't checked for any bugs, but going to do that. If she has lice or other bugs will my dogs, cat, and us get them too. Like I said, she has been in the house now for 3 weeks. Not sure what else to do for her. Thank you for any answers.

 

[realsis]

I'm not sure what's going on with her but you mentioned she's very thin and has trouble walking?? Has she been vaccinated for Mareks disease? Mareks can cause wasting or being exceptionally thin. .it can also cause trouble walking or complete paralysis. Other things can cause these symptoms as well. I'd stay on your course and treat for worms and give a good vitamin and probotic and see if it helps. If she does have mites yes if your not careful your other pets can catch them. I have one inside now that has mites and I have other animals. The other animals have not caught them.i use ivermectin to treat mites now they are all gone on her body. She has a few left in her crest (she's a silkie) and I treat that with a paint brush and poultry dust.its worked very well as they are almost completely gone! But I was careful and kept my other animals away during treatment. I my self have been bitten by a few during treatment but no one else has. Hope this helps and wish you the best

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicken lice will stay on the chicken. You can treat for both lice and mites easily with Sevin dust or permethrin--that will kill them instantly. Did your hen have a Mareks vaccine? She could possibly have that since some of symptoms are similar. Have you tried feeding her a scrambled egg once a day to fatten her up? Is she on layer feed? I would put some poultry vitamins and probiotic in her water. Does she have any diarrhea or blood in her stools? I would worm her with SafeGuard horse paste--1/2 ml by mouth, and repeat in 10 days. It is inexpensive, and gets most chicken worms--a much better wormer than Wazine that only gets round worms. Here is a good link about Mareks disease:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf and
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502

 

[The Hen]

I checked her for mites a bit a go and she doesn't have any mites or bugs etc. I read that ivermectin will help with the worms so i shaved off some of my dogs heart worm pill which said it was ivermectin and controls heart, round, tape, and another so hopefully that works and does not kill her. No blood in stool. sometimes it is firmer than other days but mostly very soft or liquidy. sometimes green. sometimes watery. she has a whole smorgasbord of food right now (apple, feed, scratch, tomatoes, sesame seeds, left over beef from stew). Her crop is full and squashy. Her feathers under her vent do keep getting pasty. She has been eating a ton tonight.

 

[Eggcessive]

Ivermectin has been losing it's effectiveness over the last few years as a chicken wormer. I would probably push the high protein foods at her right now--the chicken feed, eggs, dry cat food, and low sodium canned tuna, and even meats are good, since she is so thin.

 

[The Hen]

I've been trying to think of some high protein foods for her. she loves the meat. my husband is feeding her a red delicious apple right now and he said she is eating it up. she won't eat eggs. will try tuna and the hard cat food. I have given her soft cat food.

Thank you all for your input on this. Hoping she gets better. Was thinking i might have to cull her tmro, but maybe i will wait and see.

 

[The Hen]

No she has not been vaccinated for mereks. None of my girls have. I don't do anything vaccines on them or worming. when they are ill i try to do some home things. I will buy some things if i need to, but i won't put a lot of money into them with getting them better (vets, or all kinds of meds). if they don't get better then i will cull them.