Sick hen we think

Date sort Score sort
msteele1953

msteele1953

Chirping
5 Years
Aug 11, 2016
11
0
67
Fairfield, CA
One of our hens we believe is sick. She is hunched over and her tail feathers drag on the ground. She seems to be eating well but this posture issue is new. Her sister does not have this problem and displays the proper posture. Any ideas?
 
msteele1953 said:
One of our hens we believe is sick. She is hunched over and her tail feathers drag on the ground. She seems to be eating well but this posture issue is new. Her sister does not have this problem and displays the proper posture. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

How old is she? Can you check inside her vent with one finger an inch or two for a stuck egg? You should feel nothing but soft tissue. Can you get her to drink some water with electrolytes, SaveAChick, pedialyte, or Gatorade? Use a spoon or dropper and coax her. Try feeding a bit of chopped egg, and add some feed to a small bowl of water. Feel of her crop to check if it is empty, full, soft or firm. Look for any tiny insects such as lice or mites under her vent and elsewhere.
 
That is a pouch where the food and water go after being swallowed before moving through the GI tract for digestion. It's located in the right upper chest just below the neck. You can feel it on some other chickens first to compare with hers. Some older folks may call it a "craw."

chicken_anatomy.jpg
 
Last edited:
It depends on the situation. Have you checked her yet? If she is 2 or older, and especially if she has laid thin shelled or odd eggs, she may have egg yolk peritonitis.
 
We do not believe she is over 2. Maybe a little over 1. We did check her and this is what we found. Right at the entrance of the vent there seems to be a large mass just inside. It is about egg size. It seems to be attached to the inside wall. It did not dislodge so I don't think we made any difference. My finger would only go in to the first knuckle so less than an inch.
 

Similar threads

B
    • Love
8yo Australorp Hen Unbalanced & Weak Legs
Replies
5
Views
527
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock
hanneke
    • Sad
What could be wrong with this Mille fleur hen?
Replies
9
Views
583
Sondraa
Sondraa
T
    • Like
Chicken displaying eggbound symptoms for a week, what might be the real problem?
Replies
2
Views
587
Tkschicken
T
TheyBeChillin
Sick Chicken?
2 3 4
Replies
37
Views
2K
Eggcessive
Eggcessive
ANiceKaren
Sick Hen nothing I’ve seen before..
2
Replies
17
Views
2K
2 Acres
2

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom