Sick Hen!

[RookieEgger]

Hey everyone I have a hen that’s under the weather. She will move with the other hens but them just stand around. Hasn’t eaten, and will only drink. She keeps having white runny poops. Any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. How old is she? Has she recently been laying eggs? Is she molting at present? The white in her droppings is urates and fluid, which is kidney waste. It happens with dehydration or not eating much. Sometimes you may see dark green droppings from starving. Can you feel of her crop in her right upper chest to see if it is flat and empty, full, hard, or boggy/puffy? Check her lower belly between her legs for enlargement or droppings around her vent.

She sounds like she may be feeling under the weather because of a reproductive problem (internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, salpingitis, ascites, or cancer.) A crop disorder could also be the problem, and sometimes there may be both at the same time. Crop blockages or slow crop can occur due to swelling in the abdomen from egg tract problems.

 

[RookieEgger]

Sorry about your hen. How old is she? Has she recently been laying eggs? Is she molting at present? The white in her droppings is urates and fluid, which is kidney waste. It happens with dehydration or not eating much. Sometimes you may see dark green droppings from starving. Can you feel of her crop in her right upper chest to see if it is flat and empty, full, hard, or boggy/puffy? Check her lower belly between her legs for enlargement or droppings around her vent.

She sounds like she may be feeling under the weather because of a reproductive problem (internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, salpingitis, ascites, or cancer.) A crop disorder could also be the problem, and sometimes there may be both at the same time. Crop blockages or slow crop can occur due to swelling in the abdomen from egg tract problems.

She’s about a 1.5 years of age. And two nights I went out to shut them in for the night and she just happen to spit an egg out, however it didn’t have a shell. I didn’t think a whole of it at the moment. But now it’s been a couple days and she’s just kinda moving around not really feeding on anything. Just drinking. Her crop is squishy. I’ve got her split up from the rest now I’m another shed. I’m trying to get her to try some Greek yogurt, something soft. She doesn’t seems to have much interest though.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have room in the coop with the others, you could keep her separated in a wire dog crate with food and water. Hens who lay shell-less eggs or have other reproductive problems, can feel really awful for a few days. Some may have signs such as the tail held down, or they may walk like a penguin. Can you insert one finger inside her vent about an inch or two, to check for an egg? I would give her 1/2 tablet of calcium or Tums for 3 days to see if she feels better, and starts laying normal eggs. Tums may be too strong a taste, and have to be given orally, but the calcium can go into some cooked egg. A whole hard egg shell ground finely also contains pure calcium, and can be given with 1/4 of a cooked egg. Calcium can increase the muscle contractions and also help to harden egg shells. If you have a local vet they may be able to help her, if she doesn’t get better in a few days.

 

[RookieEgger]

If you have room in the coop with the others, you could keep her separated in a wire dog crate with food and water. Hens who lay shell-less eggs or have other reproductive problems, can feel really awful for a few days. Some may have signs such as the tail held down, or they may walk like a penguin. Can you insert one finger inside her vent about an inch or two, to check for an egg? I would give her 1/2 tablet of calcium or Tums for 3 days to see if she feels better, and starts laying normal eggs. Tums may be too strong a taste, and have to be given orally, but the calcium can go into some cooked egg. A whole hard egg shell ground finely also contains pure calcium, and can be given with 1/4 of a cooked egg. Calcium can increase the muscle contractions and also help to harden egg shells. If you have a local vet they may be able to help her, if she doesn’t get better in a few days.

Yeah, I have her in another shed to hopefully lay low and get better. I did get her to eat a little yogurt and I brought some scrambled eggs out with some crushed tums mixed in. She got kinda excited and had a few bites. But hasn’t seemed to touch it since. It’s getting dark and she’s sitting down for the night. Hoping this passes and she’s better soon

 

[Eggcessive]

Tums may not be appealing due to a minty or fruity flavor. Those might need to be given orally, 1/2 tablet daily. Calcium tablets or egg shells might be more palatable.

 

[RookieEgger]

Tums may nit be appealing due to a minty or fruity flavor. Those might need to be given orally, 1/2 tablet daily. Calcium tablets or egg shells might be more palatable.

Ok. Thanks for the help!

 

[RookieEgger]

Tums may not be appealing due to a minty or fruity flavor. Those might need to be given orally, 1/2 tablet daily. Calcium tablets or egg shells might be more palatable.

So we kinda think she may have sour crop.. we are going to try and empty the crop tonight but was just wondering if we should feed her or hold off? I mean this has been kinda going on since Saturday and we would force feed her some yogurt every now and then. She drinks willingly. They say not to feed or water them for 12ish hours in the beginning stage. I just don’t want to starve her since it’s been a few days now. Thanks