Sick Hen

[CathrynK]

This started about a week or so ago. My hen was having trouble eating. It was like she couldn’t see the dish. She would peck, but miss it. She did seem to recognize red, her water is in old Folgers coffee buckets, they are red. She wouldn’t drink from the kiddie pool anymore. She was starting to get picked on so I moved her to an enclosure that was safer and quieter, with my Silkies. She seemed to do better at first. I put her food in a red feeder. Then she stopped eating. Next thing I know, she is apparently so weak that she won’t stand. I brought her in the house, force fed and watered her. She started eating a couple of days later (she really didn’t like being forced). So she is eating regularly, pooping too, but she won’t stand up and her feathers fall out real easy. I don’t know what else to do for her. Any ideas? No chicken vets here. She was wormed this spring.

 

[coach723]

Pictures of the bird might help. How old is she? Have you ever had Marek's in your flock? Do you know if she was vaccinated?

 

[coach723]

At 5 years old the possibilities are many. While some may live much longer, at 5 it could be age catching up to her. Check her crop before going to bed, see how it feels. Then check again first thing in the morning to see if it's empty. It should be empty first thing in the morning before access to food or water. How is her weight? Is she well muscled through the breast, or is the breast bone very prominent (the fluff of feathers can hide a lot)? Do you know if she still lays, even occasionally? Does her abdomen, below the vent, between the legs, feel bloated at all, either very firm, or water balloon like? Have you checked her over for lice/mites? She does look a bit pale in the comb and wattles compared to the red dish in the picture, but I know pictures don't always portray the colors accurately. Also, how do her droppings look, normal or not? Pictures are welcome. If you have any poultry nutri-drench I would give her some of that, it may give her a bit of a boost. You said feathers are falling out easily, does she have any pin feathers coming in anywhere on her? I have several that are molting early this summer, no idea why, so want to make sure this isn't a difficult molt. In that case some vitamins, a B complex tablet (regular, not time release) ground up in some feed might be helpful.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/
I'm going to tag a couple of others to see if they have more to add.
@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Eggcessive]

I would follow @coach723 ‘s advice on feeding, vitamins, etc. Hens have a lot of malaise during the heat of summer, and especially if they beginning to molt. When one does not eat, I try to bribe with a watery chicken feed, and put some scrambled chopped egg. The vitamins would be helpful. Have you added any chickens to the flock recently?

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures of the eyes may be helpful if that is possible. Do you see any cloudiness in her pupils? Cataracts are common, and some diseases can cause eye issue, although many can be caused by infection, a peck injury, or ammonia fumes. Hens who are blind may do best in a small familiar area where food and water is located in the same spot.

 

[CathrynK]

What kind of chicken is that? She is so pretty!

ive read heat is tough on chickens. There is a recipe for electrolytes you can mix up to give your chickens in their water to drink or you can buy it at stores.I don’t know if that would help or not but Might be worth a try?

I hope she gets better!

She was bought as a mix, so she isn’t any particular breed. She is typically a very large bird. She has been trying to use her legs (Poorly), but she has been trying. I have been giving her nearly everything, under the sun. Seems like anyways. I keep her food very wet as she doesn’t like being forced - who would? She LOVES watermelon so I often put some of her food on top of a chunk , to encourage her to eat.

 

[coach723]

Epsom salt/water? To drink? That has a laxative effect, so unless you are trying to clear an obstruction or remove a toxin that has been ingested, I would not give that.
If she's having trouble seeing or has gone blind that may be the main issue and all the others are from that. If she can't eat and drink well then she's losing weight, getting weak, vitamin deficiencies may be happening, etc. For the short term I would either crate her or keep her in a small area and keep food and water close and in the same place all the time. Help her feed and drink as much as possible until she learns where they are. Using open dishes may also help, so she doesn't have to be so exact about where she hits. And start weighing her regularly to see if she's putting weight on, which will tell you if she's getting enough. I would continue the vitamins also, until you see some improvement. Molt may be contributing to her weakness, or may have been triggered by the stress of what she's going through now. I'd make sure she's on a flock raiser type feed, 18-20% protein.

 

[CathrynK]

She’ll be 5 years this November. No marek’s here that I am aware of. She was not vaccinated as I bought her with a group of chicks and I am sure the seller did not do that

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My hen was having trouble eating. It was like she couldn’t see the dish.

she stopped eating. Next thing I know, she is apparently so weak that she won’t stand. I So she is eating regularly, pooping too, but she won’t stand up and her feathers fall out real easy.

Could she have possibly ingested anything toxic, moldy or rotten/dead?

Does she seem to be able to see o.k. now or still having trouble?

I agree with the others - at 5 yrs of age there's a lot of things that can go wrong, so checking her over well and offering supportive care is a good idea.

 

[CathrynK]

She’ll be 5 years this November. No marek’s here that I am aware of. She was not vaccinated as I bought her with a group of chicks and I am sure the seller did not do that