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?

 

[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

 

[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?

 

[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

 

[CathrynK]

Apparently, I am not getting all the replies. Not sure why. Anyways, I don’t think she got anything dead. They are enclosed with a privacy fence, in my backyard. They have free range of that. I have about 30 + chickens here. Probably about a third or so are her age. A couple being older. The only additions have been 5 hatched chicks. She has been getting watered food because it is hard to force her to drink, although, she really loves watermelon and will eat that quite readily. She is having difficulty seeing, as I mentioned before. Also, her eyes seem to be

 

[CathrynK]

Apparently, I am not getting all the replies. Not sure why. Anyways, I don’t think she got anything dead. They are enclosed with a privacy fence, in my backyard. They have free range of that. I have about 30 + chickens here. Probably about a third or so are her age. A couple being older. The only additions have been 5 hatched chicks. She has been getting watered food because it is hard to force her to drink, although, she really loves watermelon and will eat that quite readily. She is having difficulty seeing, as I mentioned before. Also, her eyes seem to be

Dilated

 

[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.