Sick Hen!?

[Michigan Chickman]

I have an 18 month RIR hen who is not acting right.

Last week I lost my first bird, one of my girls was dead in the cop when I went out in the morning to let them out and I never noticed anything odd.

This morning, I have a hen that is walking slowly, her tail is down and she's not eating. The girls eat layer mash, some scratch in the morning and this time of year garden veggies when available.

I picked her up and looked her over but didn't find anything obviously wrong. Her vent is clean and I don't feel any lumps around her vent or abdomen.

I'm really concerned that the girl I lost last week wasn't an anomaly. What should I do? Thanks for your help.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Hmmm... This is a tough one. If you are sure she isn't egg bound, which was my first thought, then it could be she got into something she shouldn't have eaten.

 

[77horses]

Quote:
I agree...I thought of egg binding, too. Is she getting any better?

 

[Michigan Chickman]

I've never deal with an egg bound hen, so I'm maing my best guess from what I've read. She seems to be in a squatting posture bu I don't feel anything. How can I know for sure? I have 27 other hens and they seem fine except for being barebacked from an overly amorous rooster.Should I seperate her and give some yogurt or a ittle cooked oat meal to keep her strength up?

Thanks for your help!

 

[77horses]

This website might be helpful:
http://www.poultryhelp.com/eggbound.html

 

[Michigan Chickman]

Thanks for the link 77horses. I had gloves and vasoline so I probed her vent as far as I could, about two inches or so and didn't feel an egg. I didn't want to hurt her so I was afraid to go in too far. This afternoon her tail is up and she's eating a hanging with the other hens. Is it posible she passed the egg when I wasn't with her or do those more experienced than I think something else may e going on?

The girls seem to waste a lot of the layer mash. I wonder if I should switch feed and cut down on the veggies. Will that help them get more in balance maybe?

Thanks again for the time and help!

 

[<3<3 I <3 Chickens <3<3]

OMG this exact thing happened too me!!!!! I went on vacation and when I came back, I found one of my chickens dead. A week later my chicken was sick. she hid under the bushes, bairly bawked, I was worried she was next!!!! We put her in the coop and- the next day she acted as though nothing had ever happened!!!

It was a verry luckey thing. I may be from heat, or out of saddness(LOL) she will probably be fine. Make sure she is pooping and drinking though.

 

[Michigan Chickman]

***Update***

Yesterday morning my hen seemed much better, but yesterday afternoon I noticed her squating again. I noticed a small white "something" poking out of her vent. I thought it might be poop, but she seemed to be really struggling with it. When I caught her it was a soft shell egg completely deflated! It looked like a dead balloon. Once that was out, she's been cting perfectly fine since.

I've noticed a couple soft shells recently and they're laying has slowed down. Is it normal for them to slow down when it's hot or do I need to look at changing their diet?

Thanks for the help,

Thom

 

[purpletree23]

It might be too hot. Do you offer chicken grit and crushed oyster shells free choice? They should be available to them at all times. You can offer some cottage cheese and spinach but not too much. Both are high in calcium.

 

[Michigan Chickman]

I have both grit and crushed oyster shell available all the time and they get a smal tub of cottage cheese every couple of weeks. Do you think I might be feding too many veggies?