Sick Hen?

[countryriders2]

Hello Everyone,
I think I have a sick hen. She is about 8 mos. old and is a Barred Rock. She was sitting in her nesting box all day yesterday and last night. This morning she was still sitting. (No eggs). My wife said she ate a little this morning while she was feeding the others. I took her out of the coop and separated her. Mushed up some chick medicated feed and put her in a different cage. She wasn't happy about that and squawked up a storm. She settled down after a while but you can tell she isn't happy.
It doesn't look like marek's disease and her croup seems fine. Not sure what is going on. Any other idea's would be helpful.
Thank you

 

[ChickenManTN]

Could she be egg-bound? Had she been laying or expected to start laying?

 

[ChickenManTN]

It sounds backwards, but I wouldn't recommend feeding medicated chick feed to a sick bird. This is according to what I have read about it. I am not a vet or feed expert. Medicated feed does not contain any antibiotics or medication to kill infection. It is only made to prevent one particular bug (coccidia), and it is only strong enough to prevent infection, not cure it. It does this by acting as a thiamine blocker. The coccidia parasites starve and die without sufficient thiamine (vitamin B1). Everyone claims that it does not cause thiamine deficiency in the chickens. My thought on that is, "Okay, it doesn't cause enough deficiency to paralyze the birds, so they say the birds are fine." I would want a sick bird to have all the nutrients it can get.

 

[casportpony]

Pout on some gloves, KY Jelly and very gently check for an egg.











-Kathy

 

[countryriders2]

She has been laying in the past. When I put her in the other pen all she would do is stand there. Walk around a bit but would not lay down. I let her out and she ran back to the coop got a drink of water and climbed back in her nesting box where she is at the moment. I ran some warm water and let her sit in it awhile massaged her belly and checked for egg inside her. None. So right now she is in her box just laying there. I gave her some sweet feed and she ate that. So I guess its a waiting game now. I'll check her again this evening.

 

[enola]

Check her for bugs especially around her vent. Has she been wormed?

 

[countryriders2]

Could this be molting? I have noticed a lot of feathers under her and she does have a bald spot on her belly. She is just barely 7 mos. old.

 

[casportpony]

If you checked the inside of her vent and didn't find and egg or anything abnormal she might just be broody. Research it and see if the symptoms fit.

-Kathy

 

[countryriders2]

Took an egg and set it in front of her. She looked at it this way and sideways. I turned my back on her for a moment and when I turned back around the egg was gone. So it looks as if she is broody. I took her out of the box and put her in the run. She is all puffed up and eating well.
Thanks for your insight

 

[casportpony]

Too funny... Is she make strange noises? They often do while they're eating.

-Kathy