slow hen

[gerrylee]

I have a six mth old hen who has come on sick, she is very slow moving and seems weak. she is not being bullied by her sisters and is still eating and drinking though without much vigor. I suspected egg binding and treated her with heat and a warm soapy water enema, no better no worse.
her eyes are bright and clear and her comb is perky but I worry she is suffering and don't want that. any help would be great. thank you.

 

[Bridebeliever]

How is your hen now? If you suspect egg binding you can also give a couple of crushed TUMS.

 

[gerrylee]

Thank you . She is hanging in. She séems somewhat better but not what I'd call spunky. She eats and drinks and is interested in treats. Her general health seems OK just depre§ed and slow. I keep watching for change but not much really.

 

[gerrylee]

BTW I Checked her vent and did not detect a bound egg so it's a mystery.

 

[Jo Anne]

How would I know if my hen was egg bound? I squeezed softly around the vent area not sure what I was suppose to be feeling, but it didn;'t seem to feel as if an egg was in there> i don't knowl

 

[Brookliner]

How is her crop? Is it emptying is it full at night and empty in the morning. Try giving her some liquid childrens vitamins without iron. A half dropper full if she is a large fowl and 1/4 droper full if she is a bantam. That might perk her up. Just slowly drip it into her beak you want her to swallow and not get it into her lungs.

 

[Bridebeliever]

How would I know if my hen was egg bound? I squeezed softly around the vent area not sure what I was suppose to be feeling, but it didn;'t seem to feel as if an egg was in there> i don't knowl

Squeezing is actually really BAD...don't do that, it could break the egg if she is egg bound and that can be lethal! What you need to do is glove up, lubricate your pointer finger and push your finger in part way (straight ahead or up'ish but not down). If there is an egg there you should be able to feel it