Something is wrong with my Pekin hen

[BreenaAndTony]

Someone please help! My pekin hen is free range during the day and pinned at night. She is exactly a year old this month and laying one egg every morning. This morning she seemed fine. I went back out around 4pm and she was laying very still with her legs straight out behind her. I thought, maybe she was just hot. She was alone in her pin while everyone else was out foraging. Very unusual for her to go back in the pin alone. They always always stick together. I left her alone for a while and when I came back she was drinking but acted like she didn't want to move. Again I left her be. Time for everyone to be put up for the night and she was out alone in the middle of the yard, flat on her stomach, legs stretched out behind her and wouldn't move. I brought her inside and gave her a good look over. There is nothing visibly wrong. I put her in a warm bath and she swims but will not allow her legs to come down. I checked her vent for a lodged egg, nothing. Please help me... and excuse the auto correct, it' almost 1am and I don' have time to spell check what my phone screwed up for me. Thank y'll so much. Any advice is better than none.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Someone please help! My pekin hen is free range during the day and pinned at night. She is exactly a year old this month and laying one egg every morning. This morning she seemed fine. I went back out around 4pm and she was laying very still with her legs straight out behind her. I thought, maybe she was just hot. She was alone in her pin while everyone else was out foraging. Very unusual for her to go back in the pin alone. They always always stick together. I left her alone for a while and when I came back she was drinking but acted like she didn't want to move. Again I left her be. Time for everyone to be put up for the night and she was out alone in the middle of the yard, flat on her stomach, legs stretched out behind her and wouldn't move. I brought her inside and gave her a good look over. There is nothing visibly wrong. I put her in a warm bath and she swims but will not allow her legs to come down. I checked her vent for a lodged egg, nothing. Please help me... and excuse the auto correct, it' almost 1am and I don' have time to spell check what my phone screwed up for me. Thank y'll so much. Any advice is better than none.

I'm so sorry about your chicken... sounds like it might be Marek's, but I'm no expert despite having experience with it myself. I hope you find some more helpful advice than mine.

 

[Skipper81]

It sounds like a niacin deficiency I have read a few threads on it and just reread yours.

 

[Skipper81]

Ok I keep reading sundowns naturals niacin pills and Brewers yeast. Please find a thread on this for dosage and if you can do both or just 1. I also read it's possible your other ducks might need a dose because they could have deficiency but haven't reacted as much to being niacin deficient. Keep us posted

 

[chickens really]

Hello..Sorry your having issues. Pekin are bred as meat Birds so gain weight and many develop egg laying issues.
Do you provide oyster shell separate..Is She a bit over weight? What feed is she on?

 

[BreenaAndTony]

She is actually very small for a pekin. Last year I had a muscovy hen that was laying on a clutch of eggs. She flew into a dog kennel and, well.... I took her eggs (she was laying on muscovy and pekin eggs) inside and placed them under a lamp as I didn't have an incubator at the time. I kept a close eye day and night on the temp for the next 12 days. Turning them a little every few hours and out hatched 3 pekin, 4 muscovy, and 1 hinny. She stayed very small for a while. Like she was,,, the runt. Not even sure if that happens with ducks. I made sure she was eating and drinking enough and that they weren't pushing her away from the feed. She grew up normal, fun, active and just as loud as everyone else. Just smaller Sorry for the long reply.

 

[BreenaAndTony]

As for feed, they eat layer crumbles, cracked corn, sweet feed, scratch grains and whatever veggies I take out that day. The layer crumbles has oyster shells in it but I can tell that they'd rather eat everything else more.

 

[chickens really]

Sounds like a Deficancy in diet..Might be lacking riboflavin?

 

[chickens really]

As for feed, they eat layer crumbles, cracked corn, sweet feed, scratch grains and whatever veggies I take out that day. The layer crumbles has oyster shells in it but I can tell that they'd rather eat everything else more.

Ducks actually do better not on Chicken layer feed..I would get her a Poultry finisher feed. Cut out the corn and sweet feed..Provide oyster shell in a separate bowl.

 

[BreenaAndTony]