Hello everyone!
I have an EE hen - Holly - I adopted from someone else a couple years ago. A couple of weeks or so ago, I thought she had an impacted crop, so I treated her for that and discovered a pile of roundworms in her bin one morning. The entire flock got treated (I used SafeGuard and did my best with dosing, so I’m hoping they got enough to take care of the problem) because I also have been having soft egg shell/no laying issues with a few of the girls, including Holly.
Anyway, Holly was doing fine for a week or so after she rejoined the flock, but over the past few days I’ve noticed her laying down a lot, and leaning more to one side (her left side I think). She still gets up and gets out of the way if I look like I’m going to pick her up, and I’ve seen her eat and drink (and her crop feels full at night). She roosts every night and I’ve seen her poop a couple of times (I still have her out with the flock because she isn’t showing signs of obvious sickness). Her poop is runny, but she’s always had runny poop (for the two plus years I’ve had her). It was a little on the dark green side, almost black, so that might be a bit concerning. Her comb isn’t pale, her eyes are clear and she’s alert. I thought I felt an egg in her the other day, but when I put the gloves on and got out the petroleum jelly to check more thoroughly, I didn’t feel anything.
It’s really the strangest thing. It’s as if she’s just slowed down a little. It’s been three or so days since I noticed the difference, and she hasn’t gotten worse, really (maybe a teeny tiny bit slower to move when I approach). No noticeable limp or waddle, but she has been preening the feathers near her vent. When I check, I don’t see any wounds or built up droppings or mites (which do tend to terrorize my flock more often than I’d like).
She usually shakes her head a little when I talk to her (I have a few who do this and chalk it up to sensitive ears), but now Holly seems to shake it when I’m not talking to her. It’s not constant, but more than usual. And she’s still chatty when I do talk to her or hold her.
Just on the safe side, I’ve started treating the flock for coccidiosis. But, does anyone out there have any idea what this might be? Also, it could very well be that she is an old hen. I have no idea how old she was when I took her on and she had wandered into the yard of the people I got her from, so for all I know she could be going on 6 or 7 or 8. Could these symptoms just be signs of old age?
Thanks in advance! And here’s a picture of her (she’s standing up because I moved in close to take the picture - but she was lying down before).
I have an EE hen - Holly - I adopted from someone else a couple years ago. A couple of weeks or so ago, I thought she had an impacted crop, so I treated her for that and discovered a pile of roundworms in her bin one morning. The entire flock got treated (I used SafeGuard and did my best with dosing, so I’m hoping they got enough to take care of the problem) because I also have been having soft egg shell/no laying issues with a few of the girls, including Holly.
Anyway, Holly was doing fine for a week or so after she rejoined the flock, but over the past few days I’ve noticed her laying down a lot, and leaning more to one side (her left side I think). She still gets up and gets out of the way if I look like I’m going to pick her up, and I’ve seen her eat and drink (and her crop feels full at night). She roosts every night and I’ve seen her poop a couple of times (I still have her out with the flock because she isn’t showing signs of obvious sickness). Her poop is runny, but she’s always had runny poop (for the two plus years I’ve had her). It was a little on the dark green side, almost black, so that might be a bit concerning. Her comb isn’t pale, her eyes are clear and she’s alert. I thought I felt an egg in her the other day, but when I put the gloves on and got out the petroleum jelly to check more thoroughly, I didn’t feel anything.
It’s really the strangest thing. It’s as if she’s just slowed down a little. It’s been three or so days since I noticed the difference, and she hasn’t gotten worse, really (maybe a teeny tiny bit slower to move when I approach). No noticeable limp or waddle, but she has been preening the feathers near her vent. When I check, I don’t see any wounds or built up droppings or mites (which do tend to terrorize my flock more often than I’d like).
She usually shakes her head a little when I talk to her (I have a few who do this and chalk it up to sensitive ears), but now Holly seems to shake it when I’m not talking to her. It’s not constant, but more than usual. And she’s still chatty when I do talk to her or hold her.
Just on the safe side, I’ve started treating the flock for coccidiosis. But, does anyone out there have any idea what this might be? Also, it could very well be that she is an old hen. I have no idea how old she was when I took her on and she had wandered into the yard of the people I got her from, so for all I know she could be going on 6 or 7 or 8. Could these symptoms just be signs of old age?
Thanks in advance! And here’s a picture of her (she’s standing up because I moved in close to take the picture - but she was lying down before).
