two sick hens

[FanofRhodeislandreds]

I have two sick hens.
One is a middle aged red star she had a respiratory issue but no longer has any snot in mouth or nose,
however her appetite is gone i thought she was depressed so i let her back out with other chickens and she started drinking a bit and walking but wont eat or drink very much water. The other hen is about one and a half we hatched her last year and her feathers look like shes always molting. she did have feather mites but we treated them and her feathers don't seem to be growing. When I noticed her feathers were ratty she didn't have feather mites.
Advice?

 

[azygous]

Both of these hens may have a more serious underlying issue, perhaps an avian virus that caused the illnesses you were treating. These avian viruses often cause tumors that affect bodily functions and cause bedraggled feathers. Molt may not happen when it normally would, or molt could go on indefinitely.

I've seen this in my own flock that carries lymphoid leucosis.You won't know if your flock has such a virus unless a chicken dies and you have a necropsy done.

Until that happens, try boosting their glucose levels with some sugar water and vitamins. Try feeding high grade animal protein such as egg, fish or beef liver.

 

[FanofRhodeislandreds]

I will Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

I have two sick hens.
One is a middle aged red star she had a respiratory issue but no longer has any snot in mouth or nose,
however her appetite is gone i thought she was depressed so i let her back out with other chickens and she started drinking a bit and walking but wont eat or drink very much water. The other hen is about one and a half we hatched her last year and her feathers look like shes always molting. she did have feather mites but we treated them and her feathers don't seem to be growing. When I noticed her feathers were ratty she didn't have feather mites.
Advice?

What did you treat the feather mites with? Pictures can help. The other chickens could be pecking at her feathers. At 1 1/2 she could be starting to molt for real.

Is the chicken with the respiratory issue having any symptoms at this time. Most respiratory diseases are chronic and can cause lethargy or weakness. I would make sure that her crop is emptyingovernight and try some chicken vitamins in the feed to see if she perks up. If she is starting to molt also, that might be a reason she doesn’t eat very well. Offer some scrambled chopped egg or some canned tuna for an occasional treat to share with the others.

 

[FanofRhodeislandreds]

The red star hen's ( Hendermen ) gullet is emptying over night.
She is not eating or drinking by her self or molting.
I don't know if this has anything to do with her illness but we currently have a lice outbreak in our flock, which we are treating.
Hendermen had lice got over them then got them again she currently doesn't have lice and we are still treating our flock for it.
We use wood ash to treat lice and mites ( being careful as to not get it in the respiratory systems). Nutmeg ( the hen with ratty feathers ) has been looking like she's molting all year starting in early spring.
Hendermen Nutmeg

 

[Eggcessive]

Feather mites can be treated with ivermectin pour on 0.1 ml per every 2 pounds of weight, and repeated in 14 days. Here is a good article on mites and lice:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[FanofRhodeislandreds]

Thanks i will try that.