UPDATE! Help Please!! What's wrong with my chicken?

[Shellyb]

I have a newly laying Lace Wyndatte and when I went to open their run today, she was in the nesting box but didn't look right. She had her head and neck down, shaking it slightly every once in awhile and her wings were out a little. She stayed there until my hubby went to look at her and then she went outside but didn't even make it all the way down the ramp. Her head is still down and not moving much. They haven't been without water or food for any amount of time, no predators evident, and she did lay an egg today. She is the lowest in the pecking order of the 9 chickens we have. What could it be? Thanks

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

If she was my chicken I would separate her from the flock. That way she is not being picked on and I can monitor what she eats and drinks. Often supplemental heat is helpful when they are feeling poorly. Give her some scrambled or hard boiled eggs.

Has she been checked over for lice/mites?

 

[Shellyb]

We are seperating her now, not sure what we're going to do with her but the others are picking on her so. I haven't looked for mites, what would I be looking for? Would that cause that behavior?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

The others will pick on her because she is feeling poorly and she "sticks" out.


As for lice and mites - mites need to be checked for at night - when chickens are roosting take a flashlight out and check around their vents for moving particles. Lice, you should be able to part the feathers (under the wing - under chin - vent area) to see if there are small white-ish flecks. Here is a search I did on lice/mites: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/search.php?search_id=343883333 -- lots of reading.

To help boost her up, until you figure out what it might be, Poly Vi Sol vitamins (infant & toddler vitamins made by Enfamil - NON Iron formula is what you want) - couple drops dripped along her beak line, yogurt is good for re-establishing bacteria in her system.


What are you feeding your flock? What is the protien in the mix?

 

[jjthink]

I had a hen like that last September. Raced her to the vet. Blood work showed results consistent with infection and/or inflammation of unknown origin. Meds fixed her up beautifully and she is fine now. I don't think she would have made it without the meds. Something had hit her hard. I have no idea what's wrong with your sad girl but share Ellie's story because time may be of the essence. Please keep us posted. Keep her ina warm dry comfty stress free place so she doesn't expend any energy trying to keep warm or stressing. You might give her 3 drops liquid childrens' Pedialyte vitamins (no iron) daily dribbled gently along her beak line witha dropper so she swallows on her own and doesn't choke but if she needs meds this alone will not address the proble,. It may just help bolster her a bit.
JJ

 

[Shellyb]

Update - Well to my pleasant surprise today, she is doing 100% better. We put her in our large dog crate in the coop so the others wouldn't peck at her, put water and food in there and gave her some of that vitamin stuff someone mentioned since we had it on hand. She showed no interest in food or water and really thought she wasn't going to make it. But when I went out there this morning, she was perky, head up, combs red again, and had been eating and drinking. I have NO CLUE what was the issue though, and that kind of bothers me since it was so drastic of a behavior change. Thought she had a head or neck injury. Very glad she's ok. I'll continue to watch her closely. The only thing that we did find out of the ordinary was a dead mole (size of a mouse) in their run yesterday. Don't know if that had anything to do with it or not, but thank you for all your help and ideas.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I am so glad she is doing better.