I did not follow up with this thread but now I need to. I didn't happen to write down the date, and I don't remember. But this hen did in fact not survive.
She carried on for another three or four weeks with various eggshell anomalies, then one day she refused to eat, and stayed inside the coop. She wouldn't even take meal worms out of my hand, so I knew it was bad. She did not make it to the next day.
So here's my dilemma. I guess I DO suspect Mycoplasma, but there's no way I can test for it without a giant expense, since there are no poultry veterinarians anywhere nearby. It is simply not in the budget at this time for that kind of expenditure.
Aaaaand when I got back to the house from church this morning, I see another hen acting like she feels very very poorly. Standing all alone in the coop.
She's been acting a little different from her normal, active self.
I've never seen any respiratory issues with any of these birds, no sneezing, no swelling, nothing. This current bird did limp around noticeably, a few days ago, but she got better. Her eggs have never been misshapen or sandy textured.
I do not want to lose this hen. but i'm afraid it's already too late. She must feel awful...to stay in the coop when her friends are all out running around. She's just standing there, staring off into space.
Plus...if it's mycoplasma, that seems a terrible thing to have happen.
I've not seen any other symptoms besides those I mentioned here.
Any advice?
