What is my hen dying of? Please help

[De@n]

Needing advice!
I have a ""3 yo New Hampshire/RIR who is sick (about 12 days)
Symptoms:
- Lethargic
- going into nesting box
- hardly eating
- weak and sitting lots
- protruding rear and dirty
- closing eyes
- bobbing tail and droopy wings
- purplish flopping comb
Egg bound? i have oiled vent and bathed her (no improvements). i have no calcium tablets, could i use blackmore's executive B stress formula as it has calcium in it?

 

[De@n]

also shaking head and gets up like she is going to lay

 

[De@n]

Now she is not eating at all and just sitting in the nesting box. sometimes she appears to perk up but the hunches herself back up. should i bath her again?
Vati says it is just old age does anyone know the symptoms of dying of old age?

 

[WhiteWyan]

I am so sorry to hear about your chicken. She sounds very sick. Based on what you have said, seems like she has an infection. Also it sounds like she has been sick for quite a while. I don't know if there is much you can do at this point. As far as her not eating, it is possible to tube feed a chicken. And you could try putting her on antibiotics from a farm supply store or a veterinarian. You can do a web search about these things if you decide to go that route. If she was egg bound I don't think she would have lasted this long. And it's definitely not old age if she is only 3 years old. I hope she gets better.

 

[De@n]

thank vm.
unfortunately, we are quite rural and being the weekend nothing is open at the moment
is there a human medicine i might be able to give her.
i have had two hens die of similar looking thing (one last november and the next early this year). i have four old ones (two died and one sick) and six younger ones (all perfectly healthy). the old ones all at least once exhibited symptoms like this but the recovered again.
my only healthy old one just recovered from the same thing. all i gave her was just ACV- maybe she is just stronger?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I believe she is either egg bound, has a prolapsed vent, and possibly an egg tract infection.

You could try bathing her in warm epsom salts and gently rubbing her tummy to see if there is a trapped egg.

The link below will help you put her vent back in place.

She will need antibiotics very quickly if you hope to save her.

I hope she gets better soon.
LofMc

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/03/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by.html

 

[De@n]

thanks. should i message near the sternum between her legs? and what antibiotics?
it is so discouraging when everyone (familiy) just say that she is dying froom old age. she was one of my first hens

 

[De@n]

i did try with echinacea. come to think of it- i gave soome to my other hen and she recovered!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

thanks. should i message near the sternum between her legs? and what antibiotics?
it is so discouraging when everyone (familiy) just say that she is dying froom old age. she was one of my first hens

You need to gently massage the soft area between the vent and the sternum.

She is not dying of old age. However, being a production layer, they often do have internal laying issues because they are egg laying machines.

For those reasons, many production layers are "played out" by 3 years of age.

But that doesn't mean she has to be. If she is a pet for you, then by all means treat her with some TLC and read those links I gave you. They will walk you through what to do.

It is nearly impossible to get antibiotics at the feed store anymore, but if you have any fish moxi or any left over amoxicillin around, you can use that.

I looked up the dosage:
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook says the amoxicillin dose is 125mg/kg (125mg per 2.2 pounds) every 12 hours or 100mg/kg (100mg per 2.2 pounds) every 8 hours.

Good luck with her.
LofMc

 

[De@n]

thanks.
eeee those links don't work. i did manage to get some greek yoghurt and acv soaked pellets down her.