What's wrong with my hen!?

[Chiko]

My Japanese Bantam hen had been broody for about a month and a half....Yesterday we finally got eggs for her and she got right off the nest and won't go back on. The serious part is that she is not eating and is very pale and extremely thin. I tried giving her boiled egg yolk and she won't eat it. She won't drink either. I'm very worried. What can I do!?

 

[easttxchick]

I would pull her off of the nest, put her somewhere comfortable, darkish and quiet. Put some electrolytes in her water and try feeding her yogurt mixed with her feed. Getting her to drink is very important. NO nesting materials in the cage with her AT ALL.
Some hens will actually brood themselves to death-a month and a half on a nest is a LONG time to allow a hen to brood with no eggs under her to hatch.
DO NOT put the eggs under her that you just got. It doesn't sound like she has been taking care of herself properly while brooding.

 

[Chiko]

I did try to put her in out empty rabbit hutch but she freaked out and jumped all over the place. She spilled her water and her food and wasted it all. I feel guilty for not giving her eggs but I don't have any $$$ right now to order some ebay eggs.

 

[Alas]

Pale and thin can be a sign of parasites. Pale is often from mites and thin from worms. You may want to have her checked out.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
While this is certainly true, I would guess it is more of a sign of a long brood and improper nutrition while brooding. As long as she has access to those nest boxes, she's going to keep setting.

 

[Chiko]

I'll keep her away from the nest boxes and make sure she drinks. As soon as I get home I will give her some water with and eye dropper....

 

[Chiko]

Alas you were right! She did have ticks! My other girl also had ticks and she had scaly leg mites! I was paranoid about my other girls getting ticks or mites so I cooped up my 2 sick girls and cleaned my coop all the way. I scrubbed every nook and kranny with a watered down bleach solution, then I sprayed it with Anti-Bug spray and added fresh pine shavings instead of straw then I sprayed the perimeter of the coop with anti bug spray and i have my girls sleeping in a rabbit hutch tonight until the coop is safe. I got some tick powder and treated all of my birds. They didn't like it, but its for their own good. I added another place for them to bathe so hopefully they will use it. Any tips to entice them to bathe more?--Chiko

 

[Alas]

I'm glad you got it worked out