nightwing1
Chirping
Hi All,
I could use some input. My 6 year old barred rock hen isn't doing so well. It's Sunday, so my access to a vet is zilch and hours of Google reading is making me nuts. She's the oldest (and top of the pecking order) in a flock of 7 hens, sleeps in a large coop with attached run at night, and free ranges in fenced area during the day. She eats a layer feed and gets AM treats of oats, fruit, and spinach leaves. At night, they all get some meal worms to get them in the coop. She takes down and consumes toads within about 30 seconds.
I noticed she was a little slower on Friday, but it was a 90 degree day, so I didn't think much of it. Yesterday, she was more lethargic, not much appetite, but drinking a lot of water (weather temp was only 72 yesterday), and had a liquid-y white stool. I gave her a little Nutridrench. This morning, she's worse. She had no interest in grub hunting under stumps in the yard (usually the highlight of her morning), not a ton of interest in the blueberry I offered her, and really just wanted to sit on my lap in the sun with her eyes closed. When she breathes, she makes a noise (not a rattle or wheeze, but just a vocalization) when she inhales, had a white mucus poop (no visible worms in it), her feathers are starting to look rough, and her comb (still quite red with an almost purple tinge on the back) is starting to get white tips. I noticed the other day that she stumbled slightly, but chalked it up to stepping on uneven dirt. She doesn't have a limp at all. I can't see any wounds on her feet or mites anywhere.
Any advice or takes on what's going on with this girl? For now, I've got her secluded to the run, where she's mostly hunkered down and not moving too much. She's got an electrolyte/probiotic combo water, and she was willing to eat about 8 big bites of an egg yolk mixed with the water.
Thanks for any insight y'all have!
I could use some input. My 6 year old barred rock hen isn't doing so well. It's Sunday, so my access to a vet is zilch and hours of Google reading is making me nuts. She's the oldest (and top of the pecking order) in a flock of 7 hens, sleeps in a large coop with attached run at night, and free ranges in fenced area during the day. She eats a layer feed and gets AM treats of oats, fruit, and spinach leaves. At night, they all get some meal worms to get them in the coop. She takes down and consumes toads within about 30 seconds.
I noticed she was a little slower on Friday, but it was a 90 degree day, so I didn't think much of it. Yesterday, she was more lethargic, not much appetite, but drinking a lot of water (weather temp was only 72 yesterday), and had a liquid-y white stool. I gave her a little Nutridrench. This morning, she's worse. She had no interest in grub hunting under stumps in the yard (usually the highlight of her morning), not a ton of interest in the blueberry I offered her, and really just wanted to sit on my lap in the sun with her eyes closed. When she breathes, she makes a noise (not a rattle or wheeze, but just a vocalization) when she inhales, had a white mucus poop (no visible worms in it), her feathers are starting to look rough, and her comb (still quite red with an almost purple tinge on the back) is starting to get white tips. I noticed the other day that she stumbled slightly, but chalked it up to stepping on uneven dirt. She doesn't have a limp at all. I can't see any wounds on her feet or mites anywhere.
Any advice or takes on what's going on with this girl? For now, I've got her secluded to the run, where she's mostly hunkered down and not moving too much. She's got an electrolyte/probiotic combo water, and she was willing to eat about 8 big bites of an egg yolk mixed with the water.
Thanks for any insight y'all have!
