worried abut my Lethargic hen.

[Guernsey girls]

Can anybody help me as my 5 year old hen, which is a cross between a Maran and Barnevelders is not eating and is lethargic. In the last year she hasn't laid any eggs and looks as if she's taken on a cockerels tail feathers!

I noticed today when I went to give them their corn that she wasn't eating. I even offered her corn from my hand but she wasn't interested. I even managed to pick her up without any fuss and she feels very light and I can feel that her breast bone is very prominent. Her eyes are clear but her comb is pale. She happily sat on my lap to warm up in the conservatory and made no effort to move off of me. she's now in the cat basket in the warmth.

Her breathing is not normal. She's not coughing but a bit gasping. Her crop feels fine. She has corn and mealy worms and some water but is not touching anything.

The rest of the hens are fine including her "sister".

They have white dust free wood shavings on the floor of the hen house and pillow wade in the nesting box which is where she roosts at night. The dropping in the hen house look normal. They were cleaned out yesterday so everything was fresh.

Is she just old. She's never been a big bird like her sister and is very much a pet know, what should I do. I am a soft touch and will take her to the vet.

 

[casportpony]

Ok next question. Having only had liquid feeds and still ignoring the corn next to her why is she know eating the wood shavings used as her bedding? Even when I put the corn in front of her she eats the shavings either side it?

I don't know, but I would use a towel, not shavings and offer her crumbles w/water or scrambled eggs. She shouldn't be getting corn, IMHO.

 

[realsis]

keep us posted on what the vet says! i wish you the best. my thoughts are with you! I'm not sure how to help. maybe a good idea to take her into vet? i also have my chickens as pets and its always scary when something is wrong. my prayers are with you! best wishes

 

[suebee]

She may have lice, mites and/or worms. I'd worm her and dust her first before going to the vet.

 

[Guernsey girls]

I've checked for lice and mites and she's clean but will try the worming. thanks

 

[casportpony]

I've checked for lice and mites and she's clean but will try the worming. thanks

I always dust mine, even if a I can't see any, but I doubt that's her problem.

Below is a copy and paste from a post of mine

When mine get sick, this is what I do:

• Thorough exam check for cuts, bruising lumps etc.
• Do a cloacal exam with a gloved, well lubed finger.
• Look and smell inside mouth.
• Palpate crop - Is it full, empty, squishy, hard, etc.
• Dust for mites/lice with poultry dust even if I cannot see any. DE does not work.
• Weigh on digital kitchen scale (see avatar), record weight and weigh daily. any weight loss is bad.
• Place bird in a warm, quiet place on towel with food and water that it can't drown in.
• De-worm with Safeguard or Panacur, liquid or paste 50mg/kg by mouth and repeat in 10 days. Warning - Safeguard/Panacur (fenbendazole should not be used during a molt).
• Once warm, if not drinking, and crop is empty, hydrate with warmed Pedialyte or lactated ringers with a feeding tube - 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours.
• If not eating after 24 hours and crop is empty, tube feed baby bird food mixed with Pedialyte
• Inspect poop for 24 hours.
• If I suspect a stuck egg, treat for egg binding.
• If I suspect a bacterial infection, treat with oral or injectable antibiotics like Clavamox, Amoxicillin or Baytril.
• If I suspect a fungal infection, treat with oral antifungal like Nystatin.
• If I suspect blackhead (Histomoniasis), treat with metronidazole 30mg/kg for five days.
• If I suspect canker (Trichomoniasis), treat with metronidazole 30mg/kg for five days.
• If I suspect coccidiosis, treat with Corid.

 

[casportpony]

I know you're in the UK, so the drugs here have different names and are probably easier to get.

 

[casportpony]

Info on tubing:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

And another:
http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?t=7933

 

[casportpony]

Emergency care link:
http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf

 

[Guernsey girls]

I'll get used to this forum lark soon posted this under the wrong thread!!

On closer inspection she did have creepy crawlies so I gave her a bath last night in DM. Once again she slept in my bathroom it being the warmest room in the house at night!! Only trouble was that every time she gave a little croak, yes I mean croak, I was out of bed checking her thinking that was her last breath, I really most get a life ;-) Fed her via a syringe with 4mth old baby food.

Fed her again this morning no change, then went and gave the rest of the girls a bath in DM this morning, can't say they were too happy to see me!! Cleaned out the coop and sprayed it with "Mite kill spray" .

Took Robina to the vets and she only weights 1400g eek. Gave her an injection of antibiotics and one for parasites just in case. They also gave me a critical care formula to feed her. So it's now just a case of wait and see.

I know how much to feed to give her over the day but not sure how often I should give it to her? The instructions say 1 5ml of formula to 3-5 5ml spoons of water for 200g of body weight. I mixed it strong so 1 in 3 = 20ml so through the day I will need to give 140ml? I gave her 30mls of mixed formula at 5pm and then she fell asleep on me! As I'm out tonight I thought I'd give her another 30mls when I get back around 1030? Now just need to work out a feeding table for tomorrow, not forgetting of course fitting in with going to work!!

Will keep you posted of Robina's progress.

Had left instructions with Hubby to feed her while I was out but thanks to the push alert ,I picked up Drumstick Divas reply, to the wrongly posted blog earlier, not to feed her too much too soon, so was able to text and tell hubby to hold off. Much to his relief. Thank goodness for mobile phones!

Still not sure how much and when to feed her put I suppose slow but sure is best.