Young hen got ganged up on...she's in bad shape

[bn37]

We had to leave town suddenly for a funeral and when we came back our young Brahma hen looked rough. My wife lined up help with good instructions and we were only out of town a couple days, but that was apparently too much. When we got home she was missing feathers on her neck and upper back and was kinda just standing on the far side of the yard away from the other hens. I checked on her and gave her a bug..she kinda went after it, but I don't know that she got much of it into her. While I was watching her the two older hens passed by me and then started pecking at her. I pushed them away and separated her in the run making sure there was plenty of food and water. When I set her down in the run she went right up the ramp into the coop and set down on the far side. I checked on her a few times in the afternoon and when I let the other chickens into the coop. She was at the far side of the coop away from the older hens and I didn't see any of the hens pick on her. She seemed about the same this morning, we left her in the run and put the other hens out. When I got home from work this afternoon she was down in the run...in the dirt with ants and flies on her. The wife brought her in and did her best to wash off the critters with the blue Dawn. (We figured if it works for the oil spill birds it'll work for this.) l started calling around, but all the hardware stores and feed stores in our area had already closed up. I scooped up some water in a straw and got it down her a little at a time. I snipped off a little piece of a worm and got that into her, but she's still in bad shape. The only thing I found to work with beyond that is some Bactine spray. It says "cleans, soothes, prevents infection" on the label and that seems to be what is needed. Now she's in a small dog kennel on the back porch resting on a towel with a small bowl of water and a small bowl of chick feed. I'm not sure what to do and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

How old is the Brahma hen?

Okay...here are some quick thoughts....
She is being hazed because the other birds know she has something wrong with her...she is depressed and her immune system is low from something, either parasite or illness. That could be from a number of things:
1. Worms...if she is over 4 months of age, she could have a worm build up.
2. Coccidiosis...if she is under 4 months of age and you haven't treated, vaccinated, or been on medicated feed.
3. Mites producing anemia.
4. Illness...from viral to bacterial. Look for any nasal discharge or facial swelling or whistling sounds or coughing or signs of runny poo.

As to what to do while you figure out what to do, if you don't want to take her to the vet: Give her Chick Saver electrolytes, eye dropper if necessary. Keep her warm.
Since she is in such poor shape (by the time they are down in the dirt to allow ants to crawl, you are close to death), it may be time for the "Hail Mary" approach. Worm her with an all around wormer like safeguard's fenbendazole by dropper. Dropper in Corid. Dust her with poultry dust. If you can get some over the counter liquid antibiotic, now would be the time to use it.

Let us know how it goes. I honestly can't think of a time when a hen has rallied after they've gotten down in the dust and let ants crawl on them. It is a sign of near death usually. Often at younger pullets it can be from internal problems as they come into lay. It could also be from Marek's (don't panic, almost every flock has been exposed, and not all succumb to it.)

My thoughts,
LofMc