Single hen

[Laura&Sean]

One of our hens "marylin" my personal favourite and most beautiful golden girly seems to be ill, this all started Wednesday afternoon when I went out into the garden to give them some sweetcorn and opened the gate to find Marilyn laid on the grass wings spread out beside her and body totally flat, very strange and never before seen her or any of the others in this position.I picked her up and she didnt move much or argue at all, she was very quiet and seemed to have no energy or "get up and go" like she normally does toddling around happy as anything.

I instantly panicked because I knew something was amiss and she wasn't herself so called vets and my husband and I rushed her down to be examined, vet was great, she called her friend who is very knowledgable with poultry and examined her she said she cant feel an egg and crop feels fine no signs of any illness or injury, very mysterious.

Since she has been home she is eating and drinking but is still not herself, a little off balance and unsteady on her feet and subdude.

I am worried she is just fading away and I will find her dead one morning, I feel helpless.

We add chicken spice, she is wormed and no red mites in eglu.

She free ranges and eats normally.

Last few days she is just resting under shrubs and bushes not pecking and scuttling as soon as she hears my voice and the tin of sweetcorn.

Please help if you can- I will be devastated to lose one of my girls so young if there is something I can do it will be done.

[Mel (& Paul)]

Has she started laying yet? If not, she could be coming into lay - and they can feel a bit poorly.

Or is she moulting? again that can make them feel under the weather.

Is she drinking normally? That is one of the most important things - let her have some "wet treats" - bits of cucumber, tomato, melon which will help with the water side of things - but check she is drinking enough.

Have you wormed them recently?

What colour is her comb - is it nice and red and plump?

[Chooks Aloud]

What did the vet actually say? Did he/she suggest anything that it could be other than mysterious.

 

Karen

[Egluntyne]

I wonder if she has picked up some sort of virus that has affected her balance.

 

Poor girl.

[Laura&Sean]

Marylin seems much better, still not 100% herself but almost there still none the wiser to what the problem was but I just wanted to update this thread and thank those that replied to it.