4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[tobybeevers]

Guys,

 

New to the site and this is my first post, but I think I need help fast!!!

 

I have recently got 4 hens which we keep in the garden, this is for the kids and the eggs as I'm sure most of you do??

 

The problem

We have 3 brown hens and 1 white hen, the white hen is not well at all (not sure if she will make it to tomorrow, that how bad it is?) All 3 brown hens are well and fit.

 

They all live together, eat the same feed, water etc etc.

 

This has been going on for a couple of weeks but has got worse in the past few days. We think the white hen could be getting bullied? is this possible?

 

She has lost a lot of weight, her comb has changed colour to a dark red and is not looking good. She is un responsive in comparison, I don't think she is laying either as we only get 3 regular eggs. She won't go up to roost with the other and spends a lot of time alone.

 

What should we do?

[Guest]

if you think she's being bullied then you need to identify the bully and seperate the bully off for a while. have you provided enough food and water stations so no one hen can monopolise the food/water?

 

can you bring her inside in a cat carrier and try to syringe some sloppy food into her? try weetabix mixed with water to make it sloppy enough to syringe some into her beak. Failing that, try mixing some mash/pellets with water and a bit of sugar and try and get that into her.

 

 

If she's as bad as you say then you should take her to the vet ASAP, I have to say, if she's been like this for 2 weeks then I wouldn't have waited until she was on her last legs

[tobybeevers]

I'm not sue what to do, that the problem. First time chickens may be I'm just panicing but its only got bad over the last few days.

When I have been to put them away tonight she is settled on the floor and not going up to the coop, maybe she can't get up or maybe she doesn't want to ??

 

Anyway thanks for your help maybe I should bring her in tonight?

if you think she's being bullied then you need to identify the bully and seperate the bully off for a while. have you provided enough food and water stations so no one hen can monopolise the food/water?

 

can you bring her inside in a cat carrier and try to syringe some sloppy food into her? try weetabix mixed with water to make it sloppy enough to syringe some into her beak. Failing that, try mixing some mash/pellets with water and a bit of sugar and try and get that into her.

 

 

If she's as bad as you say then you should take her to the vet ASAP, I have to say, if she's been like this for 2 weeks then I wouldn't have waited until she was on her last legs

[Guest]

does she feel like she's thin? is her crop full?

 

if her crop is empty then try bringing her in and feeding her something sloppy.

[tobybeevers]

What is her crop?

 

When i pick her up she feels thin underneath on her breast bone

does she feel like she's thin? is her crop full?

 

if her crop is empty then try bringing her in and feeding her something sloppy.

[Budgies]

I wonder if the others are bullying her because she's ill. Chickens will always pick on the weak one - ill chickens can be pecked to death.

 

You're not panicking - chickens hide their suffering really well, so if you know she's ill, she's suffering, believe me!

 

If she survives the night, I'd take her to the vet. If she has something contagious it could affect your three other hens.

 

As for not going to join the other chickens in the coop, it sounds like she's feeling too ill to get there.

[tobybeevers]

Thanks, should I bing her in tonight?

 

The only thing I could put her in is a cardboard box

I wonder if the others are bullying her because she's ill. Chickens will always pick on the weak one - ill chickens can be pecked to death.

 

You're not panicking - chickens hide their suffering really well, so if you know she's ill, she's suffering, believe me!

 

If she survives the night, I'd take her to the vet. If she has something contagious it could affect your three other hens.

 

As for not going to join the other chickens in the coop, it sounds like she's feeling too ill to get there.

[Budgies]

In answer to your earlier query, a chicken's crop is on her right breast - it's a bit like a golf ball sized bean bag. This is where the food and drink she's had during the day goes first before filtering slowly through her digestive system to get ground up with grit in her gizzard.

 

If this feels empty, it's worth trying to give her a little sloppy food (her pellets or meal mixed with a little warm water) to get her through the night.

 

Yes, I'd bring her in. She'll settle in a cardboard box if she can be alone and in the dark and quiet.

[Egluntyne]

How old are the hens? I see that you have only had them a short while, but were they at point of lay when you bought them, or older?

 

She sounds as if she needs to see a vet to me, I'm afraid. She may have an infection or similar.

 

I agree with the advice about bringing her indoors and encouraging her to drink. I' also place her on a comfortably warm padded hot water bottle so that she doesn't waste valuable energy trying to maintain her body temperature (which is much higher than ours).

 

Good luck.

[chelsea]

agree with the above advice. Unfortuntately the dark colour of her comb indicates she is a poorly girl. I would take her to a vet for diagnosis as it sounds like she is beyond home help.

 

Please let us know how she goes.

[tobybeevers]

Guys,

 

Thanks for all you help last night, I was at my wits end. At least for the kids theres NHS Direct LOL.

 

She has been to the vets today and he has given her an antibiotic jab, he's not sure whats wrong with her but agrees she is under weight. We are keeping her in the house for the time being, she seems to be eatting OK and drinking, is there anything that we can give her to gain weight and help her feel better?

 

Thanks again

[Guest]

try some mashed potato mixed with a bit of tuna or meal worms (preferably live if you can afford them and can bear to handle them, most pet shops sell live meal worms).

 

mushed up weetabix with water and some probiotic yoghurt, the yoghurt will do her good if she's on antibiotics or get some avipro, you can get it on-line, at pet shops or the vets, it's really good as it has vitamins, minerals, pre-biotic and pro-bitotic and all the things a dehydrated chook would need.

 

sloppy stuff will get into her system quicker so should fatten her up, good luck.

[chelsea]

so happy for you she made it through the night and seen the vet.

 

Chick crumb is very good for convalescing (sp!) chooks, we gave it to our Ella after her bowel operation. Its high in protein, smaller and easier to eat.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry to hear about your poorly girl . How is she today?