Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[hilda-and-evadne]

My Cream Legbar (now about 3 years old) stopped laying for this year about a month ago, is finishing her moult and growing her new feathers - and has given up eating and drinking of her own volition ...

 

She seems content, alert and well enough in herself but doesn't want to eat, drink, come out of the eglu (unless I lift her out) or do much except stand around watching the others. Occasionally she will peck at something on the ground. Normally, she is one of the greediest hens alive.

 

But I thought that I can't let things be because without food and water her condition is going to deteriorate. Three days ago, I started syringing water into her, 5mls at a time, which she would put up with until I had given 25mls, and then she would make protesting noises. She would eat one mouthful of mashed banana, or one mouthful of yogurt, and then lose interest.

 

Today, I softened layers pellets into a mush with water and have so far syringed about 15mls of that into her.

 

Advice welcome. How long before she resumes feeding herself, do you think? I have growers pellets as well (for the chicks) and can feed that to her instead.

 

Edited: all references to 5ml and 25ml should read .5ml and 2.5ml. Sorry.

Edited October 9, 2011 by Guest

[Redwing]

I'd say that she is either ill or that she is simply eating when you arent around

 

Hens wont willingly starve themselves

 

It could be that she isnt digesting her food - crop problems etc.. so force feeding may be making things worse

 

If she does need to be force fed then I'd suggest getting her checked out at the vets to find the cause of the not eating, if necessary they will tube feed her in to her crop. Syringed water or food in anything more than tiny doses (eg 1ml at a time) may cause more problems than it solves and may cause choking or stress

 

A normal healthy chicken doesnt need feeding by syringe

[Tweety]

I agree with Redwing. If she is healthy, she should not need to be fed.

 

Is she pooing at all and, if so, what are they like? One of my ex batts had digestive problems recently - she was eating quite normally, but her poo contained undigested food. The vet gave her a dose of Beryl's Friendly Bacteria via tube into her crop, and that sorted her out.

 

I would take her to the vet if she were mine - something is not right.

[Patricia W]

I agree. I'd take her to the vet. It could be an infection or crop problem but only a vet could tell

[Chucky Mama]

A normal healthy chicken doesnt need feeding by syringe

I agree. She wont be as inclined to eat if you are assisting her. If she wont eat if you stop feeding, I think there is something wrong with her.

[Egluntyne]

Another one who agrees, here. There must be something amiss, either that or she is helping herself while you are not looking.

[hilda-and-evadne]

Thank you all for the comments. It is by feeling her crop that I know that she wasn't eating.

 

I'd say that she is either ill or that she is simply eating when you arent around ... If she does need to be force fed then I'd suggest getting her checked out at the vets to find the cause of the not eating, if necessary they will tube feed her in to her crop.

 

I am fairly sure that our vet would have no idea how to tube feed a hen ...

 

Anyway, this afternoon has seen a break-through. It seems that she can't or won't eat pellets at the moment. I don't feel able to claim any credit for this breakthrough, as it was just chance. I'll describe how it happened, in case this helps anyone else. After giving the Legbar 2 x 5ml of pellet-porridge and 1 x 5ml water, I offered her the coop cup of porridge, and she ate from it eagerly. So I made up a fresh quantity of (growers) pellet porridge and offered it to her, while holding her in my arms, and she ate steadily for at least five minutes. So I put her in a spare eglu with the coop cup of porridge, so that she could eat it in peace. And, of course, I will give her only porridge - on her own - until I see that she has resumed eating pellets.

 

Fingers crossed, crisis passed. I have no idea why, suddenly, she couldn't eat pellets.

 

Thank you, again.

[Sandychick]

I am a little confused How do you know she was not eating? I haven't got a clue how often or when any of mine eat. You would surely have to spend every hour watching them and making notes. I'd only be concerned if one of them was looking ill

[hilda-and-evadne]

I am a little confused How do you know she was not eating? I haven't got a clue how often or when any of mine eat. You would surely have to spend every hour watching them and making notes.

 

Empty crop, every time I checked. (I work from home so I can check at any time.)

 

I'd only be concerned if one of them was looking ill

 

The moult takes it out of this particular Legbar more than it affects the other hens. She always looks really unwell while it is going on but this is the first time she has had problems with eating pellets.