My chook hasnt laid for nearly a week

[wendeet]

Hi , I thought it was worth starting a new thread, as I havent still got a clue whats wrong with one of my hens. She's not laid in nearly a week, she is eating small bits and drinking. She walks around for a while then sits. Her poo is different all the time and there is no sign of any looking like egg yolk. Her wattle is not that pale. I have seen just a few feathers around in the coop,which ive never noticed before. When she was having a dust bath the other day, she did look like she was laying into it. Ive looked into the nesting area and nothing seems obvious in there like mites. When she eats, she is looking for small bits of food rather that the larger pellets, so i make mash so that she can eat. I really dont know whats going on.
If it was something awful, wouldnt she have died by now?

[pegasus64]

Wendeet,
Same problem here too. She's not laid for 5 days now, the other 2 are fine. Her wattles are pale, she's eating a bit drinking well, but lethargic and her poo is a little runny, but no blood and can't see any worms. She's certainly not in moult, but she has lost a bit of weight.
Coop cleaned out daily. and disinfected once a week, always fresh water and feeder clean. her butt end I washed today and not egg yolk, bind noticed. Crop is good, really don't know what is wrong with her. She's a hybrid, blackrock.
Waiting for wormer to arrive, like you though she would have died by now if she was really poorly, but need some advice if possible.
Was thinking maybe trying some epson salts, what do you think?
Dom x

[wendeet]

Ive started mine on wormer, just in case. I'm worming all my girls as i have three. I've put DE in the nest area just in case of mites and crawlies..
I don't know what I'm looking for when looking at her vent, but it seems pretty clean. She isn't coughing or sneezing. The only thing i think she might be doing is, only eating small pieces of her food,so thats why i made a mash.
I'm going to wait til tea time and check her over again and see if i spot something.

[KarenE]

Hi there

Worming is a good idea, if they haven't been wormed recently. If you're seeing a few feathers around the coop, is it possible she could be moulting? It doesn't half seem to take it out of them, the poor things. I've had 2 chickens go through a partial moult, both ex batts, and they hung around the garden looking miserable for ages before they started scattering feathers everywhere and in fact perked up once the feathers started dropping. Their poos went quite runny, although they didn't go off their food completely they went mad for mealworms as I assume they needed the extra energy.

If she's off food or only eating small bits, have you checked her crop?

karen

[KarenE]

Dom - I've got a chicken like that at the moment, I think it's stress that has affected mine as I introduced 2 new birds a fortnight ago and she is fighting to be top hen. She's off her food and very clingy, so I've been feeding her mash and tempting her with scrambled egg and tomato juice, and the occasional bit of fishy cat food, which seems to have got her eating again. Might be worth a try with the egg and tomato juice?

I've also noticed that mine only seemed to want to eat tiny bits of mash and pellets, so I've been breaking them up for her and giving her a little gentle crop massage as well in case there was a bit of impaction started. It's possible thought that mine is just a clingy fusspot - she's well enough to chase the 2 new chickens around the place.

Worming also is worth a shot if they haven't been wormed recently - I did mine too just to be on the safe side, although no signs of worms.

The other possibility could be something going on internally. If she's no better after the worming or the egg/tomato in a day or so then maybe a trip to the vets as she might need something.

Karen

[aceface]

it sounds to me like shes starting a moult bless her ,feed a good amount of protein mealworm ,tinned fish or cat food and this will help her through it ,mine are starting too they look miserable and have little energy I give sugar water aswell to help perk them up , don't worry too much it is a natural thing for hens to do and once she is through it she will feel and look so much better ,it is shedding the old feathers to replace with new ones ,if you google it there are some good tips around

please don't be afraid to ask for more help we are always happy to help

[aceface]

Wendeet,
Was thinking maybe trying some epson salts, what do you think?
Dom x

I would probably avoid the Epsom salts and get them through the moult they will feel quite unhappy and miserable and the Epsom salts may be too harsh at this time

use the wormer Flubenvet it has excellent results

[Skeksis]

You're doing well hun please avoid Epsom salts at the mo, sometimes they are helpful but must be used with great caution x

[wendeet]

Thank you everyone for some helpful hints. .

[aceface]

no problem wendeet anytime

keep a close eye on her and keep us updated

[wendeet]

Morning

Well, let my girls out, and I noticed that my hen has a full crop. I hadn't noticed before so maybe she has a problem there. I am worming all the girls at the moment with flub, but do you think, i could put ACV in their water at the moment to,or will it just make things worse. Oh i forgot, she did deposit some liquid without anything in it earlier too, just a little bit. I did notice something a bit strange yesterday and wasnt sure if there was a bit of bulllying going on but as my hens were at the food bowl, one of my other hens was going near the hen's beak. (it looked like she was kissing her,as it wasnt particularly aggressive) do you think this hen can smell something she thinks is possible food?

[KarenE]

Hi wendeet

Sometimes they do that to clean each other's beaks of food, perhaps that's what she was doing?

Have you felt your girl's crop? Does it feel hard or squishy? And is there any smell coming from her beak?

karen

[pegasus64]

Well she's still not right.
Haven't gone for epsom salts. She's only eaten a small amount, but is drinking well, acv in water.
Just washed her but end in warm water to ensure no fly contact, don't know if it's vent cleet or not, she's very quiet and lethargic and when let out on the grass she didn't eat any at all. She had just taken some corn mix from my hand, tried to seperate her but she just panicked and screamed to go back, don't want her to stress out all the more. She did eat some cat food this morning though. No moult noticed, Still no eggs, but that's the least of my worries.
Hubby bringing some yogart home later so will try that with scrambled eggs and tom juice. At a bit of a loss otherwise. Her poo is still runny and watery but her crop is fine, no signs there.
thought i worried about my kids, but chucks they could give you a heart attack.
Dom x

[pegasus64]

Thank you aceface and skeksis, for the help, by the way.
Dom x

[wendeet]

DOM, I think my hen is on the mend, although I think i'm losing a few more marbles to be honest. She is active, but still no egg today. She's not that old and a hybrid warren. I had the three of them at Point-of-Lay in early april, and within two weeks of having them they were laying regularly every day. I tried to check her crop this morning, and although it looked full, it seemed fine when i felt it. it certainly is getting me baffled all this. I think I will just have to wait and hope its not going to be anything long term and make my hen really ill.

wendeet