Lethargic chook

[Juddy in the Charente]

Over the last couple of days one of our hens has been particularly lethargic, a bit off her food (until I gave them some meat scraps!) and quite easy to catch (not her normal Linford Christie impersonation). Other than that she looks ok, her eyes look clear and her backend is no more disgusting than normal! Any ideas please before we hit the vets waiting room?

[becks77]

I was told marmite on toast as a pick me up.......worth a try, full of vitB.......for the chuckie of course!

[Thomzo]

Could she be coming into moult? Has she started to lose any feathers?

Zoe

[theabsinthefairy]

Apple cider vinegar in the drinking water is a good tonic.

Is she a new layer - perhaps struggling with an egg, or a regular layer who has not laid recently - also perhaps struggling with an egg. Is she a bit broody?

[Juddy in the Charente]

Sadly, chook passed on in the night, suppose she could have been eggbound? Any remedies for the future?

[theabsinthefairy]

Sorry to hear that she died.... it is always sad to lose one.

If she was a regular layer you can usually tell if they are unhappy, as after a day or so of no egg delivery she will usually droop her tail and go off her food, and probably wander around the area she normally lays in generally looking unwell and unhappy. If you suspect she is egg bound you can apply vaseline to the vent, and try steaming her - holding her securely over a source of steam - a boiling pan for example - obviously not too closely, or you can try holding her on a hot water bottle - if she is that tame to allow it.
If you can see the egg and it still won't come out - you can pierce it to get it out - use your finger not an implement.

For a new layer, death by a stuck egg can be quite common and hard to catch as the symptoms are difficult to 'see' on a chicken that has no discernable laying habits.

Unfortunately there are lots of things that can cause a chicken to get ill and die, but generally as a rule of thumb (and my opinion only) if you lose one chicken it's probably either been killed or egg bound - but if you lose more than one in quick succession you have an infection or disease to deal with.

Monika