[jackieand glenn]

one f my chickens seems very ill. i had her given me so not sure of age but i would think about 3 years ols. shes always been a bully and top chook but last 2 weeks going down hill.
as soon as i let her out of coop in morning she comes out slow and stays huddled up away from the others, ive checked for all the normal things, nothing that i can see or feel. been wormed, on top of red mite etc. she hasnt laid for ages, isnt eating but drinks water. shes now very thin. also if i pick her up then put her down she falls over and lays on her side for a few seconds before getting up. could anyone tell me please what they think also, what happen in old age for chicken to die, never had one like this before. many thanks.

[4chooks]

Same syptoms to one of mine that died from gapeworm not so long ago. She went down hill rapidly from healthy to dead in a couple of weeks... However there are lots of illnesses and best advice is take her to a vet, approx £20 for a diagnosis if she is worth that to you.

[jackieand glenn]

would i see if chooks had worms like in poo etc, what do gapeworms look like please. also would other chooks get them . advise please

[joyfull]

first of all what breed is she? Some breeds especially egg laying hybrids often only live until they reach 3 years old, whereas pure breeds can often live to over 10 years old.
Check her temperature - feel under her wing and then with the same hand feel under the wing of a healthy hen.
What did you worm her with - if flubenvet then doubt it will be gape worm (one of the main symptoms is opening their beak and gaping).
Check her eyes - are the pupils the same as your other hens.
Did she just stop laying eggs for the winter? She may be coming back into lay and either have a softee on it's way which does make a hen appear very ill or she may have an egg stuck and need a warm 40 minute bath to help her ease it out.

[joyfull]

if a hen is open beaked and gaping then you can take a look down her throat and often see the gape worm. If you are worming  every 3 or 4 months with flubenvet then I doubt she will have gape worm.

[jackieand glenn]

they have been wormed with flubenvet, just 1 month ago. she never opens her beak . never been one to lay many eggs since ive had her i would guess 2 eggs a week. ive felt all over her i really dont think its worms or soft egg. her coomb is grey now and eyes look sunk in. i think its old age but as i have never had old chook i just wonder if thats how they go. the falling over and laying on one side is weird. i will take her to vet but just thought i may get some help on here of what happens with old hens etc.

[joyfull]

The grey comb doesn't sound good - possible heart attack/stroke and the falling over could also point to that. I had a hen which suffered from a possible stroke last year - I kept her in a cat carrier and fed her on mixed corn and in her drink I mixed in critical care formula. after a few days I let her have her own run - giving her a short spell in that every day. After a few weeks she was right as rein but I would advise you take yours to a vet to be sure.
Get the vet to check her heart and also for mareks.
You didn't say what breed she is.

[4chooks]

i wasn't saying it was gapeworm, all i was saying is i had similar symptoms from my hen that died due to gapeworm.

She also fell over and laid on here side, Also comb when grey and gills went white on side of her head, but she didn't gape just shuck her head alot. She went from healthy to dead in a matter of weeks.

The advice i gave was to take to vets as could be numerous things or not even a illness 

[Ice]

i wasn't saying it was gapeworm, all i was saying is i had similar symptoms from my hen that died due to gapeworm.

I don't see what your problem is.  Joy was merely, by a process of elimination, trying to establish the facts using her vast experience in keeping chickens.  You brought up the idea that it might be gapeworm by mentioning the similarity of symptoms.  It might be time to wind your neck in a little and not take offence at the slightest remark.

[4chooks]

i wasn't saying it was gapeworm, all i was saying is i had similar symptoms from my hen that died due to gapeworm.

I don't see what your problem is.  Joy was merely, by a process of elimination, trying to establish the facts using her vast experience in keeping chickens.  You brought up the idea that it might be gapeworm by mentioning the similarity of symptoms.  It might be time to wind your neck in a little and not take offence at the slightest remark.

There wasn't a problem & there isn't a problem.. just 'merley' saying like joy and just replying to her post.. Joy is fantastic & very knowledgable and her advice is usually second to none. There was no need for that remark ICE so perhaps you wind yours in pal!!!

[4chooks]

i wasn't saying it was gapeworm, all i was saying is i had similar symptoms from my hen that died due to gapeworm.

I don't see what your problem is.  Joy was merely, by a process of elimination, trying to establish the facts using her vast experience in keeping chickens.  You brought up the idea that it might be gapeworm by mentioning the similarity of symptoms.  It might be time to wind your neck in a little and not take offence at the slightest remark.

There wasn't a problem & there isn't a problem.. just 'merley' saying like joy and just replying to her post.. Joy is fantastic & very knowledgable and her advice is usually second to none. There was no need for that remark ICE so perhaps you wind yours in pal!!!

For goods sake, what is it with people on here??? feet first.. Sorry joy it my comment sounded negative towards yours i was just replying to your post love and saying my hen that died had all these symptoms!!! Don't want to make enemies but seems like i have for some reason here!!!

[Ice]

Back on topic please.

[kegs]

they have been wormed with flubenvet, just 1 month ago. she never opens her beak . never been one to lay many eggs since ive had her i would guess 2 eggs a week. ive felt all over her i really dont think its worms or soft egg. her coomb is grey now and eyes look sunk in. i think its old age but as i have never had old chook i just wonder if thats how they go. the falling over and laying on one side is weird. i will take her to vet but just thought i may get some help on here of what happens with old hens etc.

How's your chicken this morning?

[Tony H]

now now ! we all no that for evey question there is lots of answers we have all had at one time or another a ill chuck and you can read as much about it as you can find and u will most certanly find a couple of illnesses with the same symtoms, all we can do is to give our account of what our chucks went through   lets not forget were all here to help each other.