[JOP]

I need some advise.. Have a new POl hen (one of two).  She's been subdued for four or five days. stopped laying about 7-8 days a go.  As she only just started laying didn't worry too much that she stopped for a couple of day.  Now though she is subdued hunched lathargic...eating just about and havn't seen drinking as much as i did.  She keeps shaking her head.  Cant see that her ears/ face /head or comb are swollen causing irritation.  Checked all through her feather to see if there is anything un-toward.  Anyone any ideas...please help

[Cluckyclaire]

Hello there sorry to hear your hen is unwell, I am relatively new to this so only what I have read on here, have you checked her crop? Also she may be egg bound? Search with the words you describe and there will be posts to advise, am sure another more experienced person will be along soon, all the best

[JOP]

Thanks.   Have felt crop , now feels pretty empty. No obviouse lump and not hot.  Have felt where I think i would feel it she's egg bound and again cant feel anything hard or bloated. Will search again as you suggested . Thanks again

[loretta cluck]

Try a bag of maggots...fairly new myself to all this, and have had the odd day of these symptoms with one or two of mine....dont know if its just a fluke, but the following day after devouring maggots, theyre as right as rain.....good luck, and hope theres some improvement.

[JOP]

Ukkk. I am presuming live maggots ...suppose a fishing Shop ??

[joyfull]

you can use live maggots for impacted crops (they must be the ones that aren't coloured) but as your hen has an empty crop then she wouldn't need this treatment.
When was she last wormed and what with?
Have you felt inside to see if she has got an egg stuck?

[JOP]

Crop definiatly not impacted,as nothing in there.  Had a good feel about above/ vent to feel for eggs as people have suggested, and cant feel anything now apart from her little bones- so skinney.  The only other thing she is doing is going to bed early evening which made me wonder about stuck eggs

Syringed water into her this morning as she really not eating now

[joyfull]

is her vent pulsing?

[JOP]

no , no pulsing going on. If it was, gather that means she trying to lay??? is that right
she gone to the nest box and is make low grumbley sounds a bit like a purr

[themagicaltoad1]

Sounds like she may have gone broody.

[kegs]

Have you ruled out worms, lice and red mite?

[JOP]

Saturday -  a lot better . showing interest in more foods seen drinking walking about keeping up with her mates.  Sunday what a different chicken chortling away like she used to. Head down eating and keeping posession of scraps they got given.  All very odd .  Thanks to everyone for there suggestion, and it's so good to get all the feed back from other owners.
Weeks worth of worrying seems to have come to and end

[bantam novice]

Good to hear    Thanks for keeping us updated.