[Aunt Sally]

One of my hybrid hens about 4 1/2 years old has stopped eating. 

She will eat meal worms, a little mixed corn, bird seed and greens, tomatoes, grapes, bread, worms etc.  I only offer a small amount of these things late afternoon and sometimes not at all.  The other two hens eat pellets and mash when in their run but not her, even when there is absolutely nothing else.  She will go to bed with her crop completely empty rather than eat pellets or mash.

She's is active, glossy feathered, tail up runs for food but doesn't eat it if it's not to her liking.  She's getting quite thin and has stopped laying.

I'm going to leave them shut in their run for a couple of days to see it it will force her to eat chicken food but I fear this anorexic chook cannot survive too long on a diet of almost nothing 


Any ideas ?

[joyfull]

what a fussy little madam she is 
I would stop all treats for all of them Auntie and like you say keep them in their run - your run is plenty big enough for all of them. Failing that then you may have to make a mash up (add some honey - manuka is best as it has healing properties although it is expensive but very yummy - and probiotics in) and syringe it in to build her up again.
At 4 1/2 she has reached a ripe old age and she may feel that as her laying life is over she just wants spoiling in her retirement. You could try using chick crumb - if you buy organic without the anti cocci in - I have some that I could send you if you can't get any - then if the others eat this you can still eat their eggs. Let me know and I can pop it into tomorrow post.

[joyfull]

how was she at bedtime?

[Aunt Sally]

Hubby gave her some corn and chopped up salad which she ate and she had a drink   

We're going shopping tomorrow to Bluewater and will be out all day.  So it will be pellets or nothing until we get home.

[joyfull]

have a good day shopping but give me a call if you want any organic crumb and I'll pop some in a jiffy bag. She obviously can eat so it's not a case of sore/swollen throat etc. If you have any avipro you could give her some of that and also some lifeguard in their water.

[Aunt Sally]

Thanks Joy.  I'll let you know how she goes today.  They will all be in the run today with just pellets and some greens hung up for entertainment. 

[UrbanG]

I am having the same problem with 1 of my hens but she is only 8 months old.

I figure it is because when we 1st got them, with all the excitment we were treating them with corn and kitchen scraps far to much all of the time. We have since stopped (or tried to stop) treating them till late afternoon.

The problem is, the little madam has learnt to moan and moan and moan as she paces back and forth up and down the last free range fence boundery!!! and I mean she really moans, she is almost like an out of tune cockerel!!

And I admit, because of noise / neighbours and the fact that I don't want her to starve I break and end up taking her the corn which shuts her up!!  Grrrrrh..

I eagerly await a possible solution or some form of magic powder I can add to the layers pellets to get her interested in them again as I seem to of ended up with a small child who refuses to eat her dinner and crys and kicks off till she gets the sweets!!!  hehe

[Hawkins]

hope she picks up soon Aunty we all know how much your girls mean to you.

Keep us posted.

[Aunt Sally]

I will Em

UrbanG - That is my hen you have in your garden 

While she is looking bright and healthy I'm going to go for the "eat yer pellets or starve" method 

[Hawkins]

Lets see how long your resolve will last Aunty. I give you about 12 hours untill you crumble and the little girl is having all sorts of treats.

Good Luck

[joyfull]

did she eat anything today Aunty?

[Aunt Sally]

I don't know if she ate anything while I was out but I suspect only the cabbage that was hung up for them.  She refused the warm layers mash this afternoon and had some corn at bedtime.

Think I'll have to try to weigh her to see if she's getting thinner.

[joyfull]

the offer of chick crumb is still there (hens love chick crumb more than layers  ), although it isn't something I would recommend but it could help her put on weight and then you can slowly mix in the layers again. As it is unmedicated then there is no danger to you eating any eggs should the others eat it.
Have large jiffy bag ready to go just let me know 

[Aunt Sally]

Well she didn't eat any pellets thismorning and she's spent best part of the day out freeranging and doing a lot of digging.  She had a Little warm layers mash late afernoon and some mixed corn before bed time.

It's more than she has been eating so the lack of food she likes is getting through I think

[joyfull]

haha had just sent you a pm regarding her 
Fussy eater then just like a child or even a husband