[bob-the-chick]

Hi

we noticed one of our hens was doing a lot of sitting down today and has lost interest in food. She just sat there watching all the others tuck into the usual goodies that come out of the kitchen.

I've brought her in and I put her in the sink with some water in it and she seemed to drink a lot of water. I've managed to get her to eat fresh salad leaves but unless the leaves cut up for her she doesn't seem to have the interest or energy to tear up leaves herself.

No scratching around of foraging outside. No interest in eating...

I've kept her in and put her in a cat carrier with some water and finely chopped lettuce and she's just sat herself down with no interest in moving. I put her outside for a few minutes after about 3 hours in and she walked a few metres and sat down.

From what I understand they give up fairly easily once they are ill. Other than her being very lathargic, there are no real signs of I'll health. Her crop has food in it (and water and greens now). She's not egg bound from what I can tell. She laid yesterday anyway.

Her comb seems slightly duller than it would be normally, and it seems perhaps a little stiffer, or drier...?

Any suggestion..? Thanks in advance. I'm quite worried as I'm thinking she may not make the night. 

Thank you

[bob-the-chick]

And one more thing. I've just noticed that she has very,very watery green (and I'm sorry in advance) poo.

[Vember]

Hi Bob

Was her crop full before you gave her the water & lettuce ?

 

Sarah

[Daucus]

In this warm weather, if she has runny poo it's worth checking her rear end in case she has fly strike.

[bob-the-chick]

Hi Sarah... No, her [edit] comb (not crop- sorry!) was a deep red and not as 'floppy' as it would ideally be... My guess is heatstroke but I am without doubt, no expert.

Her crop had some grain in it but after getting her in and getting water in it felt much softer. It seemed she was needing water...
[edited!] 

And what is fly strike?? What should I look for?

[Daucus]

Fly strike is when an animal gets a mucky bum & flies lay eggs in it - they hatch into maggots which then start eating into the animal.

[bob-the-chick]

Ahh ok. As clean as a whistle, thankfully. No muck or inflamation.

Thank you for that though.

I've got a bit more fluid into her but she still only seems to want to sit down and sleep. I can't help thinking that she's not going to be waking up tomorrow!

[Spadefighter]

This sounds spookily similar to my situation except the green poo. Not looking forward to the morning either.

[Spadefighter]

Hi bob, how is she? Still with us?