We give them worm pellets about every 2-3 months.
They all have pellets available all the time in their pen, and sometimes they get cabbage leaves and bread and left over rice and pasta in the afternoons.
I've only ever given them calcium in grit form and we had a calcium and protien enriched food for a while, but the only poultry feed retailer in our area stopped selling that.
Her comb has always been smaller than the other hens, as she's a hybrid I thought that this was just an aspect of the breed, but it's a healthy red.
I've nearly had her a year, and she's been laying since she finished her moult (she started moulting straight after we got her). We were assured when we bought her that she was laying and healthy.
She's not as lively as the rest of the hens, and spends most of her time sitting down, I very rarely see her running, for food or by being chased by the 'head hen'.
My mum suggested that she was egg bound, because she had a lot of the symptoms, so we put her in a nice, warm bath of water for half and hour. While she was in the bath I was feeling for a swollen abdomen (to back up the egg bound theory) and we noticed something that looked like an egg membrane (she sometimes lays shell-less eggs) half way out of her vent. My dad suggested we help by pulling gently on it, but I told him to check by touching it that it wasn't her egg duct and she was having a prolapse. She showed no discomfort or pain when it was touched.
We were able to pull it out, and it was the thickest membrane we'd ever seen! We put her in a box with plenty of straw and a dish of water in the study overnight (its the warmest room) so she could dry and recooperate. She's gone back outside this morning, and seems to be wandering around and scratching about normally.
I suppose that the membrane being stuck in her vent could explain the very small runny stools she was producing, but I don't think it explains the colour or the frothiness, so I'll keep an eye on her, and see what else happens.
I really hope it's not a kidney problem, they sound really serious.
Thankyou so much for all your help.