PLEASE watch video: Cull/Euthanize?

[chickbee]

Please watch and let me know thoughts? Do I go ahead and just end this poor girls life? This has been going on for about a week.
https://youtu.be/upnqRAoKrZQ

This hen has changed quickly. Less than two weeks ago she was her usual full-feathered, sturdy self. Also the leader of the flock.
She had sudden extreme feather loss and her balance is now off. She is pulling to the side, walking in circles. She wants to eat but seems to have trouble focusing/stopping to do so. I had her isolated but seemed MISERABLE.

The Vet felt she is just going through a hard molt, otherwise clear of parasites and looked good to him a week ago. At the time he said she was not doing the "balance things" with him. I feel they've worsened slightly.

In December we had another hen that always seemed weak and failed to thrive overall. She had chronic unexplained feather loss for months, despite multiple trips to vet and ruling out things. She started to have these similar symptoms (head pulling to one side).
We euthanized her before Christmas as she eventually became so thin & weak.
(tried force feeding, antibiotics, vitamins, pain meds...)

I feared Mareks but the vet ruled it out. He said because she is older and the way she is presenting, it doesn't fit.
Any insight, anyone? Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give her a vitamin E 400 IU pearl orally or in a small amount of food daily. Also a source of vitamin B1 thiamine, which is found in B complex tablets or chick vitamins. The offer her a bits of scrambled egg, tuna, or sunflower seeds for the small amount of selenium to help the uptake of vitamin E .
I would agree that she is having a hard molt, and that can be common. Hopefully, she will come out of it soon.

 

[chickbee]

I would give her a vitamin E 400 IU pearl orally or in a small amount of food daily. Also a source of vitamin B1 thiamine, which is found in B complex tablets or chick vitamins. The offer her a bits of scrambled egg, tuna, or sunflower seeds for the small amount of selenium to help the uptake of vitamin E .
I would agree that she is having a hard molt, and that can be common. Hopefully, she will come out of it soon.

Thank you, this is very helpful. I have this Nutri Drench on hand, would that work?
https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/nutri-drench-4-ounce
I have been trying the scrambled egg and tuna etc
and she maybe will peck a bit but then continue on in her manner. Not eating significant amounts. In the cage I can't get her to eat or hand feed. But I will keep trying.
Thank you so very much for the reply.

 

[Eggcessive]

NutriDrench is very good, and I would try to give a little more vitamin E in addition to that. Dosage is 2 ml of NutriDrench given orally each day. Scrambled eggs, tuna, and sunflower seeds are good treats for protein.

 

[Eggcessive]

Many chickens have a decreased appetite when molting. Mine like wet chicken feed sometimes, and they will normally eat bits of scrambled egg, tuna, ground meat of any kind, or canned cat food. It is best to stick mostly to a balanced chicken feed, but they do like a high protein treat.

 

[coach723]

I've had hens going through a hard molt that had sudden balance issues. If you don't see improvement with the nutri drench, then get a human B complex tablet and use that. Some birds don't eat well during molt and it can end up with a deficiency. Molt can be really hard on them sometimes, and they don't feel great. I've had them bounce back with one or two doses of nutri drench, or sometimes it takes the higher doses in a straight supplement. I've had them walk backwards, stumble, or just appear to be drunk. If you moisten her regular feed it may tempt her to eat better. I will sometimes mix some scrambled egg into the moistened feed and it helps get them started.

 

[vantain]

I had a hen in a molt that walked just like that, and exhibited other odd behavior. It was related to the molt. Apparently the pin feathers can make them very uncomfortable, and they can walk funny. Mine was walking sideways just like yours. It got better after about a week of the weirdness. I had the same concerns, and posted on the forum as well. Many people responded about it being sort of normal for a bird in molt. Hopefully that is all that is wrong with yours.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Any insight, anyone? Thank you!

Very sorry for your loss and your hard molting gal.

Please tell us what is you feed routine including treats and supplements on a regular basis?

On board nutrition values heavily impact molt and since switching to a higher nutrient feed than "layer" my birds no longer lose their personality, withdrawal, and decline.. like they did before.

The gal I saw in that video looked to be molting but full of life.. Unless I was misunderstanding which one I was looking at. But if it was that one.. NO I would NOT cull/euthanize.. but rather take a deeper look at my practice. Noting that feathers growing back in can take a long time and patience is key EVEN after changes have been made.

 

[vantain]

I should add..mine also was picked on more by the others, and even got bloody at one point, because the others were pecking at her. She eventually recovered and walloped the aggressors!

 

[chickbee]

Many chickens have a decreased appetite when molting. Mine like wet chicken feed sometimes, and they will normally eat bits of scrambled egg, tuna, ground meat of any kind, or canned cat food. It is best to stick mostly to a balanced chicken feed, but they do like a high protein treat.

Thanks, yes, she doesn't want to each much. Even when I put her into the pen herself. She seems to do best out free ranging and seems to be eating the most this way when I put or throw the food down. Thanks for the input. Helps to hear maybe appetite won't be the same.