Emrosenagel
Songster
- Oct 2, 2020
- 101
- 48
- 111
Hello,
Back in December, right before Christmas, one of me hens (Rhode Island Red, 2 2/3 years old) stopped eating and was acting lethargic; she also started limping. I took her to the vet, got antibiotics and she got better in no time. Fast forward to last week and yet another hen started acting the same beside the limp, except she was much worse. I thought for sure I was going to lose her on Monday night. She wouldn't eat or drink, just slept all day. So I started feeding her recovery formula and antibiotics with a syringe daily (food three times a day with water). She perked up very fast. Started walking around, much more alert. But my problem is this: she tries to eat food -- chicken feed, cat food, scrambled egg -- but it just kind of falls out of her mouth, like she can't do it. And then she just gives up and goes off with an empty crop. But she will eat dirt, for whatever reason.
She is getting too strong for me to feed her consistently with the syringe, but won't eat herself. Does anybody know why? This same thing happened to another hen I lost to infection last year, but she never perked up this much.
And they do not lay anymore, if that is important.
Thank you.
Back in December, right before Christmas, one of me hens (Rhode Island Red, 2 2/3 years old) stopped eating and was acting lethargic; she also started limping. I took her to the vet, got antibiotics and she got better in no time. Fast forward to last week and yet another hen started acting the same beside the limp, except she was much worse. I thought for sure I was going to lose her on Monday night. She wouldn't eat or drink, just slept all day. So I started feeding her recovery formula and antibiotics with a syringe daily (food three times a day with water). She perked up very fast. Started walking around, much more alert. But my problem is this: she tries to eat food -- chicken feed, cat food, scrambled egg -- but it just kind of falls out of her mouth, like she can't do it. And then she just gives up and goes off with an empty crop. But she will eat dirt, for whatever reason.
She is getting too strong for me to feed her consistently with the syringe, but won't eat herself. Does anybody know why? This same thing happened to another hen I lost to infection last year, but she never perked up this much.
And they do not lay anymore, if that is important.
Thank you.
