Only 3 (older) chickens/2 acting sick

[JStar83]

I don't know what to do about this situation. One chicken we know has heart/liver issues and water belly. We drain her periodically to help her out and give her supportive care. She's been up and down lately. The other one seemed fine but had watery poop for a little bit. She doesn't lay anymore and eats less but I noticed her drinking more. Today she isn't eating and is sometimes laying down in the run which the 3rd chicken is still laying and wild, pecking at her.
I don't know what's wrong. I've never wormed them and this one chicken is super skeptical about anything in feed or water. I don't think it's coccidiosis as no blood. She been standing around puffed up a lot but I thought it was from the cold and being 4 yrs old for a high production breed.
I need community support as I don't know anyone around who keeps chickens and we don't have a vet. I'm worried I'll lose 2 chickens and only have 1! What do I do with 1?? We have chicks coming April 30 but they won't be out in the coop for awhile obviously.

 

[cavemanrich]

To you and let me offer you some true advice.
You mention ,, 4 years old,,, and High production type. That translates to chicken coming to end life terms.
Sexlink, and other high production breeds, lay many eggs, and do not live long lives.
Heritage breeds, do lay eggs, but not as many in same timeframe... But live longer lives,, so they do lay about same amount in their lifetime.
Reason many people want the production hens,,, is to get most eggs from chickens, and feed them less time.
Its for economical reasons.

Now,,, I don't have exact numbers, to compare the different types of chickens and egg amounts. Meaning, Chicken A,, 1200 eggs during 4 years,, VS, Chicken B,, 1200 eggs during 9 years of life,,
But you do understand the concept.

My suggestion to you... Make your less than healthy hens as comfortable as you can. Keep the one vibrant hen away from them and pecking them.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[JStar83]

Hi and thank you! Yes, I have read about sexlinks not living as long. We adopted these from a friend not knowing much about chicken keeping. We've learned a long the way and our new chicks are heritage and different breeds. We originally had 5 and lost 2 last year to the same issues. I keep thinking we are doing something wrong but everything I read says it's highly likely in these types.
My biggest stress is having one chicken. I know they are healthiest with their flock and my one laying and seemingly healthy chicken is almost crowing she's so flustered this morning with the 2 staying in the coop. Will she be ok for a few months until I can integrate the new chicks with her? Should I get an older pullet for her? How would that work? I have no idea what to do.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would use caution getting another hen for a friend, since you could potentially bring in a virus or other disease that might affect your new chicks eventually. I had infectious bronchitis once affect my flock, and many had reproductive disorders as a side effect. I believe in an all in-all out practice with chickens. Get them all at once, and then when they are all gone, get new healthy chicks. I would do as Cavemanrich said, to keep them as comfortable as possible. The more active hen may need to be separate in view if the others during the daytime. Weak or sick chickens who are declining may get pecked and injured by others if they sense weakness. That is the point I sometimes put one down. I don’t usually drain hens with ascites/water belly because the possible causes are always eventually fatal. Reproductive disorder or infections, fatty liver disease, cancer, or heart failure are some of the possible causes. Many will die of impacted or sour crop because of the abdominal pressure which slows the crop and digestion. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

 

[JStar83]

I would use caution getting another hen for a friend, since you could potentially bring in a virus or other disease that might affect your new chicks eventually. I had infectious bronchitis once affect my flock, and many had reproductive disorders as a side effect. I believe in an all in-all out practice with chickens. Get them all at once, and then when they are all gone, get new healthy chicks. I would do as Cavemanrich said, to keep them as comfortable as possible. The more active hen may need to be separate in view if the others during the daytime. Weak or sick chickens who are declining may get pecked and injured by others if they sense weakness. That is the point I sometimes put one down. I don’t usually drain hens with ascites/water belly because the possible causes are always eventually fatal. Reproductive disorder or infections, fatty liver disease, cancer, or heart failure are some of the possible causes. Many will die of impacted or sour crop because of the abdominal pressure which slows the crop and digestion. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

So, I would just keep my one chicken alone as the others die? I don't want to unnecessarily cull her. I know bringing any new chicks/chickens has the potential to introduce new germs... I guess there is a line of balance here because I prefer to support the terrain vs fear a germy world. It seems chickens arent as robust or hardy as I thought and stressed about the slightest thing I guess because they are prey animals.
I have actually figured the crop was affected with one of them and it just seems no matter what I do, I can't keep these hens healthy. Maybe they never were really going to be past the first couple years. We tried. They are in better care with us that their previous home and they did come from the Amish so I don't think breeding was the best. I had just hoped to keep at least 2 to help "teach" the younger, new ones.

 

[Eggcessive]

My last hen from my first flock was alone for 6 months before she passed. I just would visit her often throughout the day, and she could roam around where she wanted to go. Sometimes an older hen will hurt or kill young ones, so use caution that they are big enough to introduce chicks to a hen. I introduce between fencing or in a wire crate slowly to get them used to each other.

 

[Bawkbok]

@Eggcessive brings up good points about flock management and an only hen. We have been faced with an only chicken on numerous occasions, all due to extremely limited life spans of production breeds. One was alone for 3 months before we decided to bring in young pullets, mostly for training purposes as you mentioned, so I completely understand that. She was (is) also very healthy and I couldn't see culling her just to start over with a new flock nor could I see having only one chicken for the next 5 years as she is a young heritage breed so we took our chances with bringing young ones in, but we only purchase from national hatcheries - no TSC or local farmers anymore. We are also legally forced to extremely small numbers so the size of the flock makes a difference also, at least to us. Best of luck with what you decide.

 

[JStar83]

My last hen from my first flock was alone for 6 months before she passed. I just would visit her often throughout the day, and she could roam around where she wanted to go. Sometimes an older hen will hurt or kill young ones, so use caution that they are big enough to introduce chicks to a hen. I introduce between fencing or in a wire crate slowly to get them used to each other.

This is comforting. I was feeling very anxious about her being alone. She still lays and is wild, crazy, and dominant. I read that getting a mirror might help for when we can't hang out with her.

 

[JStar83]

@Eggcessive brings up good points about flock management and an only hen. We have been faced with an only chicken on numerous occasions, all due to extremely limited life spans of production breeds. One was alone for 3 months before we decided to bring in young pullets, mostly for training purposes as you mentioned, so I completely understand that. She was (is) also very healthy and I couldn't see culling her just to start over with a new flock nor could I see having only one chicken for the next 5 years as she is a young heritage breed so we took our chances with bringing young ones in, but we only purchase from national hatcheries - no TSC or local farmers anymore. We are also legally forced to extremely small numbers so the size of the flock makes a difference also, at least to us. Best of luck with what you decide.

Thank you for sharing this! Yes, we adopted these from a friend who moved and they got them from the local Amish. We have learned so much since having them and when I ordered chicks, I got them from a hatchery and heritage breeds because I don't want to go through this again. Not that perfect health is guaranteed but I hope for a better experience from the very beginning... Setting them up for a long, healthy life. I suppose 4yrs old is fairly good for these sex links... I've tried my very best within my limits.