Sick chicken .... help please!

[murphyslaw]

I am new to chicken keeping. Got 3 Buff orpington hens last summer and they started laying in October. All has been going well but I noticed yesterday one isnt eating. She seems lively in herself but just isnt feeding even on corn which they all love.

What do I do?

Bumping for you.

I have no idea. Could it be worms? Have you checked for mite and lice they can drain them pretty quickly. Maybe shes found a secret stash of food and is full (yeah right)

Still very unwell - hasnt come out from coop all day. Not eating or drinking now. Considering taking to vet???

murphyslaw - you could try her on a high protein feed - have you got a cardboard box or something you could bring her inside in? They respond well to heat - line it with straw, and try giving her a mixture of beef organic cat food, hard boiled egg yolks, poultry spice. That perks mine up if they're a bit off colour. Try syringing some water into her beak (but make sure you don't let it go down the little hole into her lungs).

My hen died last night but thank you for all your messages. Cant bear myself to move her will wait until DH comes home. Never lost one before and I am devastated.

Ahhh ML - i missed this thread. Sorry to hear about your little hen. Any ideas yet about what may have killed her?

So sorry to hear this xx

no idea - 2 left now

Oh dear. Sorry you have lost a chook. They are very prone to respiratory problems this time of year. Was she wheezy at all?

Are the others well?

ive lost a few too, also fairly new to it all.
sympathy.

No she wasnt wheezy just went down hill over 3-4 days. didnt eat or drink. Felt like a right idiot taking her to the vet! who gave her antiobiotics. They didnt really know what was wrong. At least I did what I could for her. Other 2 appear to be well.