[Rae]

Hi, I wonder if anyone has ideas about what could be wrong with our meadowsweet ranger?
About 2 weeks ago she just lost her personality! She used to be the boss, and now she is lethargic, last one to come over, sleeps a lot, & lately seems to stand on one leg an awful lot.
We have 3 chucks & the other 2 are fine. They have been wormed, we treated them for lice as we found them on them last week. She is still eating & drinking fine, although not as voraciously as before, and doing chicken things like dustbaths etc, but she sleeps a lot. Her poops are normal, her crop seems fine. She hadnt started laying yet, but have checked for her being eggbound etc, all seems fine.
We are totally stumped, thought she wouldnt last long as she wasnt improving, but she is just the same 2 weeks later, no worse, no better; its almost like she is in slow motion!
Any help please??? Do you think we need to visit the vet?
Thanks 

[jameslindsay]

Hello. Can't offer you any advice I'm afraid but I will say that I think normally when hens take ill and won't improve they die quite quickly. So, now a few weeks down the line your chook may well pull through, good luck.

[shetlandpaul]

she may have been knocked off top pecking order. When our cockerel lost his spot he looked miserable for weeks but after regaining the top spot again he is back to his old self again.

[doganjo]

Remember I posted about one of my ex batts seeming poorly - she was only just eating, but drinking OK, just lethargic like yours. and not joining in anything.  I completely cleaned out both sheds, put down diatom earth all over, fresh straw in the boxes, put down sharp sand in the run, separated her for a few days and fed her porridge with milk and honey and some citricidal drops.  Gave her one of the others for company.  She seemed to improve so back they both went with the others and now she's completely normal.  Try the oats, milk and honey.

[sheila]

 I find a small soluble asprin always does the trick.

[catomell]

Has she perhaps started her moult a bit early - this generally alters their personality - is she looking at all bedraggled? Have you tried giving her and the others some poultry spice in their food - I find that this always perks them up, and use it religiously during and after moult to get them back fighting fit - let us know how you get on.
 

[MiriMaran]

 have had a cream Legbar, Delia, that has been on and off for about 8 weeks.  She has exactly the symptoms you describe for about 2 weeks then she picks up and then goes downhill again.  When she is low she is also the last out in the morning.  She is now looking fab and has been fine for abour 2 weeks now so I think whatever it was she is over it now.  I have a suspicion and this might be completely stupid, but I wonder if Gordon, our cockeral , bothers her too much.  She is definitely his favorite, but his attentions have been diverted with the arrival of 19 more hens!

How is yours doing now?  Hope it all works out OK.