Lethargic hen, droopy wings, no other symptoms. Stress?

I have a year old Golden Laced Polish Hen named Blossom who has just started acting different. She is in a flock of 14 (was 15 up until last week when her buddy got eaten by a hawk). Everyone else is fine.

I have looked through the other posts here, trying to find an answer, and I've done what was suggested, but I haven't found anything yet.

Anyways, she seems lethargic and her wings seem to be drooping, one lower than the other. This doesn't happen at all times... just when she is still (which she has been most the day). She's been standing/drooping/laying in the sun all day.

I have checked for wounds and she is fine. I have checked for mites under her wings and near her vent, no mites or eggs (though I will check again at night). Her legs are smooth and clean. Her feet are fine. Her comb that I can see under her hairdo is red and seems fine. Her feathers look fine, she's not molting or going bald anywhere, and she is clean.

She is eating and has not lost weight. Her crop wasn't full this morning but is full now, and is not impacted. Her stools are normal.I have palpated her abdomen and it is fine. There is not an to be felt. Her vent looks good.

She is breathing fine, no mucus, sneezing, or coughing and her eyes are clear.

I've brought her inside because I was worried about her safety with the hawks since she's been sitting in the middle of the yard in the sun all day. I've given her some eggs for protein which she gobbled up. She has been sitting on her perch I made her in the house and hasn't moved, wings and tail down. She just is very listless.

Could this just be stress from Lady GaGa (my sweetest ever Sultan) getting eaten by a hawk last week? She just started acting like this today. If it's not stress, what else can it be?

Should I worm her? Should I dust her? I hate to do that if she doesn't have worms or mites. I just prepared some fecal float solution so I can see if she has worms. I hope my microscope is strong enough!!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

I just thought I would give an update. I thought that maybe she was not happy inside and that's why she's stayed in the same place all day... so I brought her back out side and put her down. She seemed to walk a bit funny, then stood there for awhile, then closed her eyes and fell asleep. I have her back inside.

I have her on a towel now. She's just standing there with her wings drooping and tail down. Now it looks when she breathes, her tail is moving up and down. Is this a sign of respiratory issues? Could she be having difficulty breathing? I hear no wheezing, no sneezing, no coughing, and I see no drainage. Her eyes are clean.

I can feel no egg in her but could she have had an soft egg inside that busted? If so, wouldn't she have more symptoms?

The weather has been CRAZY here. We had a low of 16 degrees this past Saturday. It's been raining the last few days. Today, it's sunny and 65 degrees. Not sure if this would cause any problems.

Yep, I'm a worried wreck cause I just don't know what to do!

Thanks =)

sorry, I cannot be of help. I hope she gets better.

Thanks Magnolia, I hope so too.

I just gave her a warm bath (for her tummy) since that was something to do in another post and lubed her vent. She sat for the warm bath and tummy massage but was not to keen on the vent procedure! I still can't feel any egg anywhere. After the bath and lubing of the vent, she was mouth breathing but I am guessing that was because she was even more stressed. She's not doing that anymore. Just back to standing with left wing and tail down. Tail is still moving with breathing.

She just refused food. Even an egg. No stool for the last hour either.

Thanks.

It seems like you have done all that anyone here would suggest. I think that is why no one is posting here . I have read about chickens getting like this, but can't remember what the out come is/was. I think you are doing a great job. Keep her alone, warm, fed and watered and that is really all you can do. It is a good sign that she is eating!

Good luck

I have a 10mmonth old Red Star who has been acting similarly since Friday. I'v done multiple warm baths, olive oil to the vent (which only makes her poop) and my friend felt internally for an egg (egg bound?) but felt none. She's drinking, eating a little, but mostly standing (or sitting) alone in the sunshine. When she walks, it seems labored. Pretty sure she hasn't laid an egg in close to a week. Her comb is a little pale and looks dry. Anyone have any ideas???

Not trying to hijack your thread, OP, just very interested as it sounds like our girls are behaving alike.

Blossom is all better!! Last night when I went for a mite check (since some don't come out until night), I found a tick in her hair do (Polish). I can't believe I missed it when I checked her for wounds but obviously I didn't check her as well as I thought! I got the tick out and she is running round with the girls today!

I will be dusting their coop today!

Kiplingchick, good luck with your Red Star. I don't know what else to tell you. I just read all the threads here and did everything I could find. There's some great information on this site!

Dawn =)

im so glad your little one got better justdawn... thanks for all your detailed info-ive found it very helpful.

i know this is an old post but thought to add to it as my gal - dame edna (little eddy) displayed similiar symptoms (tail droop, lethargic, not eating much, watery poo, and hard breathing - both vent and body moving to get air in and out)... i was so distressed as she is normally full of beans and chatty... this time, not... i took her to an emergency vet as i knew she was really sick... she gave her an IV antibiotic (as she suspected it may have been a respiratory disease of sorts), and also kept her in an oxygen tank overnight, just so she could get enough air. i picked her up the next morning and she seemed a lot better, but not yet back to base... that day however, she couldnt wait to get back to the gals so i let her back with them. it had been hot. but she had definately perked up and was eating and drinking again...
but a couple of days later, i noticed she had laboured breathing again. the vet had given me antibiotics and electrolytes (as it was hot), so i chatted to her and gave eddy a few doses of the antibiotics... she got better, but i really think if i hadnt have taken those steps she may have died? i also treated her (and the other gals) for worms (inparticular gapeworm, which restricts the airways and suffocates the throax), and she came good.

as well, its been a heatwave here (melbourne australia) with temperatures consistently over 34-38 degrees celcius (your 100 f) and not dropping at night a great deal, and just today she has the same symptoms, however, not so bad. i have the gals inside and besides the fans each night and i wait till its a tad cooler to put them in the coop.

i will monitor eddy inside tonight though. on both occasions she has laid an egg without shell-just membrane. i wonder if this is also a clue to something? and i wonder if its also the heat? my vet also said that sick chooks need to have a temperature of 30 degrees (warm) as their metabolism is a lot faster than ours. i wonder then if this fan is helping her? i figure it helps circulate the air and am in the hope she will get more fresh air?
???
if any of you have anything to add, any clues, i'd appreciate it!
cheers zoe

ps - my vet also told me that when a chook stands up when its sick it can be a sign that they are trying to get air. this may be a sign of respiratory disease. its more difficult for them to breathe when sitting.
i also must note, that it was after i wormed her that she came back really good. coincidence or not, i'll never know. its worth trying when you're desperate, as gapeworm kills (strangles the throax)

My girl has been acting funny for days now. Noticed it when I walked up on her and she fell over in Surprise and layed there wings out. Seems weak. Has droopy wings. Eating fine but feels boney. Dosent look thin but when I tried to check her for a bound egg she felt like a carcus. Vent looks clean to me. Think if I am wrong about there being no egg she would have passed by now. Separated her from flock. She seems very weak but I don't see signs of anything. Ticks are bad here. Maybe I'm missing one? I am in yr two of first chickens so I'm not seasoned. Breathing fine, Tearing up salmon, wants ants, not so much pellets. Cant tell how much she is drinking but have seen her. Gave electrolytes and probiotic. not sure she has been laying for a while. I think she has a blue egg and I have very few in the fridge. been getting them less and less but I keep having my hens drop off laying for seemingly no reason and thought little of it. they start again. Usually I give them some fish and they are fine. Dont quite have it down how often they need some. My husband asked today if the grit we bought is too big. is that a possibility? she hasn't had the right grit? The rest of my flock is fine. How do I get her to put a little weight on?