3 1/2 year old buff orpington seems really "off"

[azygous]

Every single respondent has offered very good suggestions.

My own take is that her woes could stem from either a crop disorder or reproductive issues. First, I would focus on her crop as @staceyj and @WVduckchick and @Eggcessive have suggested. The fact that your hen is drinking a lot of water may point to impacted crop. You will feel a full, hard crop or perhaps an empty crop except for a small walnut-size lump. There may or may not be an odor like sauerkraut. The treatment is oil and perhaps a stool softener. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I have a hen at present with a reproductive disorder. Her behavior is lethargic and she has no appetite. I know she has a reproductive issue because two nights ago, she passed an egg that completely lacked the shell or even a membrane. So, she most likely has a collapsed shell inside her. She's been on amoxicillin for three days now, and I've been giving her people calcium citrate. I just finished tubing some warm water into her crop with some Nutri-drench, followed by some castor oil, this latter being an experimental treatment. I have no clue if it will do any good.

A week ago, I had to euthanize an eight-year old hen who has been suffering from egg-yolk peritonitis for the past year. When she began passing plugs of pus, called salpingitis, and behaving very lethargic and not eating, I knew her struggle was at the point of futility.

So, I recommend beginning with the possibility of a crop issue, checking her crop first thing tomorrow morning for fullness, and ruling that out. Then closely monitor her poop for signs of small globs of waxy material (pus). The fecal test can rule out worms or coccidia, leaving a reproductive issue to claim your focus.

 

[WVduckchick]

So sorry for your loss @azygous

Do you know why reproductive issues like that happen?? I mean, feed related.... genetic... bird weight.... age.... etc

 

[staceyj]

Every single respondent has offered very good suggestions.

My own take is that her woes could stem from either a crop disorder or reproductive issues. First, I would focus on her crop as @staceyj and @WVduckchick and @Eggcessive have suggested. The fact that your hen is drinking a lot of water may point to impacted crop. You will feel a full, hard crop or perhaps an empty crop except for a small walnut-size lump. There may or may not be an odor like sauerkraut. The treatment is oil and perhaps a stool softener. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I have a hen at present with a reproductive disorder. Her behavior is lethargic and she has no appetite. I know she has a reproductive issue because two nights ago, she passed an egg that completely lacked the shell or even a membrane. So, she most likely has a collapsed shell inside her. She's been on amoxicillin for three days now, and I've been giving her people calcium citrate. I just finished tubing some warm water into her crop with some Nutri-drench, followed by some castor oil, this latter being an experimental treatment. I have no clue if it will do any good.

A week ago, I had to euthanize an eight-year old hen who has been suffering from egg-yolk peritonitis for the past year. When she began passing plugs of pus, called salpingitis, and behaving very lethargic and not eating, I knew her struggle was at the point of futility.

So, I recommend beginning with the possibility of a crop issue, checking her crop first thing tomorrow morning for fullness, and ruling that out. Then closely monitor her poop for signs of small globs of waxy material (pus). The fecal test can rule out worms or coccidia, leaving a reproductive issue to claim your focus.

This is a comprehensive and thoughtful post.

@azygous i’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your girl!
What a wonderfully long life she had though!

I have a crazy question that I might as well post here, about collapsed shells left internally.

Has anyone ever tried to gently flush it out say with a mild betadine solution, “a la douche”, since just soaking doesn’t provide the ...uh... rinsing action that irrigation would provide?
Curious minds want to know.

 

[azygous]

So sorry for your loss @azygous

Do you know why reproductive issues like that happen?? I mean, feed related.... genetic... bird weight.... age.... etc

In the case of my flock, there are a lot of health issues that stem from their carrying the LL virus (leucosis). I strongly suspect this is the case with my present hen that I'm trying to treat for reproductive issues.

This hen is around age three years, and she was one I hatched within the flock. I've had extremely high mortality in the chicks hatched from my own stock that carry the virus. My hatchery sourced chickens have mostly been able to live long lives after developing resistance to the virus as was the case of the hen I recently euthanized. (She was one of my life-long faves) I believe her problems started early on with huge eggs. Most of my hens that have laid super jumbo eggs have ended up with reproductive issues.

 

[azygous]

This is a comprehensive and thoughtful post.

@azygous i’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your girl!
What a wonderfully long life she had though!

I have a crazy question that I might as well post here, about collapsed shells left internally.

Has anyone ever tried to gently flush it out say with a mild betadine solution, “a la douche”, since just soaking doesn’t provide the ...uh... rinsing action that irrigation would provide?
Curious minds want to know.

This is precisely what I'm attempting to do with the castor oil. I have no idea if it will work. I will certainly holler from the roof top if it does!

 

[erzulieloo]

Is her crop empty?
Could you post a picture of her?

These were taken just now. She's hiding in this shrub and the other girls are sticking close.

Not a great pic of the poop, and the clear liquid part of course doesn't show.

 

[erzulieloo]

Would the avian vet run a fecal test for you? That would show if she has worms or coccidia. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to treat her with Corid, anyway. See what the others think.

I'll give them a call and see if that's a thing they'd do. It would certainly help me out! Thank you!

 

[erzulieloo]

Hmmm sorry you are dealing with this. So many possibilities.

A few things that come to mind...
I usually recommend vitamins for any chick acting a little off. Also look her over for any mites, bugs, etc. and possible injuries.
Could she have eaten anything toxic or something that hurt her?

Check her crop at night, and again first thing in the morning before she eats. It should be full at night, empty in the morning. Also if you could weigh her, to get a good baseline, you’ll be able to monitor whether she is gaining or losing.

Others will be along with suggestions too, hopefully we will come across the right thing to fix her up!

I do have poultry nutri drench and a few other things like that I can give to her. I can't find any mites or bugs and I can't find an injury, but I think around here it's always possible she could have eaten something toxic. There are SO many plants in our jungle of a yard and we have a lot of little wildlife that visit and could leave things....

I'll check her crop tonight and again in the morning. I"ll weigh her as well. Thank you!!!!

 

[erzulieloo]

Every single respondent has offered very good suggestions.

My own take is that her woes could stem from either a crop disorder or reproductive issues. First, I would focus on her crop as @staceyj and @WVduckchick and @Eggcessive have suggested. The fact that your hen is drinking a lot of water may point to impacted crop. You will feel a full, hard crop or perhaps an empty crop except for a small walnut-size lump. There may or may not be an odor like sauerkraut. The treatment is oil and perhaps a stool softener. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I have a hen at present with a reproductive disorder. Her behavior is lethargic and she has no appetite. I know she has a reproductive issue because two nights ago, she passed an egg that completely lacked the shell or even a membrane. So, she most likely has a collapsed shell inside her. She's been on amoxicillin for three days now, and I've been giving her people calcium citrate. I just finished tubing some warm water into her crop with some Nutri-drench, followed by some castor oil, this latter being an experimental treatment. I have no clue if it will do any good.

A week ago, I had to euthanize an eight-year old hen who has been suffering from egg-yolk peritonitis for the past year. When she began passing plugs of pus, called salpingitis, and behaving very lethargic and not eating, I knew her struggle was at the point of futility.

So, I recommend beginning with the possibility of a crop issue, checking her crop first thing tomorrow morning for fullness, and ruling that out. Then closely monitor her poop for signs of small globs of waxy material (pus). The fecal test can rule out worms or coccidia, leaving a reproductive issue to claim your focus.

Thank you SO much. I'll do as you suggest. I'm afraid of it being a reproductive issue for sure, but hoping so much that it's something else I can possibly manage. I've lost hens to EYP in the past and it was the first thing I feared, even though she doesn't feel swollen to me. But I'll keep checking her. She's really just standing around and not trying to avoid my bothering her and that's just NOT like my girl at all. Thank you so very much for all the information. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[staceyj]

She’s quite pale and lacking tail feathers which could suggest a molt or the beginning of one
Have you turned her over to look for feather shafts growing in?
lice or possible a bit of leg mites?
Did you feel her crop?
Can you feel where I’ve marked with the arrow?
(? Pendulous crop?)