3 or 4 yr old Hen has Pasty Butt, Watery/Pasty stool, Lethargic, Not Eating Scratch, But Still Drinking Water

[MyFlockIsMyLife]

I'm sorry about your hen.

I'd start with giving her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for 5-7days. See if she expels an egg, membrane or lash material.

Check her crop to see that it's emptying overnight. She's drinking only water there for a while, this may be an indication that the crop/digestive system is not moving as well as it should.
If the crop is not empty in the morning, give her 1tsp coconut oil twice a day. This can be given in little chunks. Massage the crop and let us know what the crop feels like (hard, soft, squishy, doughy, fluid or air filled).

Do keep in mind that often a hen that has something reproductive going on, it's not uncommon for there to be crop symptoms/issues too. You want to treat as a whole, addressing the reproductive along with the crop.

Keep her hydrated and eating.

If possible, take a sample of her poop to the vet to see if she would benefit from deworming too.

I can definitely get those vitamins and start giving them to her. I’m looking now for powdered versions. **QUESTION: what brand do you use? I am having a hard time finding the right mg and powdered vitamins without magnesium as well.

The crop feels hard now, but she’s been awake for 4 hrs now…she was up, on and off, eating and pooping through the night, though. I’m going to clean her up again and trim the feathers so it doesn’t keep sticking to her.

Thank you all SO MUCH. This is one of my original hens and I love her. Don’t want to lose her or have her hurting/in pain.

 

[MyFlockIsMyLife]

I just wanted to know if green was a normal color. My chickens poop is almost black everyday because of the blueberries they eat. Do you have access to a vet that sees chickens?

Maybe… I can look around and find out, but the vet I have is for dogs and cats currently.

 

[triciayoung]

Maybe… I can look around and find out, but the vet I have is for dogs and cats currently.

Ask you dog/cat vet if you can bring in a stool sample and he/she can run a fecal check for worms. I bet they say yes.

If you do not have an avian vet, or one close, you can look up "farm veterinarians". This is what I had to do, and the vet I have. There are pros and cons. The pros are that she is willing to "partner" with me. The cons are "lack of complete knowledge of chickens".

 

[MyFlockIsMyLife]

Ask you dog/cat vet if you can bring in a stool sample and he/she can run a fecal check for worms. I bet they say yes.

If you do not have an avian vet, or one close, you can look up "farm veterinarians". This is what I had to do, and the vet I have. There are pros and cons. The pros are that she is willing to "partner" with me. The cons are "lack of complete knowledge of chickens".

Good to know farm vets may be a viable option— I’m currently trying to find avian vets, and I’m about to reach out to the exotic vet I brought my rabbit/cat/dog to for awhile... Maybe he will be good in this department?

I noticed that today her stance is more penguin like….with the front toes rotated out to the sides and the back toe pointed in…Her breathing is still steady, though, and her mood seems a bit better. She definitely wants out of the kennel, but I’m afraid to let her out and mingle right now.

Do you know a good brand/kind of calcium and d3 300mg powder or tablet I can crush to start getting in to her? I feel like you had a great point about treating for any reproductive issues, and if that will help her possibly pass something that’s caught up inside her, I would like to try it.

 

[triciayoung]

If she has a penguin stance, it is one of 3-things; EYP (egg yolk peritonitis), Ovarian tumors, or an oviduct impaction. I am going with EYP or cancer. You need an X-ray and maybe an ultrasound to confirm. You also need to have the vet drain her ascites if she has it before it gets too thick and it is too late. I would not focus on calcium. Not one of these diagnosis call for it. I would focus on a vet for the X-ray and ultrasound, and antibiotics. Also, do you have meloxicam? She is probably hurting. If you have it and tell me her weight, I can help you dose.

I have a black australorp named Henrietta. I took her to the vet on March 13th. She was diagnosed with reproductive cancer on March 13th 2025. My vet told me that she had generously 1-month to live. I was going to humanely euthanize. I took her in at the end of March and then broke down crying on the floor while holding her and told my vet I couldn't do it. I begged my vet to put an implant in her. She told me she couldn't because she would lose her license and anyway, it was too late for Henrietta. I asked her to prescribe it and I would figure out how to do it. She said she wasn't permitted to do this either. I figured out how to buy, first Luprolide and then the implant and then a very good friend - another rescue person, helped me from thousands of miles away to put it in. Henrietta is alive today. She walks, talks eats, drinks, goes outside for 2-3 hours a day. Since then I have put in 6-more implants.

 

[MyFlockIsMyLife]

If she has a penguin stance, it is one of 3-things; EYP (egg yolk peritonitis), Ovarian tumors, or an oviduct impaction. I am going with EYP or cancer. You need an X-ray and maybe an ultrasound to confirm. You also need to have the vet drain her ascites if she has it before it gets too thick and it is too late. I would not focus on calcium. Not one of these diagnosis call for it. I would focus on a vet for the X-ray and ultrasound, and antibiotics. Also, do you have meloxicam? She is probably hurting. If you have it and tell me her weight, I can help you dose.

I have a black australorp named Henrietta. I took her to the vet on March 13th. She was diagnosed with reproductive cancer on March 13th 2025. My vet told me that she had generously 1-month to live. I was going to humanely euthanize. I took her in at the end of March and then broke down crying on the floor while holding her and told my vet I couldn't do it. I begged my vet to put an implant in her. She told me she couldn't because she would lose her license and anyway, it was too late for Henrietta. I asked her to prescribe it and I would figure out how to do it. She said she wasn't permitted to do this either. I figured out how to buy, first Luprolide and then the implant and then a very good friend - another rescue person, helped me from thousands of miles away to put it in. Henrietta is alive today. She walks, talks eats, drinks, goes outside for 2-3 hours a day. Since then I have put in 6-more implants.

I was afraid she might have EYP based on my research into her symptoms. What is this implant you are talking about?? I do not have meloxicam….i have very basic chicken injury/illness supplies. Vitamins/electrolytes I can add to the water, vetirycin for wounds/cuts, and another spray I can’t think of the name of currently… i found a site that supposedly sells meloxicam without a prescription. They have a liquid oral solution or an injectable. Here is the product and website:
https://homelabvet.com/product/meloxicam-suspension-for-dogs-and-cats-50-ml/

I noticed her legs were positioned in that way when she was laying down; does that make a difference at all? When she’s standing, her feet are positioned straight from what I’ve seen. She was roosting today, and eating/drinking, even ate some scratch first thing… I’ll be honest I’m a bit scared to try and drain the fluid myself. The video someone posted was great though- super informative…but I am still trying to find someone to see her and treat her. Btw, I forgot to mention this before, I would like to say that I find it very admirable that you have a chicken rescue, and have taught yourself how to provide the best care and living situations for your chickens. There is something to be said about the fact that you are quite literally their last hope/line of defense. I can’t say enough how grateful and appreciative I am for your help. God bless you, Tricia.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No, it felt like it was full of a liquid, and I noticed that she regurgitated some liquid a couple times.

I can definitely get those vitamins and start giving them to her. I’m looking now for powdered versions. **QUESTION: what brand do you use? I am having a hard time finding the right mg and powdered vitamins without magnesium as well.

The crop feels hard now, but she’s been awake for 4 hrs now…she was up, on and off, eating and pooping through the night, though. I’m going to clean her up again and trim the feathers so it doesn’t keep sticking to her.

Thank you all SO MUCH. This is one of my original hens and I love her. Don’t want to lose her or have her hurting/in pain.

I noticed that today her stance is more penguin like….with the front toes rotated out to the sides and the back toe pointed in…Her breathing is still steady, though, and her mood seems a bit better. She definitely wants out of the kennel, but I’m afraid to let her out and mingle right now.

You can find Calcium Citrate+D3 in the vitamin aisle at Walmart, CVS, the grocery, etc.
The tablet looks large, but a hen can swallow it just fine. Pull down on the wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.
Give once daily for 5-7days.

Hopefully she'll expel an egg or lash material.

If she's spitting up water, then the crop is slow to move. This may be due to inflammation in the body (reproductive or otherwise).
Do provide food/water and monitor the crop.

Example of Calcium Citrate+D3. This is Walmart brand I keep on hand. 1 tablet is I think 315mg, you don't have to be exact. The Extra is temporary to see if she's able to expel material and feel better.

 

[MyFlockIsMyLife]

You can find Calcium Citrate+D3 in the vitamin aisle at Walmart, CVS, the grocery, etc.
The tablet looks large, but a hen can swallow it just fine. Pull down on the wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.
Give once daily for 5-7days.

Hopefully she'll expel an egg or lash material.

If she's spitting up water, then the crop is slow to move. This may be due to inflammation in the body (reproductive or otherwise).
Do provide food/water and monitor the crop.

Example of Calcium Citrate+D3. This is Walmart brand I keep on hand. 1 tablet is I think 315mg, you don't have to be exact. The Extra is temporary to see if she's able to expel material and feel better.

View attachment 4249448

Thank you!!! That’s very helpful. Do you think giving her this will have adverse reaction if she does in fact have EYP? I’m thinking that’s the issue based on research and Tricia’s information.