3 yr old comet hen

[dnomla]

I have a 3 yr old comet hen. She has been acting differently lately. she doesn't eat much snacks I give them. She sleeps a lot, even when the others are free ranging she will stand there or squat and go to sleep Also her poop has been liquid. Anyone have any answers or suggestions> Thanks

 

[GitaBooks]

It sounds like she could be egg bound (unable to or to weak to lay an egg that is too large, small, or misformed to pass through the system).
Listlessness, lack of appetite, liquid coming from the back-end, straining, and squatting are all signs of egg-binding.
Egg binding can be deadly if not treated, but often hens will pass the egg in a few hours. Make sure she has plenty to drink. You could try lubricating her back-end and the passage out or gently massaging the egg out (if it breaks it can cause infection, so be careful). I've heard warm water baths are suppose to help, though it might just stress her.

Hope she gets better. Best of luck!

 

[GitaBooks]

She could also have Water belly, which I think is pretty common in Golden Comets. Its basically liver failure and leads to a similar squatting stance because the belly is distended.

Both problems can occur in older layers.