9 year old hen with pale comb, almost no tail feathers, now moving slow and less interested in food/treats

[BDutch]

Just to share.
Look at the comb colours of the old hens mentioned in my previous post.

, it seemed like her friend was just helping her tend a spot that she could not reach herself? So I decided to rub some of the purple pick no more and antibiotic ointment on the area.

Why? I really don’t understand why you interfered.

I would give her time to recover and maybe give some extra nutritious treats. Chickens that stopped laying don’t eat much.

 

[My1stChickens]

This morning more green poo and vent is nasty again. I put her in a cage with electrolyte water, and a measured amount of feed topped with meal worms and scrambled egg. Left her to see if she'd eat.
Came back in two hours. She ate about 6 small bites of the egg, but that's it. She stunk to high heaven. With help from a friend examined thoroughly- no signs of parasites anywhere. Bathed her, then noticed breastbone was easy to feel but crop looked full higher up. It was soft and squishy. Her breath was different from yesterday, a bit sour. So I am going to treat for sour crop. Once I got the monostat in her, I put her out in the run because it's warm and sunny. I won't know if she eats, but she's out, and she's gotten the first dose. Plan to do 2x/day for 7 days as per instructions on this forum. It's been a few years since I treated sour crop, but I seem to recall seeing improvement in 2-3 days. Fingers crossed.

Question: does sour crop also account for her nasty vent area?

 

[My1stChickens]

Why? I really don’t understand why you interfered.

Fair question. I don't think it was logical to try to treat her when there was not a bare spot. I think I was concerned and just wanting to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to help her out but it was not needed.

Thank you for sharing the pictures of your old ladies. Interesting how light/grayish the comb on the right is. But they look really good!

 

[My1stChickens]

She's taking to hiding in a nesting box, open mouthed breathing. I moved her back to the cage and turned on a fan. She seemed really warm. She turned down a bite of watermelon. Stinky, miserable. When it cooled off I let her out, and she walked around a bit-- and went and ate some grit. I seem to remember grit is good for sour crop? Came home from a class, and it was after dark. She was not on the roost but in the nest box again. Gave more miconizole and put her in the cage. Totally liquid poo. Stinky. But upright. She decided to stand and stare at the feed dish. Comb showed a little pinker. Hopefully she rests well, and this is really sour crop and with treatment she'll be better in a day or two.

@Wyorp Rock -- is diarreah consistent with sour crop? I can't remember, it's been years since I had one with sour crop. Sigh

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This morning more green poo and vent is nasty again. I put her in a cage with electrolyte water, and a measured amount of feed topped with meal worms and scrambled egg. Left her to see if she'd eat.
Came back in two hours. She ate about 6 small bites of the egg, but that's it. She stunk to high heaven. With help from a friend examined thoroughly- no signs of parasites anywhere. Bathed her, then noticed breastbone was easy to feel but crop looked full higher up. It was soft and squishy. Her breath was different from yesterday, a bit sour. So I am going to treat for sour crop. Once I got the monostat in her, I put her out in the run because it's warm and sunny. I won't know if she eats, but she's out, and she's gotten the first dose. Plan to do 2x/day for 7 days as per instructions on this forum. It's been a few years since I treated sour crop, but I seem to recall seeing improvement in 2-3 days. Fingers crossed.

Question: does sour crop also account for her nasty vent area?

Sour Crop could cause some nasty poop. Is her crop emptying overnight?
What does it feel like first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink?

Miconazole given 2x a day for 7days in a row is a common treatment for Sour Crop. Instructions are in the link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Even though she's starting to molt, she may be having a hard time expelling an egg or egg material. I think I'd get some Extra Calcium into her just to see if she expels something in the next few days.
Give 300mg Calcium Citrate +D3 once daily for 3days.

Grit is fine to have available free choice. Do you have photos of her poop?

She's taking to hiding in a nesting box, open mouthed breathing. I moved her back to the cage and turned on a fan. She seemed really warm. She turned down a bite of watermelon. Stinky, miserable. When it cooled off I let her out, and she walked around a bit-- and went and ate some grit. I seem to remember grit is good for sour crop? Came home from a class, and it was after dark. She was not on the roost but in the nest box again. Gave more miconizole and put her in the cage. Totally liquid poo. Stinky. But upright. She decided to stand and stare at the feed dish. Comb showed a little pinker. Hopefully she rests well, and this is really sour crop and with treatment she'll be better in a day or two.

@Wyorp Rock -- is diarreah consistent with sour crop? I can't remember, it's been years since I had one with sour crop. Sigh