Any ideas on a diagnosis?

[TJAnonymous]

I have a RIR hen, age unknown, but at least 3+ years old since I've owned her. I noticed a week ago that she was walking funny. Kinda like she's squatting while she walks with her tail drooping. I managed to catch her today and quarantine her. Here's a few observations from looking her over -

Felt her belly to see if she was egg bound. Felt no eggs. Belly feels a litter squishy but not hard. No reaction from the hen to my palpitations so I don't think she is hurting. She feels a little thin but not horrible. She is eating.

Physically checked her vent and tail. No wounds or diarrhea.

Her feathers on her body look clean and normal but the feathers around her head look waxy.

Checked her eyes and nose. Both looked clean and clear. However the skin around her head looks very yellow. Can chickens get jaundice?

Any other ideas that might be wrong with her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos of her (a few body shots of how she stands too), her poop and of the skin?
Thanks!

What breed is she?

Squatting while walking, I'd first get some Calcium into her. Give 1 Calcium Citrate tablet now, then once daily for 3-5 days.
See that she's drinking well and that her crop is emptying.
While you are giving her the pill and messing with her, do re-check for lice/mites.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Do you have photos of her (a few body shots of how she stands too), her poop and of the skin?
Thanks!

What breed is she?

Squatting while walking, I'd first get some Calcium into her. Give 1 Calcium Citrate tablet now, then once daily for 3-5 days.
See that she's drinking well and that her crop is emptying.
While you are giving her the pill and messing with her, do re-check for lice/mites.

Thanks @Wyorp Rock ! She is a Rhode Island Red. I've got her in a quarantine cage at the moment. Not sure about her poop but I'll definitely be able to check her poop tomorrow. I'll put puppy pads down so I can get a good look.

Here's a few pictures of her head that I took earlier today. Notice the yellow around her head? Her vent skin is also yellow.

In the mean time, I'll go grab the calcium citrate! I put some vitamins and electrolyte in her water too.

 

[Eggcessive]

What do her poops look like? Does she have white urates in her poops, or are the urates appearing yellowish? Is there any yellow liquid or mucus in the poop? Does her lower belly feel like there may be ascites fluid inside?

 

[TJAnonymous]

OK, I just checked her over and she has no mites or lice. I also gave her the calcium citrate

 

[TJAnonymous]

What do her poops look like? Does she have white urates in her poops, or are the urates appearing yellowish? Is there any yellow liquid or mucus in the poop? Does her lower belly feel like there may be ascites fluid inside?

I'm not sure about her poop. I put her in the quarantine cage before church and there were shavings and dirt in there. I'm about to clean it out and put down puppy pads so I can get a clear view of her poop.

I did feel around her belly quite a bit this morning because I was worried her squatty walk and droopy tail were signs of being egg bound. I felt no eggs or anything hard at all in her belly. It felt rather squishy and soft. She did not react to me feeling around her belly like anything was hurting her.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I must have good timing... She pooped as soon as I put her on the puppy pad

 

[TJAnonymous]

Here's a video of her in the crate. She isn't really holding her tail down in the crate but I am guessing that's because she is a bit freaked out at being separated from the flock and in a strange place (my sunroom). Perhaps later this evening I can try to let her walk around the sunroom and see if she will repeat the squatty walk and droopy tail.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Almost looks like a bit of dried egg on her face (green circle) and head.
She's a RIR, so around her vent, her legs, beak, eyes, etc. should be yellow, I don't see anything concerning about the skin.

I do see some bubbles in the right eye, do you have respiratory illness in your flock like MG?

I have to wonder if she did get something waxy/sticking like egg on her head and comb if she's squat walking because of that - like she's trying to avoid whatever is on her head/face. Try wiping/washing her off and see what happens.

I'd still give the extra Calcium for a couple of days just in case she's having issues with an egg. The poop looks o.k. to me.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Almost looks like a bit of dried egg on her face (green circle) and head.
She's a RIR, so around her vent, her legs, beak, eyes, etc. should be yellow, I don't see anything concerning about the skin.

I do see some bubbles in the right eye, do you have respiratory illness in your flock like MG?

I have to wonder if she did get something waxy/sticking like egg on her head and comb if she's squat walking because of that - like she's trying to avoid whatever is on her head/face. Try wiping/washing her off and see what happens.

I'd still give the extra Calcium for a couple of days just in case she's having issues with an egg. The poop looks o.k. to me.





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None of my chickens, including this one, are showing any symptoms of respiratory illness or MG.

I DO have egg eaters in my flock and I know several of them are RIR so it's very possible that she is one of them. It's weird because her head and neck look unkempt due to the waxy film that seems to be on her feathers but the rest of her feathers on her body are very clean and normal. She is not missing any feathers, for sure.

I will give her a bath in the morning and then see what she does. I got busy cooking and canning some butchered chickens so I didn't have time to see if she would do the weird squatty walk outside of the cage.