Any insight on what could be wrong with my hen?

[CatBarr]

Hello all,

I have one hen who has been sitting around, lethargic, puffy, clearly not feeling well for a couple of days. We separated her and she's inside now but she's getting worse. She can barely stand, is very wobbly, and wasn't eating or drinking. I started making mash for her with her regular pellets, yogurt, bananas, and variations of mashes with her favorite healthy treats mixed in. She's eating these slowly but not with her usual enthusiasm.

We recently finished up deworming the flock a few days ago. We used Safeguard. I'm wondering if this could be the cause? The timing is spot on but she also has a long medical history of issues so I wouldn't be surprised if the deworming was out of the question. No other birds have shown any discomfort and are all acting like their normal selves.

She's been pooping watery poops with chunks of bright green stuff and chunks white, pretty much no solids though. We have a vet appointment scheduled for her on Tuesday but I'm afraid if she gets worse, we may have to find an emergency vet.

Any ideas? I'd like to help her feel better in any way that I possibly can. Thanks so much in advance.

 

[LaFleche]

Hello all,

I have one hen who has been sitting around, lethargic, puffy, clearly not feeling well for a couple of days. We separated her and she's inside now but she's getting worse. She can barely stand, is very wobbly, and wasn't eating or drinking. I started making mash for her with her regular pellets, yogurt, bananas, and variations of mashes with her favorite healthy treats mixed in. She's eating these slowly but not with her usual enthusiasm.

We recently finished up deworming the flock a few days ago. We used Safeguard. I'm wondering if this could be the cause? The timing is spot on but she also has a long medical history of issues so I wouldn't be surprised if the deworming was out of the question. No other birds have shown any discomfort and are all acting like their normal selves.

She's been pooping watery poops with chunks of bright green stuff and chunks white, pretty much no solids though. We have a vet appointment scheduled for her on Tuesday but I'm afraid if she gets worse, we may have to find an emergency vet.

Any ideas? I'd like to help her feel better in any way that I possibly can. Thanks so much in advance.

Did you feel her crop, is it big and rather squishy or hard?
When did she last lay an egg?

 

[CatBarr]

Did you feel her crop, is it big and rather squishy or hard?
When did she last lay an egg?

Her crop is squishy but there's not a lot in there. I suspect because she's not eating or drinking much. And she doesn't lay anymore. She was actually spayed a while ago because she was chronically eggbound her whole life. And when we decided to do it, that stuck egg would have killed her. Hope this info helps!

 

[LaFleche]

Her crop is squishy but there's not a lot in there. I suspect because she's not eating or drinking much. And she doesn't lay anymore. She was actually spayed a while ago because she was chronically eggbound her whole life. And when we decided to do it, that stuck egg would have killed her. Hope this info helps!

Poor thing, with such a medical history already.

You could separate her in a cage without food and towel bedding and see, if her crop empties over night. If her crop is not empty in the morning before having anything to eat or drink, she seems to suffer from impacted/sour crop.

 

[CatBarr]

Poor thing, with such a medical history already.

You could separate her in a cage without food and towel bedding and see, if her crop empties over night. If her crop is not empty in the morning before having anything to eat or drink, she seems to suffer from impacted/sour crop.

Thank you so much for the advice. I can easily do all that.

Yeah, she's had a rough life. She has a special place in my heart and I just always want to make sure she's comfortable and happy. Here's a pic of her in happier times (she's the mottled cutie):

 

[LaFleche]

What a beauty!

 

[LaFleche]

In case her crop is not empty in the morning, she will need urgent treatment of this issue, otherwise she will starve to death and might even suffer a circulatory collapse.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-crop-issues-in-chickens.74560/

 

[aart]

She was actually spayed a while ago because she was chronically eggbound her whole life.

Surgically or chemically(implants)?
How old is she?

 

[CatBarr]

Surgically or chemically(implants)?
How old is she?

Both. And her upcoming appointment was to replace her “birth control”. She’s coming up on 3 years old.

 

[CatBarr]

In case her crop is not empty in the morning, she will need urgent treatment of this issue, otherwise she will starve to death and might even suffer a circulatory collapse.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-crop-issues-in-chickens.74560/

So she made it through the night but she’s not able to walk and now she won’t eat the mash. Her crop is empty. I’m afraid she’s thirsty or hungry and that’s part of what’s causing her weakness.