Behavior change in my Buff Orp

[4lovelyladies]

Hello All! My 5yr old Buff is not moving around very much. I noticed yesterday she didn't come running to my like she usually does when I come outside. This morning she was in a nesting box while the other two were on the roost. She is definitely moving slower when free ranging during the day. I checked to see if she was egg bound but I didn't feel anything hard in there...I have never felt her butt before so not sure if I am missing something? When we put her down after checking her one of the others circled her and tried to attack her. So obviously they have noticed it also. Any other ideas as to what could be going on? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

5yr old Buff is not moving around very much

This morning she was in a nesting box while the other two were on the roost. She is definitely moving slower when free ranging during the day. I checked to see if she was egg bound but I didn't feel anything hard in there

When we put her down after checking her one of the others circled her and tried to attack her.

Do you know when she last laid an egg?
I would feel her abdomen for any bloat/swelling or fluid (compare her to the others). Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks to make sure it's empty and look her over for lice/mites. Getting a fecal float to rule out worms would be a good idea too.
At 5 yrs old and the symptoms you describe, she may have a reproductive disorder (Cancer, tumors, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Internal Laying) which can be common for laying hens.

I would keep watch to make sure the others are not picking on her too much and keeping her from food/water. If they are then separate her out into a cage/kennel within the coop/run so she can still be near them but safer. Sometimes chickens will attack one that is sick or a less dominant bird will take advantage of a weak/sick bird to climb higher in the social order.

 

[azygous]

Noticing a hen is a bit different in behavior is only the start. While egg binding is a common affliction of laying hens, it's only one of many things that could be wrong.

Try to recall if there are any other differences in behavior leading up to this. Has she been laying quality eggs regularly? If not, have there been any thin-shelled eggs or shelless eggs?

What does her poop look like? Green? White and watery? Does she have soiled butt feathers that seem to be wet all the time? Does she stand around with her tail low and flat and is she puffed up?

How does her crop feel? Full and mushy? Hard and lumpy and stuffed to the gills? Any odor like sauerkraut coming from her beak?

How is her balance? Is she wobbly? Does she hold out one wing as if to balance herself? Has she had access to any rotting compost? How about pesticide use in the area? Any machinery in the yard leaking fluids?

 

[4lovelyladies]

Do you know when she last laid an egg?
I would feel her abdomen for any bloat/swelling or fluid (compare her to the others). Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks to make sure it's empty and look her over for lice/mites. Getting a fecal float to rule out worms would be a good idea too.
At 5 yrs old and the symptoms you describe, she may have a reproductive disorder (Cancer, tumors, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Internal Laying) which can be common for laying hens.

I would keep watch to make sure the others are not picking on her too much and keeping her from food/water. If they are then separate her out into a cage/kennel within the coop/run so she can still be near them but safer. Sometimes chickens will attack one that is sick or a less dominant bird will take advantage of a weak/sick bird to climb higher in the social order.

I felt her abdomen compared to the others and they both feel the same. Only thing I noticed was different was her poop. It had white runny substance and very dark thick matter. It doesn't look like the other poop in coop. I'm not sure if its from all the Japenese beetles she is eating?
The other chickens of course all ready noticed her slowing up. One of them attacked her right in front of us so luckily we got her to safe place before being injured.
She will eat little bits from our hand, but not much else. definitely not her normal appetite.

 

[4lovelyladies]

Noticing a hen is a bit different in behavior is only the start. While egg binding is a common affliction of laying hens, it's only one of many things that could be wrong.

Try to recall if there are any other differences in behavior leading up to this. Has she been laying quality eggs regularly? If not, have there been any thin-shelled eggs or shelless eggs?

What does her poop look like? Green? White and watery? Does she have soiled butt feathers that seem to be wet all the time? Does she stand around with her tail low and flat and is she puffed up?

How does her crop feel? Full and mushy? Hard and lumpy and stuffed to the gills? Any odor like sauerkraut coming from her beak?

How is her balance? Is she wobbly? Does she hold out one wing as if to balance herself? Has she had access to any rotting compost? How about pesticide use in the area? Any machinery in the yard leaking fluids?

Thank you for the reply! All three of my hens have been really slow on egg production this summer. When they do lay they are normal looking.
No wetness around butt area. I checked for mites and negative on those. Her crop feels the same as others. Full and mushy? Her beak is odor free.
Her balance is fine when she is walking. No rotting compost or pesticide use. No on machinery in our yard.
The only thing I have noticed as I said in reply to the other person emailing is her poop looking different. It is definitely more white with dark thick chunks in it. She has been eating a lot of Japanese beetles and raspberries too. Does that trigger any more thoughts?

 

[azygous]

Can you post a pic of the poop?

 

[4lovelyladies]

Can you post a pic of the poop?

Thank you for your help. From what I have seen online it looks like it might be cancer? I was hoping a bacteria infection. What are your thoughts?
Let me know if the picture didn't come through.

 

[azygous]

That's some pretty sick poop. It's impossible to tell from it what's making the chicken sick, though. Only a necropsy can do that.

If this one dies, I recommend you get one or do an open-up-and-see-what's-inside DIY necropsy. If it's cancer, you will have no doubt what you're seeing.

 

[aart]

Could be the beetles.

I'd isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops.
Give her only chicken ration and remove it at night.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.