Buff Orpington lethargic and not eating

[rbancroft]

One of my hens is acting lethargic and sick today and I would appreciate any help and advice, since I don't have experience with a sick chicken up to this point. This morning Monster Truck (yes, my son named her) got out of the nest box , walked into the run, and just laid down. She didn't flinch when I picked her up to take a look. Monster Truck is one of my four 2-year old Buff Orpingtons that are housed in our backyard coop/run. The other three aren't acting sick at all. They all free-ranged in the yard on Friday as normal, but I was out of town on Saturday, so she may have been sick on Saturday. Today when I checked her: No signs of trauma or injuries. Offered her food and drink but she wouldn't eat. Not sure if her poop is normal, but she has some green poop on her butt feathers. After checking her this morning, I put her back in the coop, where she stood for a moment, then laid down. She seems to be panting.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

I think she might be egg bound. I've never had that problem, but I heard sokaing them in warm water helps get the egg out.

 

[jaimslee4u]

It does sound like she is egg bound sometimes if you gently palapate the abdomin you can feel for it. I think you can put a bit of olive oil around the vent area and give her a good warm bottom soak. Obviously if it is cold out you do not want to put her rite back outside. You can blow dry her bottom.

Have you felt her crop at all to see if there is food in there or it isn't bound either?

 

[rbancroft]

Tonight I attempted to feel for a bound egg, but I didn't feel anything - maybe I have the technique wrong. Anyway, I brought Monster Truck inside, gave her a warm bath for about 15 minutes and she's resting in a large rabbit cage in our living room. She has hardly made a peep. Hopefully she'll be able to pass an egg and feel better tomorrow.

 

[rbancroft]

Well, nothing has changed with Monster Truck. She is just laying still in the cage in our living room. I gave her another warm bath today, but no eggs. She has pooped a little - white and dark green. I'm not sure what to do at this point, so I got some antibiotics and electrolytes from the feed store to see if that helps. She isn't eating or drinking.

 

[Troyerchicks]

I had a similar situation last week with my buff. She ended up having an impacted crop. My husband and I gave her a dropper of mineral oil, messaged her crop and kept her confined in a crate in our bathroom for about 24 hours with some water but no food. We did the mineral oil 3 times over the 24hrs. (Trust me when I say this needs two people)
If you look up impacted crop here on BYC there's a ton of info on it.

Good luck!!