can't figure out what's wrong with lethargic chicken

[sissybell11]

For the past 10 days or so, my 3-year-old chicken Sassy has been a little lethargic and puffed up. She had poop stuck to her butt. She has similar symptoms as another of my chickens Sissy had for several weeks before she died recently. I'm trying to be more pro-active this time. This morning I kept her separate from my other chicken to check her. I read up on checking the crop and it seemed she had a soft crop this morning. She didn't seem to be drinking water. I brought her inside for a bath and got the poop off her butt. I gave her half a scrambled egg mixed with some water and she gobbled it up, so she got some hydration. She had a little wet poop after that. Once she was dry I put her back in the cage. She is still staying rather still and doesn't appear to be drinking or eating or even pecking. Any ideas? Hate to lose another chicken

 

[sylviethecochin]

I think you may be about to lose another chicken; red sex link hens have a lot of reproductive problems, including a strong tendency towards cancers and egg-binding. The few I've had didn't make it to four years old.

That said, has she laid an egg recently? How does the soft area around her bum and stomach feel? Does it feel tight or swollen? Does she walk normally? What colour was the poop? By soft crop, do you mean it felt empty or like it had liquid in it? Has anyone laid any really abnormal eggs recently?

For now, a little bit of live culture yogurt may help make her stomach feel better.

EDT: And welcome to BYC. I wish you luck.

 

[sissybell11]

I'm not sure if she has been laying since she was with my other chicken who is definitely laying.. I haven't had any abnormal eggs. She has been walking slowly. I only started feeling my chickens today so I don't know what's normal. The crop seemed to maybe just be liquid or soft food. She likes the yogurt and it seemed to enliven her, as she came out and pecked at the food. Thank you for the information, Sylvie. Sad! Those two were the best-natured of my mixed group of chickens.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'm not sure if she has been laying since she was with my other chicken who is definitely laying.. I haven't had any abnormal eggs. She has been walking slowly. I only started feeling my chickens today so I don't know what's normal. The crop seemed to maybe just be liquid or soft food. She likes the yogurt and it seemed to enliven her, as she came out and pecked at the food. Thank you for the information, Sylvie. Sad! Those two were the best-natured of my mixed group of chickens.

Just to be clear--she hadn't eaten anything when he crop felt like it was soft?

Could she have a blocked crop?

 

[sissybell11]

It was first thing in the morning so she hadn't eaten anything yet. But it was soft so I didn't think it was blocked, but I don't really know. It still feels soft and not very prominent

 

[sissybell11]

She really liked the yogurt and had a poop in the afternoon. It was greenish-brown. I had given them some cabbage leaves in the last few days, but no other vegetables, and grass is not greened up yet. She spent most of the day in cage, but came out in the evening when I got Portia out before bedtime. Do you think she might have worms and I should giver her some kind of dewormer?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Their crops should be empty at breakfast-time. I'm thinking she might have a "slow" crop, or partially blocked. Do you have a picture of that poop?

@azygous @Wyorp Rock?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

lethargic and puffed up

read up on checking the crop and it seemed she had a soft crop this morning. She didn't seem to be drinking water.

I'm not sure if she has been laying since she was with my other chicken who is definitely laying.. I haven't had any abnormal eggs. She has been walking slowly. I only started feeling my chickens today so I don't know what's normal. The crop seemed to maybe just be liquid or soft food.

It was first thing in the morning so she hadn't eaten anything yet. But it was soft so I didn't think it was blocked, but I don't really know. It still feels soft and not very prominent

Hi @sissybell11 Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry that your hen is not well and that you lost another one recently.

Can you re-check her crop first thing in the morning and let us know what that's like?

Feel of her abdomen - cup her hand and feel between her legs below the vent. If you need to, compare her to a couple of other hens. Tell us what that's like - soft and pliable, tight or like a water balloon, bloated/swollen or firm. While you are examining her, you may want to insert a lubricated finger inside her vent about 1-2" to feel for an egg. Look her over for any lice or mites too.

From her stance she is not doing well. Laying hens can have reproductive problems - a few are Internal Laying, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, cancer, tumors and Salpingitis. Symptoms include weight loss, going off feed, crop problems, loose droppings, walking like a penguin, difficulty walking, labored breathing, lethargy and swelling or fluid in the abdomen.

If you have a vet that can perform a test to check for worms that would be good. If you don't have vet care, then you can try deworming her to see if that helps. She may have more than one thing going on.

I would try to get her hydrated. If she will eat wet chicken feed that will get some fluids into her. Yogurt is o.k. but a small amount, it may make her poop runny, but if that entices her to eat, then I would add a little to her feed. Massage the crop gently and see if there is anything in there.


Please keep us posted and look forward to your response.

Here's a couple of articles about crop problems:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[sissybell11]

This morning I think I could feel her crop. She didn't mind me massaging it. Turning her upside down she tried to resist. There did seem a hard spot above the vent on the right. I stuck my finger in the vent and think I did feel an egg. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of the green poop yesterday. It was a dark, like olive green.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This morning I think I could feel her crop. She didn't mind me massaging it. Turning her upside down she tried to resist. There did seem a hard spot above the vent on the right. I stuck my finger in the vent and think I did feel an egg. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of the green poop yesterday. It was a dark, like olive green.

Did the lump or "egg" feel like it was behind tissue - I suppose it probably is if it was to the right. Unfortunately a lot of time you will not know unless you or someone like a vet or state lab performs a necropsy when you lose them.

Green poop can be from her not eating/drinking well. Sometimes it's indication of infection or parasites.
You can try deworming her, treating her for Coccidiosis and giving antibiotics to see if those help, but from your description I would take a guess she has a reproductive problem. 10 days is a long time for them to be uncomfortable and sick like that - or it is for me anyway, quality of life needs to be considered.