Chicken being odd for months looks more lethargic

[CEO]

My chicken has been having shell less problems for a long time since June. I gave her calcuim and it solved that. But she had those problems again and calcium didn’t solve it. We let her do her thing because we didn’t know what it was, but today she was a bit more weird.nshe got up excited for the day then midday went up to the nesting box and didn’t come out. She was broody on the eggs so when I pulled them she didn’t sit there. She was still lethargic, walked slow, and had her wing a bit down. Also this happened once more a week ago. When I checked the nesting box there was this odd looking poop or gooey stuff on the bedding and she pooped something that looked like saliva and bubbly. Not sure what this is and what to do. Ideas?

 

[Lizzy733]

Geeze, how old is she and what breed?

My shaver had been laying brittle eggs after her year 3 moult then one day went into the nesting box and didn't lay, went to huddling in a corner and had similar poos. She stopped eating and laying and everything just got worse from there.

Green poos are not good and could be a sign that she's stopped eating - check her crop and if it's empty, offer her food.

Check her abdomen as well for any indication of an egg or see if she tries to do the squatting behavior while you're checking. - this could mean she's egg-bound.

That was my initial thoughts with my girl, but wasn't the cause unfortunately, and she was culled when symptoms worsened over the next week and a half to prevent her suffering.

Be aware of her abdomen's temperature too. (Compared to a healthy hen; chickens are hotter than us naturally) If she has an infection, there'll typically be fever too.

At this stage, lots of things it could be so ruling out a few if the above can help find the best treatment options.

 

[CEO]

2 years old red sexlink. How do I check for egg? Also I thought it might be peritenosis because shell less eggs.

 

[CEO]

She keeps pooping that clear stuff don’t know what it means.

 

[Lizzy733]

2 years old red sexlink. How do I check for egg? Also I thought it might be peritenosis because shell less eggs.

Could be... With hybrids, everything seems to start breaking down around 2-3. I don't usually put much stock in their shell quality after then cause it's just all over the place.

I'd recommend getting healthy chicken that's laid and having a good feel of her abdomen between the legs and past the ribcage to get a feel of what a normal hen should feel like. You want to gently squish the abdomen and feel for anything that seems abnormal - lumps, stuck eggs etc. Just be gentle. On a healthy chicken, this isn't painful. On a hen with a stuck egg, they may try squatting and straining when you do this.

I have had a hen 'tear' herself (on double-yolkers) and get an infection - that's where they may feel feverish - she was young and recovered, but laid some nasty puss-filled 'eggs' for a week while she fought the infection and laid soft shell and shelless eggs in the lead up.

I haven't had anyone crack an egg shell inside, but infection should run a similar course if there's an internal injury.

For now, direct dosing liquid calcium with vitamin d - or calcium tablets with the same should help her with muscle contractions to push out any egg debris if there is any.

Clear and watery with green could be unrelated to eggs though, so isolating and Monitoring her are best for now. Use white paper towels for bedding - it's good for really seeing what's going on with the poos.

 

[CEO]

Could be... With hybrids, everything seems to start breaking down around 2-3. I don't usually put much stock in their shell quality after then cause it's just all over the place.

I'd recommend getting healthy chicken that's laid and having a good feel of her abdomen between the legs and past the ribcage to get a feel of what a normal hen should feel like. You want to gently squish the abdomen and feel for anything that seems abnormal - lumps, stuck eggs etc. Just be gentle. On a healthy chicken, this isn't painful. On a hen with a stuck egg, they may try squatting and straining when you do this.

I have had a hen 'tear' herself (on double-yolkers) and get an infection - that's where they may feel feverish - she was young and recovered, but laid some nasty puss-filled 'eggs' for a week while she fought the infection and laid soft shell and shelless eggs in the lead up.

I haven't had anyone crack an egg shell inside, but infection should run a similar course if there's an internal injury.

For now, direct dosing liquid calcium with vitamin d - or calcium tablets with the same should help her with muscle contractions to push out any egg debris if there is any.

Clear and watery with green could be unrelated to eggs though, so isolating and Monitoring her are best for now. Use white paper towels for bedding - it's good for really seeing what's going on with the poos.

Tysm