Decreased appetite and slowly walking

[TheGourleyManor]

I have Ann Easter egger (I think) who is several years old (we've had her a year, from a neighbor). She lays consistently 5-6 eggs a week. Today we noticed she turns away from all food we offer in person. We don't know if she's eating the feed. She is the oldest of 6 chickens. No-one seems to be pestering her, she has historically been the alpha. Today, she seems to want to hide under a bush a lot. When she does walk around, she does so very slowly. No limping or crouching, just slowly. Her vent is open and no egg is found. She did have something weird hanging from her vent. Maybe, a mangle piece of misshapen egg membrane? Really can't tell. Her poop looks normal. Honestly, forgot to check her crop, but will do so first thing in the morning. It didn't visibly appear abnormal. No missing feathers or injuries.

She normally eats a laying ration and occasional treats (i.e. table scraps, meal worms, scratch) - one of those everyday, but small amounts. She is still drinking clean, fresh water freely.

Am I missing something? What could it be? What should we change?

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I would suggest doing the following:

Check for weight loss. Can you feel the bone beside her crop protruding? Also, check her crop. And lastly, see if you can find any parasites, signs of an injury, or anything else out of the ordinary (besides her behavior).

You mentioned that something was hanging from her vent. Have you considered prolapse as the problem?

Has she been laying? Could she be egg bound?

I saw a similar case to your chicken. The chicken turned out to be egg bound you might want to check that out.

My best wishes! Good luck!

 

[micstrachan]

Did the egg membrane come out? That sounds like a shell-less egg. She could be laying internally, which can get serious (my girl had egg yolk peritonitis.) Is her tail down? Is she sort of pumping it? Is she open mouth breathing? Please feel her abdomen (fluffy area under her vent and between her legs.) Is it swollen and squishy? Is the skin hot and red?
Please keep in contact so we can try to help you. I don't mean to alarm you, but she can go downhill fast without care. Sending positive thoughts!

 

[TheGourleyManor]

She does not feel underweight. If the bone you are talking about is the keel, that is not protruding. No evidence of parasites or injury that we can tell.

The thing hanging from the vent was not a prolapse, it was easily pulled from it as if it was in the process of being passed. She has laid an egg as of 2 days ago. Not unusual for her to skip a day here and there. We will be watching for egg laying tomorrow. There was no egg palpated anywhere near the vent in the tract (internal exam). Could it be further up and unnoticeable? I was thinking I read that it couldn't be.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[TheGourleyManor]

Did the egg membrane come out? That sounds like a shell-less egg. She could be laying internally, which can get serious (my girl had egg yolk peritonitis.) Is her tail down? Is she sort of pumping it? Is she open mouth breathing? Please feel her abdomen (fluffy area under her vent and between her legs.) Is it swollen and squishy? Is the skin hot and red?
Please keep in contact so we can try to help you. I don't mean to alarm you, but she can go downhill fast without care. Sending positive thoughts!

It, honestly, didn't resemble ANYTHING. It was dark in color and dry by the time we saw it. Her tail is held high, as usual. She doesn't exhibit any strange movements (i.e. pumping....) other than her gait is a little slower than usual. She is breathing normally. Nothing noted to the abdomen, but will be checking again in the a.m. along with her crop. She is sleeping now....

What did you treat the egg yolk peritonitis with?

 

[micstrachan]

She was on the brink of death when she was treated, as she declined rapidly over the weekend and I did not have access to an avian vet. However, on the Monday, the vet drained her abdomen and lavaged it. She received intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatories, and antibiotics. I slowly nursed her back to health, but she never 100% recovered and ended up with ascites later and then a respiratory infection. I think if I had been able to have her treated earlier, the outcome woukd have been better. For awhile, I was calling her my miracle chicken, bud sadly, I was wrong.
I don't know what the weird dark thing your girl passed coukd be. My girl was very obviousky passing egg material.
Please keep us posted. I hope someone here can help you.

 

[TheGourleyManor]

Thank you for the information. Even if that doesn't seem to be her problem, I will at least pack away the information from your experience into my mind, in case I ever happen to run across it in the future.

 

[TheGourleyManor]

Checked her first thing this morning and again after lunch just now.

-She is still wanting to hide under a bush, but did slowly come out to see what we were doing, then headed back to the bush.
-She still seems to be refusing to eat anything we give her (although, she is pecking at the ground when she's outside).
-She has a very dirty hind end (vent is fully open, though and seems to be operational).
-Her crop was empty first thing this morning, now it is mostly empty, although it might have some food in it.
-Abdomen is soft, no heat and no redness. Tail is held high. Gait is not a waddle, but still somewhat slow.
-No egg production, yet today.
-Her combs and wattles are looking perky and beautiful.
-Breathing is normal, no discharge or strain
-She didn't see bothered by the exam, as if there was pain involved, so I am assuming she isn't in a lot of pain.

--One thing I forgot to mention before is that she does occasionally lay a "robin egg". It is as small as a bird egg. We have been seeing them once every few weeks or so. Does that mean anything in particular?

When we got her this time last year, she was not laying due to molt. She actually looked pitiful and had a prominent keel. She doesn't look like she's molting like that, but maybe she is heading into molt?

I just can't decide what is going on with her. Something is off..... She is concerning me with how little interest she is showing in food.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she seems to want to hide under a bush a lot. When she does walk around, she does so very slowly...Her vent is open and no egg is found. She did have something weird hanging from her vent. Maybe, a mangle piece of misshapen egg membrane?...The thing hanging from the vent was not a prolapse, it was easily pulled from it as if it was in the process of being passed....She has a very dirty hind end (vent is fully open, though and seems to be operational).

Can you post some photos of her and the vent?
Explain what you mean when you say "vent is fully open" - do you mean it's clear of obstruction?

Is there a way you can cage her so you can monitor her more closely?

From your description it sounds like she had a hard time laying a soft shell egg - these are difficult to expel and if the egg released yolk/whites into the oviduct it can make them not feel well.

Since she has a very dirt behind, then you may want to clean her up. Wash up the bum and give her a soak in a warm epsom salts bath. Provide her with extra vitamins like Poultry Nutri-Drench and some Calcium. I crush a TUMS and sprinkle it over scrambled/hard boiled egg. See that she is staying hydrated.

Keep us posted.

 

[TheGourleyManor]

Can you post some photos of her and the vent?
Explain what you mean when you say "vent is fully open" - do you mean it's clear of obstruction?

Is there a way you can cage her so you can monitor her more closely?

From your description it sounds like she had a hard time laying a soft shell egg - these are difficult to expel and if the egg released yolk/whites into the oviduct it can make them not feel well.

Since she has a very dirt behind, then you may want to clean her up. Wash up the bum and give her a soak in a warm epsom salts bath. Provide her with extra vitamins like Poultry Nutri-Drench and some Calcium. I crush a TUMS and sprinkle it over scrambled/hard boiled egg. See that she is staying hydrated.

Keep us posted.

I guess that was a little ambiguous. I just meant that her vent is not occluded or blocked in any way. I will try to get a picture. There is just some droppings caked on the feathers below the vent. We will try to clean her up. I thought about an epsom salt bath when I thought she may have been egg bound. But, it wouldn't hurt to do it anyway.

We have tried to increase her calcium, but she is not taking anything that we offer her (i.e. oyster calcium, hard boiled eggs with shells and without, meal worms, food scraps from our garden, or even scratch). She usually eats right out of our hands, but she won't even come near our hands yesterday or today. She does peck at the ground, but not where we put anything.

We do witness her drinking water, that's the one thing she is still doing. I am hoping that is a good sign that she is still at least drinking. Right?