Dropped comb and listless

[Stablecoop]

Hi all. We have a New Hampshire hen a year and a half old who over the last few days has been listless, standing in a stupor. Her comb has fallen over, she has had a random bald patch on side of her neck (new feathers emerging now ). Her right wing will drop but she pulls it back up. She was just now eating feathers off the ground. Her vent seems fine no apparent injuries. Please help? Thank you all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She may be starting to molt. Check her over carefully to see if you find more pin feathers coming in.
While doing that look for lice/mites.

The feathers on the right top of her back are looking messed up - take a look at that area too, at the skin to see why they are like that.

Eating feathers - what % protein is your feed, how much treats do they get daily?
Have you notice if she's being kept from food? Feather eating can be due to lack of protein.

I would make sure her crop is emptying overnight.
Work on hydrating her and see if she will eat. If she's not getting picked at, I would leave her with the flock, unless you feel she needs separated.

When was her last egg? Photos of poop when you can catch her in the act

 

[Eggcessive]

Great advice from Wyorp Rock. Sometimes dehydration can cause the comb to flop over, although not always the case. She looks to be molting. Many chickens will snack on dropped feathers. When mine are molting, I may offer some Poultry NutriDrench and offer a snack of scrambled eggs or a can of tuna or salmon shared.

 

[Stablecoop]

Great advice from Wyorp Rock. Sometimes dehydration can cause the comb to flop over, although not always the case. She looks to be molting. Many chickens will snack on dropped feathers. When mine are molting, I may offer some Poultry NutriDrench and offer a snack of scrambled eggs or a can of tuna or salmon shared.

Thank you. I feel like you and wyorp are chicken expert celebrities and I am so thankful for your response. I will give her some nutridrench now and some more scrambled eggs. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Why gluten free for chickens?

 

[Stablecoop]

Why gluten free for chickens?

My wife has gone into something close to liver failure from gluten, so any opportunity for gluten cross contamination is not safe for us. If she handles gluten feed and it geys in her mouth or nose and even if the dust is airborne it could be an ER visit. We have searched high and low for gluten free food and have only found one company New Country Organics that mills specifically GF layer feed. We welcome ANY and all recommendations/suggestions/ideas though!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would work on hydration, give her 1 Tums or 1 Caltrate with D3. Direct dosing of the Calcium can help with contractions to push the egg out.

Some hens pant when they are going to lay an egg, so I would give her some time and see if she's able to pass the egg.

If she's not used to being handled, this can be stressful as well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If it's liquid calcium, then give her 1cc.

You don't see any wounds underneath her that may be the source of smell?

She may have infection of the oviduct. Salpingitis comes to mind.

 

[Eggcessive]

Look around and under vent and elsewhere for any maggots, which can cause flystrike and infection. Can you insert a clean finger into her vent to check for a stuck egg or obstruction? Use a disposable glove if you have one. Hopefully, this won’t happen, but if you should lose her, it would be good to either do a home necropsy or send her to your state vet for one. With a home necropsy, some findings can be obvious by looking and taking pictures of the organs.

 

[Stablecoop]

Look around and under vent and elsewhere for any maggots, which can cause flystrike and infection. Can you insert a clean finger into her vent to check for a stuck egg or obstruction? Use a disposable glove if you have one. Hopefully, this won’t happen, but if you should lose her, it would be good to either do a home necropsy or send her to your state vet for one. With a home necropsy, some findings can be obvious by looking and taking pictures of the organs.

No maggots, no flystrike. No egg when checking vent. Feels like egg is lower on underside, it is distended and tight. Thank you for your help.