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]

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

View attachment 2838285

Thank you very much. I am so thankful you responded wyorp. Feed is 16% protein, wish it was higher but needs to be gluten free and it’s our only option. The flock of 17 gets a couple handfuls of sunflower seeds a few times a week and they get kale from garden every day. She is not getting picked on at all yet, another hen was just grooming her. I don’t know when last egg was because there are so many hens and we are working during day, but egg production has slowed down in the last couple weeks. She gobbled down boiled egg we just gave her but didn’t seem to want her feed. Will check her skin again where the messed up feathers are. Checked yesterday and vent looks normal skin looks normal no obvious sign of lice or mites. She seems to be dropping that wing and quickly pulling it back up. Comb literally fell over last week. Could that be molting? Thank you.

 

[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.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It could be molting. If she's dropping the wing, look it over really well - see if there's any indication of pain when you maneuver it - look underneath it at the skin for any irritation, etc.
She may have injured it somehow, chickens can do some odd things at times.

Boiled egg is a great treat for extra protein! So stick with that.
Molting birds seem to go off feed or mine do a lot of times, they just act like they don't feel all that well.
Hopefully she'll perk up for you.

 

[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!!

 

[Stablecoop]

So her abdomen feels tight, she’s a little pink in that area. Her vent is not swollen but I am wondering if she is stopped up or eggbound? Oh man. What to do?

 

[Stablecoop]

She’s now down and panting. I am wondering if she is eggbound. She seems very uncomfortable and I am wondering if we should euthanize her. Ugh. This was a quick decline.