Frail Hen - lost lots of weight

[calmeter]

I have one hen who is less than 2 years old that is not doing well. Several weeks ago I found that she was standing like a penguin so I brought her in the house and gave her a bath thinking maybe she was egg bound. I have bathed her twice and cleaned up her tail feathers. She has not layed any eggs and she is very weak. I have separated her from the rest of the flock (33 other members). I have fed her eggs, watermelon and given her plenty of layer food and water. We have been using Kalmbach non gmo layer feed and henhouse reserve. She does eat but she has lost so much weight. When I pick her up there is nothing to her. Some days I let her back out of isolation, but the roosters jump on her and knock her down that she can’t even get up. So she ends up having to be isolated again.

I have many acres that my chickens free range on during the day so she has always had access to fresh grass, bugs, etc. At night they are all locked up in a Coop.

She doesn’t have any discharge from either end. She doesn’t cough, or make wheezing noises. All the other hens and roosters are thriving. She just is not well and very frail. Could it be that she has some internal problem, like cancer?

Some of her poops are like in the photo and others are firmer.

Quite a few of my hens have lost the feathers on their back due to the rooster activity. They wore chicken aprons for several weeks this summer. Thus the reason she has baldness on her back.

 

[swamphiker]

I'm sorry your hen in doing poorly. The upright posture is typical of reproductive issues, which include cancers and salpingitis. Salpingitis is a bacterial infection, and therefore treatable with antibiotics: https://poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

However, it doesn't necessarily rule out other issues. You could try using the symptom checker tool at Poultry DVM for some more ideas: https://poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

If it were my hen, I would continue supportive care and try a round of antibiotics. You may also consider deworming if you haven't done it for awhile, parasites could be contributing to her weight loss and lethargy even if it's not the only issue.

 

[calmeter]

I saw that poultrydvm website. Very cool! I did put in her symptoms and it gave me a list of multiple issues.

I have ivermax in a tube. Its an Equine paste dewormer. I could give her just the tiniest pinch of that? I'll check into antibiotics. Thank you!

 

[calmeter]

I'm sorry your hen in doing poorly. The upright posture is typical of reproductive issues, which include cancers and salpingitis. Salpingitis is a bacterial infection, and therefore treatable with antibiotics: https://poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

However, it doesn't necessarily rule out other issues. You could try using the symptom checker tool at Poultry DVM for some more ideas: https://poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

If it were my hen, I would continue supportive care and try a round of antibiotics. You may also consider deworming if you haven't done it for awhile, parasites could be contributing to her weight loss and lethargy even if it's not the only issue.

Oh, and she isn't standing like a penguin anymore. That was several weeks ago.

 

[calmeter]

I picked her up and felt her crop. It's kinda squishy feeling. I picked up some of the other chickens in the yard and they don't feel like there is anything in their crops and they for sure had breakfast! Can a chicken live for weeks with something wrong with their crop?

 

[swamphiker]

I picked her up and felt her crop. It's kinda squishy feeling. I picked up some of the other chickens in the yard and they don't feel like there is anything in their crops and they for sure had breakfast! Can a chicken live for weeks with something wrong with their crop?

Yes, chickens can get soup crop and other issues. More information here: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/common-crop-issues-backyard-chickens-ebr-60/

There are lots of threads on treating sour crop and other crop issues if you think that could be the problem, you can find these by using the search function in the top right corner