HELP NEEDED, hen has been lethargic for 2 weeks!

[Liam McConkey1]

Hi all,

my hen has been acting ill for the past couple weeks, acting lethargic not moving much, not eating/drinking much. When standing still she looks all puffed out and her head is sitting in, and crop looks big, however I checked her today and her crop is completely empty, and no sign of mites. I will attach some photos.

any advice is much appreciated, thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Her crop appears quite large in the pictures. Can you check in again, and try to compare it to your other hen’s crops? They should normally feel empty and flat or not detectable in the early morning before eating. If it feels big and puffy soft, it may be a slow or sour crop crop. If it feels hard or like thick dough, it may be impacted. Smell her beak for a sour or rotten odor when you feel the crop.

In older hens, reproductive disorders and crop disorders are common. Does she lay eggs and are they normal with hard shells? Look her over for lice and mites on the skin under her abdomen while you are checking her. Look and feel her lower belly between the legs to see if that area is enlarged or bulging. Let us know what you find. Will she eat some wet chicken feed or scrambled egg bits, or drink water?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a picture of an enlarged crop:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/crop3-1024x900.jpg

 

[Liam McConkey1]

Her crop appears quite large in the pictures. Can you check in again, and try to compare it to your other hen’s crops? They should normally feel empty and flat or not detectable in the early morning before eating. If it feels big and puffy soft, it may be a slow or sour crop crop. If it feels hard or like thick dough, it may be impacted. Smell her beak for a sour or rotten odor when you feel the crop.

In older hens, reproductive disorders and crop disorders are common. Does she lay eggs and are they normal with hard shells? Look her over for lice and mites on the skin under her abdomen while you are checking her. Look and feel her lower belly between the legs to see if that area is enlarged or bulging. Let us know what you find. Will she eat some wet chicken feed or scrambled egg bits, or drink water?

Thank you for your reply, when I try to feel her crop there is just nothing there, where it looks like she has a big crop it feels slim and rock solid like a bone that is causing it to bulge out but doesn’t feel anything like a crop.I felt one of the hens crops and was normal however couldn’t feel a big a hard bone like hers in the Same place, I’ve tried giving her water and yoghurt when I separated her but nothing, I’ve checked all over for mites and lice and nothing.

 

[jonalisa]

How is your hen?

 

[Liam McConkey1]

How is your hen?

Hi, Unfortunately we put her down. She did not make any improvements after a week and a bit so I decided to end it there to reduce her suffering.

How is your hen?

 

[jonalisa]

I'm so sorry.