Help needed.

[lin0026]

Hi, I have been an avid reader of this site for a few years, I have joined today to seek help from you experienced guys.
I have a 3 year old ish Rhode Rock Hybrid, she is such a friendly lovable hen, however, last September she stopped laying, nothing unusual we thought, as winter was coming.
she started to have a white pasty tail end and matted feathers not smelly but treated her for vent gleet, she did pick up a bit but then seemed to suffer gape worm so treated her for that, again she seemed to be fine. For the past 3 months she has had a yellow/light green leakage from vent, consistency of pastey porridge oats, very small amounts of dark green poop with sometimes scrambled egg stuff in it. I have bathed her to keep her comfy, but today noticed she is almost bald around (healthy looking) vent and around her belly, she is scarily thin, but no apparent swellings. Also she has laid an odd shaped egg, a fairy egg and 3 shell less, yolk less eggs if I can call them that, broken membrane and clear mucus over the last 3 weeks. Although she seems lethargic she still tries to help me dig the garden although she can't do it for long without having to stand still for a rest. Is she ill or just old, I have been been told hybrids only live about 3 years. My Bluebell died at 3, last year, although she didn't present any signs of particluar illness, just went to her favorite spot and died peacefully.I have a Sicilian Buttercup who is as fit and energetic and laying as good as ever. All my treatments I have gained from this site and they have worked a treat, so am hoping someone can help now. My hens are wormed with Flubenvent and are bug free including red mite.

 

[klmclain1]

Given the shell-less eggs - I would suspect a bacterial infection. Not that the bacterial infection caused the shell-less eggs, but the opposite. Why she's laying odd eggs I don't know except maybe age. Personally, I'd give her 4 days of penicillin injections to try to clear it up. I know some here will suggest a vinegar/water flush as well to kill the bacteria (look up key words dawg53 and vinegar for good instructions. Some will say not to do this.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm glad she enjoys keeping you company in the garden despite her health issues. My hunch is that she sometimes lays internally - meaning the developing egg misses the oviduct and the egg material collects in her abdomen where it is partially reabsorbed. The bald belly sounds like on of my hens who had this problem. She was an irregular layer like your hen. But the green poops and skinniness suggest she is either choosing not to eat much or she has problems absorbing nutrients. There are not really options for treating her laying issues, and unfortunately those issues put her at risk for internal infections. Perhaps a systemic antibiotic could help, but I am sorry to say I do not know what antibiotic to suggest.

It probably wouldn't hurt to give her high nutrient treats like scrambled eggs or give her plain yogurt for the probiotics.

 

[lin0026]

thanks for your input, I did wonder about internal laying as the yolk has been missing, trouble I have is she has a little symptom of a multitude of different things and no specific problem I can say 'yes that's it' I have been googling for weeks, it's reassuring to have other opinions, thanks again.

 

[lin0026]

Thanks, I think a visit to the vet is in order, although not sure they are chicken experts :/