Help please

[Peepers34]

My 1 year old hen is very lethargic and just sits under a tree. Usually, she's energetic and comes when we have food. Now, she ignores us and only eats when we stick out food right in front of her. It has been a couple of weeks since she has acted funny. We have moved her indoors where it's nice and cool since its getting hot outside (95-100 degrees Fahrenheit). She has pooped a runny, green poop so we think it might be a digestive issue. As of now, she is being fed pellets and scrambled eggs. Any idea what she has or what we can do to help?

 

[pennyJo1960]

She may be molting some hens have a real hard time of it changing her diet can cause the runs better to be concerned but she appears to be light in feather in a couple spots and about that age. Also helps if we know your local putting in on your profile will help
90 here is not the same as south

 

[Peepers34]

I live in east Texas and do you know what is causing her poo to be green and runny? Also, she has been paler than usual and her tail seems to droop downwards.

 

[Shezadandy]

I live in east Texas and do you know what is causing her poo to be green and runny? Also, she has been paler than usual and her tail seems to droop downwards.

Check her abdomen. Often when they get waterbelly (ascities) they have a hard time breathing and their energy drops. The fluid in their body - chickens don't have a diaphragm like people, so when they fill with fluid, their heart and lungs along with everything else is compressed. If this is the problem, it should be obvious - a swollen abdomen. At the bottom I've included a link to a very clear video of how to drain her. If she gasps extra hard if you pick her up and further compress her abdomen, her comb turns darker and she has a harder time breathing - it's almost certainly ascities.

If it is ascities, draining the fluid will HELP but it is NOT a CURE. There are risks in draining, of course - you are putting a needle hole so there's a risk for infection. There's also a risk that she goes into shock. But, if she's already miserable and can't be out doing happy chicken activities, the risk (to me) is more than worth watching her slowly declining.

I've got an old hen that I drain as needed - every 2-4 weeks -- and she goes on her merry way afterwards. Any time I see her start to waddle - her legs end up farther apart, she kinda does the John Wayne walk - it's time- other signs are unwarranted panting and darker comb, which means not enough oxygen.

I use a 14 or 16 gauge 1" needle because it's a bigger hole - anything like a 18 or 20 or smaller will take forever. Almost all livestock supply stores will have the 16 gauge 1" needle by their cattle health supplies. I don't bother with a syringe anymore- I either take the hen outside or drain into a bucket.

Here's the video- she breaks things down into easy to follow steps:

 

[pennyJo1960]

Actually looks more like molting and her comb is pale which lends to molting also

 

[Shezadandy]

Actually looks more like molting and her comb is pale which lends to molting also

Given the duration- OP mentioned 2 weeks now of lethargy and loss of appetite - by now I would expect to see much heavier feather loss with evidence of new feathers starting at the front of her body and working its way back if the hen was molting, so I'd hesitate to attribute this to molting.

Re-reading the original post, I don't know if the hen has continued to pant while indoors, but the picture does show her panting. Of course, we don't know when the picture was taken, I'm ass/u/ming it was taken yesterday. If a hen kept indoors is panting, there's something else wrong.

 

[Peepers34]

She's molting pretty hard as i can see plenty of pin feathers growing in and her poop changed from a runny green one to a brown, tube shaped one that reminds me of intestines. Does anyone know what this means? Also, she isn't wheezing or gasping for air. To clarify, the Indoor temperature is at 80 degrees and she is panting occasionally.

 

[Shezadandy]

She's molting pretty hard and her poop changed from a runny green one to a brown, tube shaped one that reminds me of intestines. Does anyone know what this means?

Is the picture of her in the box from yesterday? Is she breathing with her mouth open consistently or was it just in that photo? Usually that stops within 15 minutes of being brought inside on a hot afternoon.

Molting wise-- Are there any new pin feathers poking through?

Poop wise, they have different sections of the digestive tract that give different kinds of poop. The nastiest are cecal poops. Here's a great source of information about chicken poops with pictures:

https://the-chicken-chick.com/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive/

 

[Peepers34]

Is the picture of her in the box from yesterday? Is she breathing with her mouth open consistently or was it just in that photo? Usually that stops within 15 minutes of being brought inside on a hot afternoon.

Molting wise-- Are there any new pin feathers poking through?

Poop wise, they have different sections of the digestive tract that give different kinds of poop. The nastiest are cecal poops. Here's a great source of information about chicken poops with pictures:

https://the-chicken-chick.com/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive/

The photo was taken a few minutes after we brought her in. She doesn't pant too often, just a little here and there. There seems to be a lot of pin feathers poking through

 

[Shezadandy]

The photo was taken a few minutes after we brought her in. She doesn't pant too often, just a little here and there. There seems to be a lot of pin feathers poking through

Oh good, that's a relief! Is there any sign of fluid build up in her abdomen- it can help to pick up one of your other chickens, then her for comparison.

Some have had good results with "Feather Fixer" by Nutrena for supportive care during molting. Adding protein through meal worms is another way to go. The lack of appetite is concerning. Is she emptying her crop every night? She's pooping- so some stuff is getting through. Sometimes just adding warm water to her food can help.