Hen acting strange

[Andylbc]

Hi all
I’m looking for help.
One of the chickens has been acting very strange for the last few days.

Starting on Tuesday when first I noticed.
She doesn’t seem to be eating or drinking much. She is distant from the other two. Usually they follow me around the garden thinking I’ll give them food but she just walks slowly showing no interest.

She looks all puffed up and ruffled too.

When I googled her symptoms they
suggested she was EggBound. That could have accounted for her behavior on Tuesday but Wednesday she laid a cracked “plastic” or soft shell egg.
They have laid these strange eggs in the past so I’m thinking it’s a lack of Calcium. They don’t seem too interested in the oyster shells and grit although it’s gets eaten. I’ve added Calcium Citrate into the water the last two days to boost the calcium levels.
I have checked up the vent. And found no blockage.

She has been pecked a bit on her left side and lost all those feathers but there is not wound. They have had a pecking order since the start and she has always been the lowest.

She seems tired. When she does stop walking she just sits there slumped with her eyes closed.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[azygous]

If she was feeling poorly due to the soft egg, passing it should have given her immediate relief. I suggest you check her crop. From the photo, it looks pretty big, but that could be her fluffed feathers.

Feel it tonight, and again in the morning before she's offered food and water. If it's still full come morning, it's likely the cause of her feeling sick.

Crop disorders can make a chicken feel just awful. Here's my article on how to diagnose crop disorders and treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ I hope she feels better soon.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Oh no...I am worried if she has egg yolk peritonitis. Is she swollen at all?

 

[Andylbc]

If she was feeling poorly due to the soft egg, passing it should have given her immediate relief. I suggest you check her crop. From the photo, it looks pretty big, but that could be her fluffed feathers.

Feel it tonight, and again in the morning before she's offered food and water. If it's still full come morning, it's likely the cause of her feeling sick.

Crop disorders can make a chicken feel just awful. Here's my article on how to diagnose crop disorders and treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ I hope she feels better soon.

Actually I never checked the Crop so I wonder if that’s a possibility? It does look a little swollen

 

[Andylbc]

Oh no...I am worried if she has egg yolk peritonitis. Is she swollen at all?

She didn’t feel swollen when I picked her up to check her out. Although I didn’t check her crop which does look a little puffy.
When I checked her Vent I didn’t feel anything unusual inside like egg remains. Her real end does seem different to the others and she has more of a waddle when she walks.
She has drank water with Calcium Citrate in and has eaten some strawberries with some probiotics mixed in.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Poor baby. Any update? I am sorry we haven't been able to help yet.

 

[Andylbc]

Poor baby. Any update? I am sorry we haven't been able to help yet.

She’s doing ok right now. Not a huge change so far.
So I believe it’s actually a Crop issue as mentioned by Azygous. I thought it was a sour Crop as she had a fluid like lump in ther but couldn’t get to her before she ate this morning so when I felt it it was a solid Crop.
She is still eating and drinking small amounts but she doesn’t seem to be in any pain.