Hen is no longer leaving roost by itself

[Kneedles]

For about a week, my hen, which is at least seven years old, has stopped leaving its roost by itself for (I think) all but one day. This has meant that I have had to enter its hutch and remove the hen from its roost by myself. And after I do, the hen often produces a dropping which is really big for a small chicken (the hen weighs 1.5 to 2 kilograms). But even more strangely, despite this drastic change in behaviour, the hen does everything else normally; I have not noticed any changes in how it walks or feeds.

This hen is on suprelorin implants, so she is not laying and this behaviour should not be because of broodiness.

Fortunately I already have a vet visit booked for next week for this hen to receive another suprelorin implant that it is due for, so it would be useful if I could know before then if I can ask the vet to do something specific to make this hen's behaviour go back to normal. Has anyone else here experienced hen behaviour like this?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Quite honestly, it sounds like arthritis to me. Jumping down from the roost is likely painful at 7 years of age (just ask us who are over 50 what it feels like going down stairs).

You might consider lowering the roost.

LofMc

 

[Kneedles]

Quite honestly, it sounds like arthritis to me. Jumping down from the roost is likely painful at 7 years of age (just ask us who are over 50 what it feels like going down stairs).

You might consider lowering the roost.

LofMc

That makes sense, thank you.
The funny thing is that she actually does have a lower roost available that is also perfectly suitable for sleeping in, and can be reached by jumping instead of flying, but she has never used it. I will try to put her in the lower roost myself, in case that will make her learn to start using it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree it's probably getting more painful for her to land due to age related infirmity, and manually placing her on a lower roost may help. I have 2 that often wait for me to get up and get in there to help them off the roost (as they insist on sitting at the top). If I wait long enough they'll come down on their own, but they obviously prefer the human elevator.

 

[The Birb King]

She could be getting bullied by the other chickens and is trying to hide but It is more likely she cant get down easily so yea maybe make a lower roost for her