Hen losing weight and getting weak

[HeatherKellyB]

Did you find where the smell was coming from?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Now I have a white Maran Who for over a week has been puffing up, tail down, she’s a bit smelly and dirty and even though her crops full ( but not hard) she’s become very skinny. She’s not pail and she is molting a bit, but she’s so lethargic

I think she’s just generally dirty and smelly.

How old is she?

Her crop is full - does it empty overnight?
What are you feeding?
Can you get some photos of her and her poop?

I agree, I would try to figure out where the smell is coming from.

You mention she's become skinny - how are you judging that? I would weigh her every few days to see if she's losing weight or staying the same.

 

[seeingreen]

She passed, I just want to thank everyone for getting involved and trying to figure out what was ailing her.

 

[seeingreen]

How old is she?

Her crop is full - does it empty overnight?
What are you feeding?
Can you get some photos of her and her poop?

I agree, I would try to figure out where the smell is coming from.

You mention she's become skinny - how are you judging that? I would weigh her every few days to see if she's losing weight or staying the same.

I believe she was about a year.

Her Crop emptied at night.

She loss muscle mass and was very skinny even though she was eating. I can tell she lost weight because I handle her.

Her droppings were straight liquid mixed with bedding I cant get a good picture.

I was just feeding them Dumor mixed flock pellets, some grit and oyster shell and black sunflower seed for treats.

 

[BGcoop]

I'm sorry you lost your hen. if you have the stomach for it you could open her up and do your own necropsy, or if you have the ability send her in to have one done. Was she laying normally before passing?-could it have been a reproductive issue?

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry for your loss. She might have had cancer or some other problem, but hard to know without a necropsy. Most state vets will do a necropsy for a fee, and some of us do simple necropsies at home. Taking pictures of the organs can be posted here for any opinions. Bodies going to the state vet must be kept cold, but not frozen, and taken in within a day or two.

 

[seeingreen]

Thank you BGcoop, Eggcessive

I’d really like to send her off the get a necropsy but I don’t really have the funds right now. And I’ve never done one myself. I suppose I should learn. It could be a reproductive issue, there was one hen who started laying eggs with soft and sometimes broken shells but then everyone went into molt and I wasn’t quite sure who it was. I’ve always either provided oyster shell or a straight layer feed so a lack of calcium shouldn’t have been a problem. I bought this hen and two other siblings and they have all had issues. One never laid at all. I’ve given the rest of my chickens an oregano supplement in the water but everyone else seems to be healthy so far.

 

[seeingreen]

I’ll look up a YouTube video on cleaning chickens. Just so I know what I’m looking at.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can find a number of videos online about doing a necropsy where organs are identified. Take pictures of you do one: