Hen losing weight, not eating

[PucksBlade]

This is Anna, an almost two-year-old Easter Egger. Last week I noticed she had lost a noticeable amount of weight. Monday when I lifted her, I was shocked by how little she weighed. I separated her from the flock and brought her in for observation. She is down to 3 lbs 3 oz. She has no other symptoms. Her crop is not full, so no impaction. I have been giving her a scrambled egg each morning, which she devours. The last few days she would eat her food when I mixed it with warm water, but today she did not appear to eat any of it at all. For some time I have suspected she is not laying. Today it appears she is pulling feathers, which may be due to being separated from the flock. She does not have any other noticeable symptoms. I have her on a dewormer just to see if it helps, but she is not improving. She has two more days of deworming. Any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You lifted her, is she just sitting about? Could she be broody?

What are you deworming with and the dose?

Does she lay eggs?

I'd work on hydration, then offer her wet soupy feed. Vitamins for a few days may be helpful.

Any lice/mites or indication of Scaly Leg Mites?

 

[PucksBlade]

I picked her up because she pecked me. She has always been a bit grumpy.
Using SafeGuard goat dewormed (liquid), 3/4 ml. I was told 1/4 ml per pound.
She is not laying, and I don't believe she has for some time, or at least rarely. A week or so ago I had her on a calcium regimen to see if she would lay. She does go sit on the eggs sometimes. I have not seen any lice or mites. What do scaly leg mites look like?

 

[LaFleche]

Does she have a swollen lower abdomen? And if so, is it rather hard or squishy like water filled?

 

[PucksBlade]

Will Nuti-drench work for vitamins?

 

[PucksBlade]

Does she have a swollen lower abdomen? And if so, is it rather hard or squishy like water filled?

No, she is just feathers and bones. No swelling.

 

[LaFleche]

No, she is just feathers and bones. No swelling.

If the deworming shows no results and there are no underlying crop issues, I suspect something like leukemia.

 

[PucksBlade]

If the deworming shows no results and there are no underlying crop issues, I suspect something like leukemia.

 

[LaFleche]

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
But if all treatments fail cancer often is the case as it is quite common in chickens and even more so in production hybrids.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
But if all treatments fail cancer often is the case as it is quite common in chickens and even more so in production hybrids.

Yeah, unfortunately, cancer is extremely common in laying hens. She doesn't seem to have any infection. If deworming not work, cancer would be the most likely reason.