Hen not acting right

[Ashmab12]

I have a hen that is about 7-8 months old that just isn’t acting normal. On Tuesday I noticed she was breathing through her mouth and her wings were lowered and butt kind of sticking up in the air. I gave her some electrolytes and probiotics and she seemed to be peeking up. She was no longer mouth breathing and seemed to be eating like normal. Today she is back to mouth breathing with her butt stuck up in the air. She also has not left the coop since Tuesday which is not normal for her. She has not started laying yet. Any thoughts? She’s the sweetest, calmest chicken we have and my 3yo is very attached to her so I’m desperate to help her!

 

[BansheeWildRose]

Is it hot? that sounds like she's hot. My girls do that when it's warm, I would give her more electrolytes, except not leaving the coop is odd.. keep the electroyltes up and see if it helps longer than one day, if not I'd find a poultry vet

 

[Mvan42]

How is her poo?

 

[Ashmab12]

Is it hot? that sounds like she's hot. My girls do that when it's warm, I would give her more electrolytes, except not leaving the coop is odd.. keep the electroyltes up and see if it helps longer than one day, if not I'd find a poultry vet

At first I thought she was just hot but I figured she would leave the coop if she were hot. They like to go in our shaded woods where it’s much cooler. It was 92 the first day I noticed her but the past 3 days it’s only been in the 70s.

 

[Ashmab12]

How is her poo?

A little runny but no blood that I could tell

 

[Mvan42]

Tagging a few people that may have other ideas. @Texas Kiki @aart @Cyprus

You may want to try nutri drench or corid. They will know more. I am still learning a lot of these things.

 

[aart]

Don't go overboard with the EL, too much is as bad as not enough.
Once a week is plenty.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

Do you have other birds the same age?

Is she maybe close to laying?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Give her a good going over.
Bug check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen that is about 7-8 months old that just isn’t acting normal. On Tuesday I noticed she was breathing through her mouth and her wings were lowered and butt kind of sticking up in the air. I gave her some electrolytes and probiotics and she seemed to be peeking up. She was no longer mouth breathing and seemed to be eating like normal. Today she is back to mouth breathing with her butt stuck up in the air. She also has not left the coop since Tuesday which is not normal for her. She has not started laying yet. Any thoughts? She’s the sweetest, calmest chicken we have and my 3yo is very attached to her so I’m desperate to help her!

How is she doing?
Photos of how she's sitting and what her poop looks like?
She has not left the coop since Tuesday? Has she had anything to eat/drink?
Check her crop, what's that like?
Even if she's not begun to lay eggs, it would be a very good idea to feel inside the vent to see if there is an egg stuck. Though if it were low enough, this many days, she would likely have died by now.
Feel the abdomen (below the vent between the legs) for any bloat or fluid.

 

[Ashmab12]

How is she doing?
Photos of how she's sitting and what her poop looks like?
She has not left the coop since Tuesday? Has she had anything to eat/drink?
Check her crop, what's that like?
Even if she's not begun to lay eggs, it would be a very good idea to feel inside the vent to see if there is an egg stuck. Though if it were low enough, this many days, she would likely have died by now.
Feel the abdomen (below the vent between the legs) for any bloat or fluid.

She seemed to be perking up yesterday and this morning and now she's back to doing the same thing. Yes, she still has not left the coop since Tuesday. I have taken her out a few times to see if she would roam around but she slowly walks right back to the coop and stays in. Her crop doesn't feet the least bit full to me although I can't say I know exactly what I'm feeling for. I don't feel anything around the vent but have not checked inside the vent. She is eating and drinking. I did start corid yesterday just incase it was coccid. I'll post some pictures here in just a minute.

 

[Ashmab12]

Don't go overboard with the EL, too much is as bad as not enough.
Once a week is plenty.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

Do you have other birds the same age?

Is she maybe close to laying?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Give her a good going over.
Bug check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

I will try to do this tonight...I have checked for lice and mites during the daytime but didn't see anything.

She’s the oldest hen we have but we have one rooster the same age. The rest are all younger and no problems with any of the others so far.