Hen Puffed Up... what could be the problem?

[Dottie the Chicken]

I have a Rhode Island Red hen who is two years old. For a few days, she's been going around, looking puffed up. The other day I noticed her hanging out (standing, not broody) in a nest box puffed up, and then didn't really notice the problem again until last night, when once again I noticed she was puffed up. This morning again as well. I felt inside her vent, and didn't feel an egg right there like I normally would on an egg bound hen. She still has spunk. She gets around, and fights me when I feel inside her vent. I added corid into the chicken's water last night just incase. The weather's been cold recently. We had a couple days of rain, 2 days off of rain, and today it's snowing.

Any ideas what could be wrong? Thanks!

 

[Sahraschweiss]

Could be cold. Bird puff their feathers to create air pockets that their body heats to keep them warm. You said it's been cold, probably windy too. Maybe there's a draft in coop but not the nester?

 

[azygous]

I'm suspicious of a crop issue due to mention of "drooling". Sometimes a sour crop will overflow into a chicken's throat and fluid will drip from the beak when she's handled.

The only way to verify a crop disorder is to check the crop in the morning before food and water are provided.

 

[Waves]

I suspect sour crop too, and azygous can talk to you about the treatment ( real expert in crop problems), but i wanted to suggest you to check just for sure that she isnt rattling, or wheezing, or if she has mucus from her nostrils.

I'll send good vibes to your cutie!

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

The coop is pretty secure as in not many openings for drafts.There was a window open for summer ventilation, but I recently boarded it off. I felt her crop. It feels mushy like she's been at least drinking, probably eating too. Maybe I'm just a little too concerned. Maybe she's just depressed about the weather?

 

[azygous]

Sour crop usually feels like a water balloon, full and squishy. Normal chicken crops usually only have golf ball size firm contents unless you've given them something such as grated carrot as a treat where they've engaged in a competition to see how much more they can eat than their mates.

 

[azygous]

This will answer many of your questions. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If you have miconazole, a women's vaginal yeast cream, on hand, go ahead and start her on it immediately.

Over time, if left untreated, sour crop can kill a chicken by starvation due to nutrients being trapped in the crop and not working their way down to the intestines for absorption.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a Rhode Island Red hen who is two years old. For a few days, she's been going around, looking puffed up. The other day I noticed her hanging out (standing, not broody) in a nest box puffed up, and then didn't really notice the problem again until last night, when once again I noticed she was puffed up. This morning again as well. I felt inside her vent, and didn't feel an egg right there like I normally would on an egg bound hen. She still has spunk. She gets around, and fights me when I feel inside her vent. I added corid into the chicken's water last night just incase.

The weather's been cold recently. We had a couple days of rain, 2 days off of rain, and today it's snowing.

I think she's sick. A couple times I've picked her up and she's drooled. What could that be a sign of? I am treating with corid.

Has anyone ever used Zyfend A to treat worms?

Her crop is mushy, like what you said. How do I treat sour crop?

Any other options for treatment? I'm not going to take her to a vet. What else can I use to treat her?

When you were feeling of her crop it was late in the day before roosting time so I would expect for you to feel water/food in it.
If you are picking her up and pressing on the crop when she's been eating/drinking - you may have pressed water out of her beak.

The very best way to check crop function is what @azygous suggested - check it first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink.
Since they have a light that comes on early before you get outside, then cage her overnight. Don't put food/water in the cage until you check her.

Zyfend A is not a dewormer. IF you need to deworm your flock, it's always a good idea to have fecal float to check for worms, but if that's not an option then use an anthelmintic like Valbazen or Fenbendazole (Safeguard).

 

[PDXJULES]

Still good color in her comb? She's eating, drinking and pooping OK? Not getting bullied too badly? Maybe just hunkering down to regulate her body temp after drinking very cold water? Maybe a slight change in cold season food would help her cope?

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Last night her comb did seem darker than than the other RIR's. She felt a bit light for a LF this morning. I'll go feel her crop. I haven't really noticed her eating, drinking, or pooping.