hen w/ruffled feathers,lethargic...advice?

[corrae]

I've got a 1 year old buff orpington hen who's rather under the weather. She has feed in her crop--and did take some bread and milk w/vitamins an hour or so ago.... But she's depressed--her feathers are fluffed (it's warm in hen house), she's just not her normal self. How can I tell if she's egg bound and what do I do if she is? She has pooped--pretty normal feces, I think, but I KNOW something is wrong. She's been this way for two days now--yesterday and today--and doesn't seem much worse, but not better either. Advice? Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas!

 

[card5640]

I have the same issue going on here. I wonder what it is too?

 

[ShadowsRider]

Okay, this is weird.......I have a chicken (two 1/2 year old rooster) with the same general malaise, fluffed feathers, lethargic (though will eat and move around at times), just generally "off" but nothing that seems to be the obvious reason.

Suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

 

[card5640]

I brought her in, she was very tired, ruffled feathers, ate and drank poop looked fine, breathing heavy, she was like that for about 6 hours, she was breathing more heavy so I held her, she died about 20 minutes ago?? Second one this month with the same issues both about 6-7 months old, one New Hampshire who never got very big and one beautiful healthy buff Orp. Sad

 

[chookchick]

Card--did your pullets ever lay eggs? I would be suspicious of some laying problem at that age...

 

[new2chix]

I have lost 3 this fall and winter to exactly the same symptoms -2 dorkings, and a sussex. The only additional symptom mine had were that the dorkings became too tired to hold up their heads. I staved it off for 6 weeks for 1 dorking with TLC and vitamines, and the other dorking lasted about 3 weeks with the same treatment. The sussex went a lot faster, but it was also colder out when her symptoms began. All 3 had begun to lay. Every one else seems healthy.

 

[tjtops]

Me too.. (am in southern Spain)...two days ago I saw one of my (free range) hens (around 2 years old) just sitting still, hunched up, ruffled feathers, comb tiny, slightly purplish, obviously seriously unwell.
I hadn't previously noticed anything wrong with any of them, and I do spend quite a lot of time with them!.....
Prior to that, one of the hens (no idea which one but could have been her??) had been laying thin shelled eggs for quite a while....don't know if that's relevant. Anyway, I immediately isolated her but she died this morning......any ideas please???

 

[cw]

how is there breathing?

 

[card5640]

My buff had been laying wonderfully, but the other had not stated laying yet and was a bit over 6 months, I suspected laying problems with her but the other I just dont know, Im concerned about the others now, they are not sick but its the 4th bird Ive lost this winter, and I heat their coop, all the same symptoms.

 

[corrae]

I've brought the hen in--she had some yellowish diarrhea on her feathers--I clipped that off--she's in a carrier in the house--her crop feels soft and mushy--maybe the area below the crop-- it almost feels fluid filled. She's most unhappy, poor thing. I'm going to try some bread and milk w/vitamins now.... And someone mentioned her comb looking a bit dark/purplish colored--but I'm not noticing any labored breathing----I feel so badly that I don't know more of what to do. Any help????