I would love some advice! Please help - Listless hen, not eating, drinking, or pooping.

[asans]

Here's what we know: I have a 25 week old Orpington hen. Not sure of her weight, she's the same size or even a bit rounder than some of my other orpies. Mid-morning Saturday, my husband went out to feed & water the chickens she was standing in the coop; he thought that she was waiting for an occupied nesting box, so he lifted her and put her in a different one and thought nothing of it. (We have 20 hens and 10 nesting boxes, but they all want to use the lower 5, so he's trying to encourage them to use the upper ones.) We were gone all day and got back late that night (11ish). He went out to check the chickens and she was sitting on the floor in the corner. He picked her up and put her on the roost with the others. When we got home from church at noon on Sunday, he went to go check on her and she was still on the roost - the others were all either outside or in the nesting boxes - hadn't moved from where he put her. I did some research and thought she might be egg-bound. He went to pick her up and she didn't even try to get away. She seemed very listless, was pumping her tail, and the feathers in front of her tail are fluffed up too. I did some research and thought she might be egg-bound. (I will say, I honestly don't know whether she's laying or not. We have 16 brown layers and at least 5 are laying, some started this week. Her comb and wattle are red, the comb is floppy, but not very big. He gave her a bath for 20 minutes in warm soapy water. She barely moved. Then we separate her and gave her some chicken feed, water, and watermelon and left the heat light on. We were gone overnight Sunday night and got home at 8:30 tonight (Monday). She didn't appear to have touched any of the food, watermelon, or water. There was no poop in there either. She's just standing in the corner quietly.

All the other chickens seem totally fine, we got the same number of eggs today as yesterday. No other symptoms - no eye, nose, beak or breathing issues. We don't intend to take her to the vet, but would love any suggestions or ideas as to how treat at home.

 

[asans]

Update, she is panting now. I think its because she's dehydrated. My husband has her in a bath again, the other day, she was drinking a little of the bath water. Today, she's not.

 

[asans]

Update - no more panting. Brown watery poo this morning.


I would really love some input. I've done a lot of research already on Google and here with the search bar. Nothing seems to fit.

 

[Malibu99]

I'm not sure what the symptoms of egg binding is but I know treatments. You can put her in a cage on top of boiling water. Make sure it's not too close as it will burn her. Lay a towel on top of her cage to keep the steam in. You can also see if you can feel an egg, and massage her abdomen. And you can put some bag balm or coconut oil in and around her vent to help lubricate. I hope she passes the egg soon!

 

[Marcymom3]

Sorry your chicken is not doing well, and I am also anxious to see some replies.

One of mine is having almost identical symptoms and I'm worried about her. She is a little over a year old and has been healthy till the last few days and seems listless. The good news is she looked a little better this morning.

 

[asans]

I gave her some more watermelon this morning. She picked at it a bit, but mostly just knocked it out of the bowl. I gave her a piece of bread this afternoon and she had eaten a quarter of it while I was collecting eggs in the coop. Not sure what to do at this point?

 

[LuRolin]

Glad to hear she is improving, gives me some hope. I have a hen doing the same thing as your initial description, about the same age and not yet laying. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[ggohllynx]

this is my "khloe" ...she doing the same thing ..im worried as im new at this ,,my heart is breaking , tried to get her to walk but she seems to have no balence , wont drink , wont eat ..yesterday she was ok ....today she looks weak . sniffles

 

[asans]

I'm not entirely convinced that she's doing any better.

the tips of her comb is blue, and its very floppy. What else should I be doing?

 

[denisebwills]

Dumb question but how do you feel for an egg?