Lethargic chicken with green droppings and pale flopped over comb

[BuffOrps416]

I have a 3.5 yr old BO hen who stopped laying a few months back and began molting about a month ago. She has been eating much less than normal lately and Wednesday no one was able to go tend the coop so Thursday she was not doing well at all. She's my last hen and very dear to me so please help. Her symptoms are: lethargy, green watery poo, pale face and come/wattle, semi flopped over comb, slow/weird walking, weakness, and reduced appetite. PLEASE HELP SOON.

She has been drinking water and we gave her some crushed Vitamin C in her water and seeds and bugs and things we know she will eat just to get her some food. She won't eat pellets but hasn't for a while. She was semi-interested in bugs and plants she likes today but walked slowly. She was preening herself for a bit which was good but wasn't able to jump like 1.5ft into coop. I am hopeful but very nervous.

 

[micstrachan]

She needs protein for strength. Is she in the house? If she is awake, please feed her some scrambled eggs or similar right now and I will finish in a separate post. If she is outside, please create a safe indoor environment and bring her in right now.

 

[micstrachan]

There are so many things that could be going on. Parasites, infection, crop issues, laying disorder. You will need to examine her. How is her crop? You need to make sure it is empty in the morning. Bright green poop sometimes means she is not eating enough. How is her weight? You can weigh yourself, pick her up, and weigh again if you don’t have a kichen scale. More importantly, how does she feel? Is her keel bone (running up and down her breast) protruding excessively? Is her vent clean? Is her abdomen (fluffy butt) swollen and squishy?

 

[micstrachan]

@KikisGirls , I see you are online right now. Please help OP. I think she is online, too.

 

[micstrachan]

Do you have electrolytes and more vitamins than vitamin C you can add to her water?

 

[Kiki]

I am so sorry to hear your girl is not doing well.
Unfortunately is just doesn't sound good.

How does her belly area feel?
If she has been laying internally there really isn't much that can be done.

If she isn't eating you could tube feed her, sound like something you are willing to try?

 

[micstrachan]

Yay! @Wyorp Rock is online, too. Please help OP. I suspect time is of the essence.

 

[micstrachan]

@BuffOrps416 are you still online tonight?

 

[micstrachan]

@Wyorp Rock did you see this thread? Not sure if OP is still online tonight, but I think she’s running out of time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

lethargy, green watery poo, pale face and come/wattle, semi flopped over comb, slow/weird walking, weakness, and reduced appetite

@BuffOrps416 I'm sorry to hear that your hen is not doing well

When you have time, if you can post some photos of her poop and how she looks that may be helpful or a video of her walking.

Do you feel any swelling/bloat or feeling of fluid in the abodmen?
Is her crop emptying overnight?
When she was laying - were her eggs normal?

If you can describe the slow/weird walking - is it like she is waddling around like a penguin, with her legs sort of spread apart?

As @micstrachan mentioned, green poop can be an indication that she is not eating. It can also be a sign of infection and sometimes worms or coccidiosis.

Molting is very hard on them and it seems that underlying conditions can become more prevalent during this time. With her age and some of the symptoms you describe, I can only guess that she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors. Symptoms include lethargy, loss of weight in the breast, sometimes swelling or fluid in the abdomen from egg masses/matter, difficulty walking (lameness/penguin stance), going off feed and sometimes difficulty breathing. There is no real treatment for any of these conditions and supportive care is usually the best that can be given. If there is fluid accumulated in the abdomen, this can sometimes be drained to give temporary relief.

Having a fecal float to see if there is an overload of worms or coccidiosis is always a good idea if you have vet care.

Do the best you can to keep her drinking. Offer poultry vitamins if you have them. If she doesn't want her normal feed, you can try it wet or with a little yogurt stirred in. Chopped egg is usually well received too.

Let us know how she is.