Lethargic Chicken

[KitKat187]

Help. My chicken Floppy Peep has been very lethargic the last 7 days. In the first couple days when I noticed her behavioral changes, the tips of her very large floppy comb (hence the name) was a bit blue-ish. Just a tinge. And her comb looks super deep red - almost maroon. The blue tips has pretty much gone away, but she's just very lazy, lethargic, slow-moving.... uninterested in most things. She will walk around and peck slowly at things, but isn't excited to join the rest of her flock. Just seems indifferent. When lying down, I can see her breathing slightly more heavily than normal. Her eyes SOMETIMES look a little watery, but not anything super noticeable. Honestly, the only thing I noticed is her lethargy and her comb. She's not coughing or wheezing or anything like that. Over the last 7 days she hasn't really gotten too much worse, or really THAT much better. She still eats and drinks water but not as much as normal.... but I do see her doing both. Nobody else in the flock has become sick. It was too late and too challenging to separate her, so I just let her be. It's also been SUPER hot here in the last couple days, which is not helping. We had an unusual heat index of 120 yesterday. Today will be better, in the 80's and in the 70's this weekend.

I'm not planning on doing a vet visit. I'm just looking to see if anyone has any insights or has experienced something similar where they eventually got better. To me, it's a respiratory issue of some kind. But no worse or better since it started. I read that too much protein can actually cause respiratory issues. I had NO IDEA. She eats a lot of mealworm treats, but I'm going to hold back on that now.

I just hope she can kick this on her own. Looking for any positive words of advice or experiences.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is Floppy Peep? Does she normally still lay eggs? Have you seen any signs of molting? Is her crop emptying overnight? Check it to see if she is eating food in late afternoon, and then first thing at daylight before she eat or drinks. Hens may suffer from reproductive disorders, such as salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, and some may develop ascites (water belly.) Ascites and internal laying (masses of egg matter inside the abdomen,) can cause lethargy and fullness in the lower abdomen. Those can lead to crop problems. Has she been wormed recently? Valbazen and SafeGuard liquid goat wormer are good ones to use. Heat can make a lot of chickens more inactive and listless. I would look her over for lice and mites, check her crop and her lower belly between her legs for enlargement, and let us know what you find. Many sick or weak hens will eat some scrambled egg bits and moistened chicken feed. Place some extra water bowls around in the shade.

 

[KitKat187]

She's 2.5 years old. She hasn't been laying eggs since this started (that I have noticed. No signs of molting. Her crop seems fine from what I know or can tell. Haven't seen any lice or mites. I've been putting out extra water all over to encourage her to drink wherever she is. I can't watch her 24/7 so I don't know what goes on all the time. Haven't noticed any enlarged or swollen abdomen when I've picked her up. She runs for "treats" but have been holding back due to heat. It wasn't that hot whenever she started acting lethargic, but it got VERY hot this past week. Like horribly. The rest of the girls are doing fine. The only one that seems slower is our other buff orpington who is a bigger girl so I think she overheats more than the others. The others are zipping around as normal. Her poop seems pretty normal colored. They've all had watery poop this week with the heat but I don't see anything too out of the ordinary. Flops had some yellowish poop at start of this but only for about a day. But again, nothing like WOW, that's different.

She shakes her head here and there too.... like she has a cold. And is just sleepy. Today the automatic door opened to the outdoor/uncovered run and while all the others RAN out she stayed behind and slowly pecked at stuff on the ground. She was last to come out of the coop this morning. Like WAY last.... she really waited until the sun was up. LOL

 

[Eggcessive]

Poop pictures are welcome. Note if her urates, normally white, appear yellow. Many hens with enlarged lower bellies from various issues, will have messy vents because the droppings are not able to clear the lower belly. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[KitKat187]

Poop pictures are welcome. Note if her urates, normally white, appear yellow. Many hens with enlarged lower bellies from various issues, will have messy vents because the droppings are not able to clear the lower belly. Let us know how she gets along.

Thank you. Her vent is clean. I will keep you updated.