Lethargic hen - am I missing anything? Crop issue?

SeaSea47

Songster
7 Years
Mar 12, 2017
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One of my Polish hens has been really lethargic today with her tail drooping. She showed no interest in food or water. She just stands like she's in a stupor and lays around. She wasn't eating, and I haven't seen her poop. It started raining, and I went back out to check on her, and she was laying out in the run while the other chickens had gone into the coop or under a covered part of the run, so I brought her inside. I've examined her and see no signs of trauma. No issues with her vent. Her stomach seemed a tiny bit swollen, so I thought she might be egg-bound (she didn't lay one yesterday but she's not that consistent anyway), so I soaked her in a warm bath for about half an hour.

While I was holding her in the bath, I was massaging her crop and something happened like a big burp, and since then she's perked up a little bit. I've got her in a small dog crate in my kitchen for tonight, and she's actually eating and walking around a little bit looking out the window. Could that have been it? I saw no signs of mites or anything. She's vaccinated against Marek's. I've got a rooster who is a maniac with mating right now (he's about to move into a bachelor pad when the weather clears back up), and I thought maybe he'd hurt her, but I see no signs of anything like that.

Anyway, I've got her a little dish with food, olive oil, yogurt, and grit, and I gave her electrolytes. Anything else I should try? Thanks!
 
Does she normally lay eggs? Has she been wormed recently? If you have Poultry NutriDrench you could give her 2 ml daily for a few days as a boost, or you can use water with a little sugar, electrolytes, or Gatorade. It is hard to say if she was injured, sick, or kept from water and food. But I would try to get her eating, and moistened feed, cooked, egg or tuna is good. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty in early morning. If her lower belly is enlarged, there may be a reproductive disorder or possibly, ascites (water belly.)
 
Does she normally lay eggs? Has she been wormed recently? If you have Poultry NutriDrench you could give her 2 ml daily for a few days as a boost, or you can use water with a little sugar, electrolytes, or Gatorade. It is hard to say if she was injured, sick, or kept from water and food. But I would try to get her eating, and moistened feed, cooked, egg or tuna is good. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty in early morning. If her lower belly is enlarged, there may be a reproductive disorder or possibly, ascites (water belly.)
Thank you. Yes, she does normally lay eggs. I don't worm my chickens, and I'm pretty sure that's not an issue. I see no signs of it, and they're all very big and healthy, and I check their fecal matter. She has her electrolyte water now, and she's chowing down on the yogurt I gave her, which is a huge improvement over how she was acting this morning. I had a chicken with some laying issues once, and my vet told me to give her olive oil in her food, so I've done that, and she's eating that too. She's always been walking around as much as she can in the space she has, which she wasn't doing today before her bath.
 
She’s doing much better today. Eating again, pooping again, and making noises. I’ve put her back out with the flock, and she’s running around, enjoying herself so hopefully whatever it was is over.
 
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Glad to hear that she is doing better today. I usually ask about worming because they can sometimes cause a slowing or blockage in the digestive tract. A fecal float by a vet can rule out any worm larvae in the droppings. Some worms are too small to see without a microscope.
 
Glad to hear that she is doing better today. I usually ask about worming because they can sometimes cause a slowing or blockage in the digestive tract. A fecal float by a vet can rule out any worm larvae in the droppings. Some worms are too small to see without a microscope.
That makes sense. I'll keep an eye on her and the others and keep that in mind. My dad cleaned out her little cage before I could come back inside and see it, but he said it looked like there was an egg yolk in it, so I'm wondering if she laid a rubber egg overnight. Either way, she's great today. Flying up on high perches, standing her ground with head hens, eating everything in sight, and running all over everywhere. Thank goodness!
 
Hopefully, it was just a one time thing. If you see more soft or shell-less eggs, or yolk, try giving a human calcium tablet for a few days.
I had to bring her back inside. She was starting to act lethargic again after two good days though not as bad as she was Monday. She is drinking and eating. She was in the nesting box this morning but didn't lay. I'm also noticing she's getting picked on a lot, so I'm considering separting her and my other Polish from the main flock. Anyway, do you suggest one calcium tablet per day? Thank you!
 
Yes, they can swallow a tablet whole in the back of the throat or you can crush and hide it in some egg, cream cheese ball, or canned cat food. Give for 3 days or until she lays. Hens who have trouble with shell-less or egg laying issues may feel weak and listless until the next egg is laid. If she acts egg bound, let us know. A warm towel on a heating pad on low can be good to sit on, or place in a warm steamy bathroom if she is egg bound with a shell less-egg.
 

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