Lethargic hen + liquid poured out her mouth

[Pickled Egg]

Hello,

My apologies if this has been covered recently and I missed the thread.

Last night I noticed one of our 1 year old barred rock hens (Rosetta) was roosting in the coop well before dusk, something unusual for her. This morning I found her laying on the coop floor and she was very lethargic - would not move when I went near her or encouraged her to stand.

When I picked her up to see if she had any injuries a murky liquid poured out of her mouth. I didn't find anything physically abnormal about her, other than lethargic + the liquid from her mouth. She did not make a sound or struggle when I touched any part of her, so she doesn't seem to be in pain.

I have separated her from the rest of the flock, as just in case measure but also because some of the hens had started pecking at her head (to which Rosetta had no reaction to).

All the other 19 hens seem to be their usual busy and healthy selves. I didn't notice any unusual droppings that may have come from Rosetta.

Has anyone encountered these symptoms before? Any suggestions on how to make her feel better?

Thanks

 

[gallusdomesticus]

Is her poop normal? I lost a favorite hen due to an intestinal obstruction. The symptoms were almost no poop and what she did have was watery and since her digestive track was blocked (by some staples she ate), her crop filled up and could not empty . The water coming out of her mouth might indicate she has an obstruction keeping her crop from emptying.
I took her to a vet and the x-ray showed the obstruction. Unfortunately, she died before she could be operated on.

 

[Jenski]

Is there a possibility she could have eaten something bad? Rotten food, moldy grain, compost, anything?

Is there a foul odor when you sniff around her face (specifically, her mouth)?

It does indeed sound like she has crop stasis, but there are several possible causes for it. It is important to get the crop moving right away, and also to ensure no icky rotting food sits in the crop and ferments, thus poisoning your hen.

You might want to do a quick search on crop stasis; you may also wish to decide whether you can/will handle this issue yourself, or whether you prefer the assistance of a vet. There are lots of folks here who have handled crop stasis themselves, so perhaps someone will chime in.

You might also feel of her crop; is it squishy/watery, or is it hard-packed? This will help guide you in how to proceed.

Also - separate her in a private cage or kennel; provide plenty of water, but no food until you determine the crop condition.

Please keep us posted on her condition.