Lethargic hen, no appetite. Not sure what’s wrong!

[LaFleche]

I chose to euthanized her. Her conditioned worsened to the point she didn’t have the strength to walk. I didn’t want her to suffer, and I didn’t foresee her improving. My neighbor is skilled in cervical dislocation. He came and took care of her. She was a very special hen so I am really feeling the loss.

I am sorry you lost her.

It would be helpful to perform a home necropsy (open up the abdomen and get a closer look at the organs etc.) to find out, what the problems was.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss @humblehillsfarm . How old was your hen? Were you able to open her abdomen and do a necropsy? I have learned a lot about why some of my hens have been sick or died, by doing a necropsy whenever it is convenient. Reproductive tumors, internally laid lash egg material, fatty liver disease in one hen, liver cancer, and a totally blocked gizzard have been some of my findings.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Sorry for your loss @humblehillsfarm
How old was your hen? Were you able to open her abdomen and do a necropsy? I have learned a lot about why some of my hens have been sick or died, by doing a necropsy whenever it is convenient. Reproductive tumors, internally laid lash egg material, fatty liver disease in one hen, liver cancer, and a totally blocked gizzard have been some of my findings.

I am sorry you lost her.

It would be helpful to perform a home necropsy (open up the abdomen and get a closer look at the organs etc.) to find out, what the problems was.

She would have been 2 years old on the 25th.

I couldn’t do a necropsy, and she’s already buried. I have on hens in the past but I’ve been super torn up over her loss. I couldn’t even stay for her death. I had to go inside. The unanswered questions will always bother me though.

I thought she probably had some sort of organ disease/cancer, ate something poisonous, or had some sort of internal infection. She was skin and bones which leads me to think she’s had a reduced appetite for longer than I realized.

I switch between all flock feed of 18% protein or layer feed, either “hearty hen” at 21% protein, or 18% protein. The feed store is often out of all flock and the hearty hen. I’ve wondered if switching feeds around did something to her. So far the rest of the flock appears healthy.

 

[LaFleche]

She was skin and bones

Skin and bones might be a result of either cancer or a worm infestation.

And as you mentioned her laying very big eggs up to a few days before decline, it might as well have been a ruptured oviduct or broken egg that usually leads to death after 2-4 days max.

Yesterday was also day 2 or 3 since I’ve gotten an egg from her. Her eggs are usually large and jumbo sized.