Lethargic Hen/Pullet

[cowboyclayt]

I was taking care of my chickens today and noticed that one of them is really lethargic. Stands in the run with it's eyes closed. It has a lot of bird droppings on it's rear end. Would that be the problem? I've never had this happen before.

Thanks!

 

[staceyj]

There are many possibilities.

Worms or other internal parasites.
Internal laying -or other reproductive problems such as have you seen any soft shell or shell-less eggs in the coop?
Vent gleet
Crop issues

Could you post some photos of her and her posture, her back end and poop?

The first step is to get her butt cleaned up so you can see back there.

If she hasn’t been laying, I’d check her to see if she’s eggbound while you’re back there.

 

[cowboyclayt]

There are many possibilities.

Worms or other internal parasites.
Internal laying -or other reproductive problems such as have you seen any soft shell or shell-less eggs in the coop?
Vent gleet
Crop issues

Could you post some photos of her and her posture, her back end and poop?

The first step is to get her butt cleaned up so you can see back there.

If she hasn’t been laying, I’d check her to see if she’s eggbound while you’re back there.

Oh Dear.

Sure, I can post photos soon. How do I clean it up? It's hard enough to do it on chicks!

How do I check if she is egg bound?

 

[coach723]

Depending on how dirty she is you can use warm, wet cloths to clean her up, or put her in a bath of warm water to let it soak, you can use the sink, or a dish tub if you have one. You will need to make sure she's completely dried off afterwards, a blow dryer on low temp works well, so she doesn't get chilled.
Here is an article on egg binding, so you can check and treat if necessary. Use a lubed, gloved finger and insert into her vent 1-2 inches to see if you feel the egg.
https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/egg-bound-chicken/

 

[cowboyclayt]

Depending on how dirty she is you can use warm, wet cloths to clean her up, or put her in a bath of warm water to let it soak, you can use the sink, or a dish tub if you have one. You will need to make sure she's completely dried off afterwards, a blow dryer on low temp works well, so she doesn't get chilled.
Here is an article on egg binding, so you can check and treat if necessary. Use a lubed, gloved finger and insert into her vent 1-2 inches to see if you feel the egg.
https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/egg-bound-chicken/

Very dirty. Thanks for the info.

 

[cowboyclayt]

Depending on how dirty she is you can use warm, wet cloths to clean her up, or put her in a bath of warm water to let it soak, you can use the sink, or a dish tub if you have one. You will need to make sure she's completely dried off afterwards, a blow dryer on low temp works well, so she doesn't get chilled.
Here is an article on egg binding, so you can check and treat if necessary. Use a lubed, gloved finger and insert into her vent 1-2 inches to see if you feel the egg.
https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/egg-bound-chicken/

I looked at the link, and I'm thinking this is going to be an impossible task for me to do. I can try and clean up the droppings around her vent, but I don't see how I can get an egg out if there is one.

 

[staceyj]

Well sometimes just the soaking and relaxing in the warm water helps that move along.

If you have any tums or human calcium supplements at your house that would be a giant help as well.

You can break a tums into little chunks.
Some hens will gobble it up.
Or you can put one in a little sandwich bag and smash it into a powder and sprinkle it on something yummy that you think she might eat. Like a spoonful of scrambled egg or yogert. Even applesauce.

The calcium helps them push and to expel the egg. It also aids in shell formation if she hasn’t been taking in enough calcium on her own.

If the weather is warm enough where you live you can fill a bucket with nice warm water and take a clean soapy rag to her bottom.
If it’s cold the cleaning/soaking will have to be done indoors.

If you have any Epsom salts, after she’s cleaned up, drain the sink then refill it, add about a half cup of the Epsom salts to the warm water, pull up a chair and let her soak for 15-20 minutes.

After the initial surprise of it, most hens relax and enjoy the “spa treatment”.
Some get really drowsy in there.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I looked at the link, and I'm thinking this is going to be an impossible task for me to do. I can try and clean up the droppings around her vent, but I don't see how I can get an egg out if there is one.

Can you give her a wash up and post some photos?

 

[cowboyclayt]

Can you give her a wash up and post some photos?

I soaked her in the kitchen sink for about 20 minutes, then put her in the garage with a heater. I found some yellow/white droppings, so i think the egg must have cracked inside of her. Is this good or bad and what do I do now? I can post pictures soon.

 

[cowboyclayt]

There are many possibilities.

Worms or other internal parasites.
Internal laying -or other reproductive problems such as have you seen any soft shell or shell-less eggs in the coop?
Vent gleet
Crop issues

Could you post some photos of her and her posture, her back end and poop?

The first step is to get her butt cleaned up so you can see back there.

If she hasn’t been laying, I’d check her to see if she’s eggbound while you’re back there.