Lethargic hen with yellow urates

[OnlySympathy]

My 1 year old barred rock hen has been lethargic for around 4 days and I’ve noticed she has had weird poops. She is alert and her abdomen feels normal. Her crops feels okay as well although she hasn’t been eating a ton so it’s pretty small. In the past she has had occasional issues with soft shell eggs but she usually is fine within 24 hours of getting some calcium in her and separating her from the flock. She hasn’t ever had poops that look like this either so I don’t think that is the issue. I have noticed that her breathing has been audible almost like a slight wheezing sound so I’m guessing that has something to do with it

 

[OnlySympathy]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[OnlySympathy]

I gave her some egg which she was very happy about. She seems to have perked up a bit too

 

[Eggcessive]

The yellow urates are a little concerning, since they are normally white. It could be due to a reproductive disorder that is affecting her liver. I have them in hens with egg yolk peritonitis or water belly(ascites.) Some have lived a couple of years after I noticed the yellow urates. Is she overweight or losing any weight? Can you look at and feel of her lower abdomen under her vent to see if it seems enlarged or full? Has she been laying recently?

 

[OnlySympathy]

Is she overweight or losing any weight?

She is definitely not overweight but I think she has lost a little weight from not eating much.

Has she been laying recently?

I’m not sure when she laid her last egg but I used one of her eggs today and it was from the beginning of this month.

Can you look at and feel of her lower abdomen under her vent to see if it seems enlarged or full?

It’s hard to tell but it seems pretty similar to my other chickens when comparing them

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually do necropsies on hens I lose, just to see if I can see any clues to why they might have died. I have seen water belly/ascites when I have opened the abdominal cavities of a handful of hens. It can occur in cancer, fatty liver disease, and most of the time from egg yolk peritonitis. I would just continue to monitor her droppings just to see if it continues.

 

[OnlySympathy]

I usually do necropsies on hens I lose, just to see if I can see any clues to why they might have died. I have seen water belly/ascites when I have opened the abdominal cavities of a handful of hens. It can occur in cancer, fatty liver disease, and most of the time from egg yolk peritonitis. I would just continue to monitor her droppings just to see if it continues.

Okay I will keep an eye on them. Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

In the past she has had occasional issues with soft shell eggs but she usually is fine within 24 hours of getting some calcium in her and separating her from the flock. She hasn’t ever had poops that look like this either so I don’t think that is the issue. I have noticed that her breathing has been audible almost like a slight wheezing sound

She is definitely not overweight but I think she has lost a little weight from not eating much.

I’m not sure when she laid her last egg but I used one of her eggs today and it was from the beginning of this month.

It’s hard to tell but it seems pretty similar to my other chickens when comparing them

Is her crop emptying?

If she's not laid an egg and has a history of soft shell eggs, I'd consider giving her extra Calcium for a few days to see if she expels and egg or some lash material.

 

[Squawkers]

How is she doing today?

 

[OnlySympathy]

How is she doing today?

She is doing a bit better. She wasn’t just sitting on the perch inside today like she was yesterday. Her comb is a lot less pale too. I let her out to play with the flock for an hour or so but then it started pouring (like POURING) so she ended up getting to sleep with everyone else today. I’ll probably bring her inside tomorrow just for a few hours to see how her poops look before letting her back out but she seemed pretty okay to be with everyone. This was her yesterday