Lethargic hen

[Notaneggspurt]

There are a lot more with experience on narrowing things down. But this is what I did.

Gently feel her belly? Does it feel hard? Like an apple or a little softer like a water balloon?

Feel her crop? Does it feel empty? Or weird?

When your feeling her dies she fell hot? Their body temp is just a little higher than ours so she should feel warm but not hot.

Does she smell bad? Sour? Or any other weird smell?

 

[Eggcessive]

How were her eggs before she stopped laying—normal with hard shells? Can you post any pictures of her? Does her vent look normal? She shouldn’t be molting yet. Do you have a rooster or have the others been picking feathers? Can you insert a finger into her vent one inch to check for a stuck egg? What do her poops look like? At her age I worry a little about possible Mareks disease, or more likely a reproductive disorder. Has she been low in pecking order or been bullied? I would look her over for mites or lice. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty or full, hard or puffy. In early morning before she has eaten would be the best time to check. Feel of her lower belly between her legs to see if it is enlarged compared to the other chickens. Let us know what you find.

 

[TwoRavens]

This is my sick hen. She is only molting on the lower end of her body. I forced some nutridrench down her and a little bit of applesauce. She hasn’t changed except Her poop is white and runny.

 

[TwoRavens]

How were her eggs before she stopped laying—normal with hard shells? Can you post any pictures of her? Does her vent look normal? She shouldn’t be molting yet. Do you have a rooster or have the others been picking feathers? Can you insert a finger into her vent one inch to check for a stuck egg? What do her poops look like? At her age I worry a little about possible Mareks disease, or more likely a reproductive disorder. Has she been low in pecking order or been bullied? I would look her over for mites or lice. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty or full, hard or puffy. In early morning before she has eaten would be the best time to check. Feel of her lower belly between her legs to see if it is enlarged compared to the other chickens. Let us know what you find.

I checked around her body and everything seems good except for an empty crop. Don’t think she is egg bound or that its Mareks. She isn’t being bullied and no mites. Her eggs were perfect before she fell ill. Our chickens are molting right now. The ducks just wrapped theirs up. I hope this ol gal comes through.

 

[chickens really]

Not molting. Possibly egg bound.
Or she is Broody? More information about her behaviour.

 

[Notaneggspurt]

It's hard for me to tell from the picture, is her comb a little purple?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes the comb looks dark. Is that normal or not for her? If that is not normal color for her comb, she may not be getting enough oxygen to her heart. Is she taking any water? Poultry NutriDrench or water with chicken electrolytes would be good now.