Limp Comb & Soft Crop

[Lrpete]

My New Hampshire Red, Penny seems to be having problems. Last night I noticed her large comb has become limp and falling over. I picked her up and she’s lost weight and her crop was empty. Obviously, she’s not eating, but I don’t know why. This morning when I let the chickens out of the coop, she came out with the others so I threw out some scratch. She went after the scratch and ate. Tonight, her crop was larger but very soft and squishy. She’s also not quite as perky as normal.

Any thoughts on what this could be? She’s one of my favorites, and I really don’t want to lose her. I tried to smell her breath and it smelled ok near as I could tell.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When is the last time she laid an egg?
What do you normally feed including treats?

I would check her crop first thing in the morning to make sure it's emptying.
If she's standing off alone a lot, see that she's staying hydrated and eating her food.
Feel her abdomen for bloat or fluid and look her over for lice. She may benefit from some poultry vitamins for a few days. If you have a vet, getting a fecal float on a sample of her poop will tell you if she needs to be dewormed.

 

[Lrpete]

When is the last time she laid an egg?
What do you normally feed including treats?

I would check her crop first thing in the morning to make sure it's emptying.
If she's standing off alone a lot, see that she's staying hydrated and eating her food.
Feel her abdomen for bloat or fluid and look her over for lice. She may benefit from some poultry vitamins for a few days. If you have a vet, getting a fecal float on a sample of her poop will tell you if she needs to be dewormed.

I don’t know when she laid an egg. I have 27 hens and have no way of keeping track of who is and isn’t laying unless I stay in the coop all day. When I closed the coop tonight, she was laying on the ground outside the coop. I picked her up, took her in the coop, and felt her all over. Her crop is pretty empty and just soft and squishy, just like it was last night, and she’s dangerously thin.

Her abdomen feels fine, she’s just so thin. She doesn’t have lice. We went through that about 3 months ago and all the chickens are fine now. I checked her yesterday and she’s still clean.

I was encouraged this morning when she went after some scratch along with the rest of the chickens, but I don’t think she’s eaten anything else today. I tried to hand feed her some dried bugs, but she wasn’t interested. Her normal food is locally-made non-gmo pellets. My chickens have been eating this stuff forever and do very well on it. Other than that, I give them some scratch, dried bugs, and kitchen scraps on occasion.

I’m really worried about her tonight.

 

[Lrpete]

I don’t know when she laid an egg. I have 27 hens and have no way of keeping track of who is and isn’t laying unless I stay in the coop all day. When I closed the coop tonight, she was laying on the ground outside the coop. I picked her up, took her in the coop, and felt her all over. Her crop is pretty empty and just soft and squishy, just like it was last night, and she’s dangerously thin.

Her abdomen feels fine, she’s just so thin. She doesn’t have lice. We went through that about 3 months ago and all the chickens are fine now. I checked her yesterday and she’s still clean.

I was encouraged this morning when she went after some scratch along with the rest of the chickens, but I don’t think she’s eaten anything else today. I tried to hand feed her some dried bugs, but she wasn’t interested. Her normal food is locally-made non-gmo pellets. My chickens have been eating this stuff forever and do very well on it. Other than that, I give them some scratch, dried bugs, and kitchen scraps on occasion.

I’m really worried about her tonight.

I’m starting to get a little desperate for answers here. This morning Penny went out with the other chickens and I watched her carefully for a while. At first she went to the water bowl where there’s fresh water and drank. Then I threw out some scratch and bugs and she went to check it out. She kept picking up pieces of grain, but then dropped them, so it appears she’s not eating it. Then she went back to the water and drank and drank. I picked her up and checked her over again and her crop is pretty empty except for the water she drank. Her abdomen seems normal so she doesn’t appear to be egg-bound. Her vent appears normal. Her eyes, head, and feet are normal. No external parasites. Looking at her you wouldn’t think anything was wrong except for her comb has gone limp. Then when I pick her up, she’s light as a feather…way to light for her size.

She really needs help and I don’t know what to do for her. She’s clearly not eating and is getting very bony. Plus, she’s showing a little weakness. She’s so sweet and I don’t want to lose her, but if I don’t do something fast, I will.

HELP!!!!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop is pretty empty and just soft and squishy, just like it was last night, and she’s dangerously thin.

At first she went to the water bowl where there’s fresh water and drank. Then I threw out some scratch and bugs and she went to check it out. She kept picking up pieces of grain, but then dropped them, so it appears she’s not eating it. Then she went back to the water and drank and drank. I picked her up and checked her over again and her crop is pretty empty except for the water she drank.

I'm sorry she's not getting any better.
You will have to access her.
If she's drinking a lot and only acting like she's eating, then the first thing I would do is begin treat the crop.
Often this is just a symptom of a common underlying condition like a reproductive disorder, worms, infection and/or coccidiosis.
Start with hydration, then see if she will eat a little something. Some egg or wet feed.
Get a fecal float or deworm her.

There's so many things that can affect hens, but I've found that the main reason for a slow decline in laying hens is reproductive disorders (EYP, Cancer, etc.).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I would check her crop first thing in the morning to make sure it's emptying.
If she's standing off alone a lot, see that she's staying hydrated and eating her food.
Feel her abdomen for bloat or fluid and look her over for lice. She may benefit from some poultry vitamins for a few days. If you have a vet, getting a fecal float on a sample of her poop will tell you if she needs to be dewormed.

 

[Lrpete]

Update: After all these posts and help, it seemed that Penny was rallying. She started eating from my hand and was obviously eating her regular food because her crop filled up. It seemed to fill and empty, fill and empty. She started looking better, then a couple days ago she started looking worse. This morning she was just skin and bones and very weak.

I had planned to put her in a crate and bring her into the house and start giving her some hard boiled egg, protein, and electrolytes. After returning home from church I went to the coop to check on her and she had died. I still have no idea what was wrong with her and I’m deeply saddened bc she was such a sweet chicken and one of my favorites.

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear about Penny

 

[Lrpete]

I'm sorry to hear about Penny

Thank you