Molting, Losing Weight, Lethargic *pic*

[Aunt Angus]

I have a rescue hen, a black Australorp named Magnolia, who is molting. I am not sure of her age, but she's def mature (3+ yrs, still lays regularly). She will forage, but her big beautiful wattles are pale and she's a lil hunched up. I checked her all over this morning. Poop and backside look normal. She's very thin. Her crop was empty this morning. I checked her over again around noon, and her crop is still empty. I've had her for about 6 months now, so I've not had the opportunity to see how she acts when molting. This *could* be her "normal."

I gave her some scrambled eggs and a bit of Nutridrench. She ate those fine, but she is now mad at me for handling her so much. Giving me the stink eye....

So what do y'all think is going on? Is she feeling lousy from molting, is she sick, or is she just a grumpy old lady?

 

[BugStalker]

Yeah, they don't like to be handled when moulting, as it's kind of like a baby teething, and they tend to feel off. The vitamins and egg should help perk her up. Unless the egg doesn't leave her crop, it doesn't sound too bad to me, but keep us posted...

I recently had a moulting hen in similar condition, who the others were picking on, but she seems back to her normal self, now: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/easter-egger-moulting-question.1416928/

I'm currently nursing a moulter that developed crop problems. They can moult due to stress of some underlying condition, as well.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yeah, they don't like to be handled when moulting, as it's kind of like a baby teething, and they tend to feel off. The vitamins and egg should help perk her up. Unless the egg doesn't leave her crop, it doesn't sound too bad to me, but keep us posted...

I recently had a moulting hen in similar condition, who the others were picking on, but she seems back to her normal self, now: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/easter-egger-moulting-question.1416928/

I'm currently nursing a moulter that developed crop problems. They can moult due to stress of some underlying condition, as well.

Thanks. My whole of my flock is molting - except my Barred Rock for some reason. She looks fabulous! Feathers are everywhere in the run, in the yard... Magnolia is the only one acting "off," but I will keep an eye on that crop.

 

[BugStalker]

My other EE was the first to moult, this fall, with a bit of a slow crop, sometimes, and acting subdued. She came through it fine with a little extra protein and vitamins. She seems to be on the grumpy side, anyway, so not sure if the moult made it worse. Haha. She's the top hen.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I went into the coop yesterday, and Magnolia was laying on the ground. I thought she was dead. But she was asleep or just out of it. So I brought her inside. I put her on a heating pad on low, gave her a little bit of vitamins, and some scrambled egg. She ate the scrambled egg like it was going out of style.

But what worries me most is that she has zero fat on her. I really can't see anything else wrong with her.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Eggcessive]

Molt is hard on them, and a common time for an illness to show up. Mine eat much less and are standoffish. As long as she is eating some scrambled egg or other nutritious treat for you, I wouldn’t worry too much. Canned cat food, tuna, or wet chick feed are good for her. B complex vitamins are good to use. Can you check her to see if she has any enlargement in her lower belly between the legs? What do her poops look like?

 

[LaFleche]

I went into the coop yesterday, and Magnolia was laying on the ground. I thought she was dead. But she was asleep or just out of it. So I brought her inside. I put her on a heating pad on low, gave her a little bit of vitamins, and some scrambled egg. She ate the scrambled egg like it was going out of style.

But what worries me most is that she has zero fat on her. I really can't see anything else wrong with her.

Any other thoughts?

Being extremely skinny could hint to worms.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Molt is hard on them, and a common time for an illness to show up. Mine eat much less and are standoffish. As long as she is eating some scrambled egg or other nutritious treat for you, I wouldn’t worry too much. Canned cat food, tuna, or wet chick feed are good for her. B complex vitamins are good to use. Can you check her to see if she has any enlargement in her lower belly between the legs? What do her poops look like?

There is no swelling in her abdomen. At all. She is nearly skeletal. Her poop seems normal consistency, though smallish.

I let her back put with the rest of the flock for the day since it doesn't appear to be anything infectious. I'll being her in again tonight so I can keep an eye on her and check her crop thoroughly in the morning. Lile a dummy, I forgot to check this morning.

Imma be honest: I am starting to suspect reproductive issues. She is just too thin for me to be certain it's molting. But I will say that her new plumage is gorgeous. It gives me some hope.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you haven’t wormed them lately, it might be good to do that, and Valbazen 1/2 ml given once and repeated in 10 days would be good to use.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Being extremely skinny could hint to worms.

Right? My thought, too. But I wormed her about two months ago. I'm kind of afraid to do it again given her current state. Do you think it'd be safe?