Molting?

[Lady Watcher]

I thought my hen was just going broody, but she's been breathing weird. Maybe it's hard for her to breath. She's been laying down all day, wherever she won't be bothered, and is laying in my coop right now, breathing through her mouth. I gave her water, but she didn't drink any, and yesterday when I fed her, she was really slow and fell over. She has no energy, and is the skinniest I've ever seen her. I can feel her bones. If anyone has any idea how I can help, I'd appreciate your suggestions, and I'm not sure if this is how they get when they molt, because I've only had one molt, but she didn't lose her energy and wasn't skinny like this one.

 

[rebrascora]

It sounds to me like she is sick.
If she has lost a lot of weight and is skinny, the first thing to do is to giver her a heat source as she will be struggling to maintain her body temperature. Then hydrate and offer moist food like a mash made with her regular feed soaked in warm water or some scrambled egg. If she will not take fluids or food, then you need to consider tube feeding her. Check her crop is empty and she is not impacted before tube feeding. She will not live long without water. What part of the world are you in? I have heard of people using an Oxine vaporizer for respiratory distress in the US. I don't believe we have Oxine here in the UK.
How old is she?

 

[rebrascora]

At 2 years old, I would have expected her to have moulted last autumn.... late summer / autumn/ winter are the normal seasons for moulting but of course there are always birds that are exceptions. Can you post a photo of her? When you say she fell over, did she appear drunk/uncoordinated or just weak? Have you added any new birds in the past couple of months?

 

[dunnmom]

Yes, my girls sometimes get lethargic while molting and loss of appetite is also a symptom. However, the mouth-breathing part and weight loss is a bit suspicious to me. Does she have visible feather loss? Feathers all over the coop and run? Pin feathers either emerging, or just under her skin?

Edit: Not all chickens molt the same. Some appear quite ill, while some just seem to take it in stride. Please hang on for a more expert answer.

 

[Lady Watcher]

Yes, my girls sometimes get lethargic while molting and loss of appetite is also a symptom. However, the mouth-breathing part and weight loss is a bit suspicious to me. Does she have visible feather loss? Feathers all over the coop and run? Pin feathers either emerging, or just under her skin?

There's quite a bit of feathers around the coop. Her feathers are emerging as well.

It sounds to me like she is sick.
If she has lost a lot of weight and is skinny, the first thing to do is to giver her a heat source as she will be struggling to maintain her body temperature. Then hydrate and offer moist food like a mash made with her regular feed soaked in warm water or some scrambled egg. If she will not take fluids or food, then you need to consider tube feeding her. Check her crop is empty and she is not impacted before tube feeding. She will not live long without water. What part of the world are you in? I have heard of people using an Oxine vaporizer for respiratory distress in the US. I don't believe we have Oxine here in the UK.
How old is she?

I live in the South of the U.S. it' 76° right now, and she's just about 2 years old.
Thank you both very much for responding.

 

[Lady Watcher]

At 2 years old, I would have expected her to have moulted last autumn.... late summer / autumn/ winter are the normal seasons for moulting but of course there are always birds that are exceptions. Can you post a photo of her? When you say she fell over, did she appear drunk/uncoordinated or just weak? Have you added any new birds in the past couple of months?

She can't even stand up. She's eating and drinking, but falling over and laying wherever I put her.