My chicken isn't acting right

[LunaMoriarty]

My red sex australorp has been acting off since I came back from vacation. I left for three days to go to Pennsylvania. I made sure my flock had chicken feed and fresh water. When I can't back to of my chickens are in full molt, but are as bright and spunky ever. But my dear Nymphadora isn't. She's usually more food driven and energetic. But she seems more sad. Her neck tucked in and get appetite has decreased. She let me catch her and hold her. She fell asleep in my arms. SHE NEVER DOES THAT. my chickens don't like being held. She has no sour crop. I gave my flock their regular Safeguard equine dewormer. Nymph usually loves peanuts but didn't want any today. Yesterday I cheered her up by offering her some wild bird corn. A saw a little glimmer of the chicken I know when I did.

But today she seems to have gotten worse. We have had a nice sunny day and she still is as depressed as before. What should I do?

 

[Isaac 0]

I'm sorry to hear your hen is feeling ill. Lethargy doesn't tell us much about what might be affecting the hen. Could you answer a few additional questions?

Any pictures, or a video of the hen?

How old is she? Is she laying? What are they being fed, any treats, or supplements? How does her crop feel in the morning, hard, soft, empty? How are her poops looking, do they look normal, could you post a picture? Has any of your birds had any problems in the past? What does their run area look like? Have you performed a full-through physical examination on the bird, checking inside her mouth, around her feathers, legs, around the vent, for anything out of the ordinary? Here is a good link pertaining to physical examinations in poultry :

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exot...ltry/physical-examination-of-backyard-poultry

Since the hen is feeling unwell, she really needs to be brought inside, and set inside a cage located in a warm, towel-lined, stressful free place. I would encourage her often to drink and maybe offer he some soupy feed, or mashed scrambled eggs to see if she'll take to that.

 

[LunaMoriarty]

I'm sorry to hear your hen is feeling ill. Lethargy doesn't tell us much about what might be affecting the hen. Could you answer a few additional questions?

Any pictures, or a video of the hen?

How old is she? Is she laying? What are they being fed, any treats, or supplements? How does her crop feel in the morning, hard, soft, empty? How are her poops looking, do they look normal, could you post a picture? Has any of your birds had any problems in the past? What does their run area look like? Have you performed a full-through physical examination on the bird, checking inside her mouth, around her feathers, legs, around the vent, for anything out of the ordinary? Here is a good link pertaining to physical examinations in poultry :

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exot...ltry/physical-examination-of-backyard-poultry

Since the hen is feeling unwell, she really needs to be brought inside, and set inside a cage located in a warm, towel-lined, stressful free place. I would encourage her often to drink and maybe offer he some soupy feed, or mashed scrambled eggs to see if she'll take to that.

The one thing I have noticed that concerns me is she isn't defacating much. There is some hardened decides that was once runny near her butt feathers. The last time I saw her poop in front of me was when I let her outside Monday evening. Her crop feels mushy and I can feel it's grainy like small seeds and stuff are in it. She hasn't been drinking water from what I've seen. She fluctuates from falling asleep then suddenly waking up and forging for food in the grass. But she doesn't seem interested in any of her favorite treats. When I offered her water she ran away from me and just ignored the water dish afterwards. Even after watching other hens drink from it.

There run is a small about 8x8 foot chicken wired box that has now behind mostly dirt and feathers. We fenced off a 50x40 foot area of grass around the coop for them to roam. We are leveling our yard and only let them out to free range the entire a acre of land when supervised. I let the 6 hens out today when I did schoolwork outside and half the time Nymph slept under my chair.

Nymph is around 4? W got her as aan already egg laying hen with my other australorp artemis. She hasn't laid in about a week. She is right now molting and I only saw her groom herself once and that was when the other hens weren't around with her. She has some energy, but I notice she is loosing the stamina of the other hens. They are a ground chicken feed and whatever they find outside, plus any food scraps they want from us. I will post a picture of nymph when I get home from school tomorrow.

 

[Isaac 0]

The one thing I have noticed that concerns me is she isn't defacating much. There is some hardened decides that was once runny near her butt feathers. The last time I saw her poop in front of me was when I let her outside Monday evening. Her crop feels mushy and I can feel it's grainy like small seeds and stuff are in it. She hasn't been drinking water from what I've seen. She fluctuates from falling asleep then suddenly waking up and forging for food in the grass. But she doesn't seem interested in any of her favorite treats. When I offered her water she ran away from me and just ignored the water dish afterwards. Even after watching other hens drink from it.

There run is a small about 8x8 foot chicken wired box that has now behind mostly dirt and feathers. We fenced off a 50x40 foot area of grass around the coop for them to roam. We are leveling our yard and only let them out to free range the entire a acre of land when supervised. I let the 6 hens out today when I did schoolwork outside and half the time Nymph slept under my chair.

Nymph is around 4? W got her as aan already egg laying hen with my other australorp artemis. She hasn't laid in about a week. She is right now molting and I only saw her groom herself once and that was when the other hens weren't around with her. She has some energy, but I notice she is loosing the stamina of the other hens. They are a ground chicken feed and whatever they find outside, plus any food scraps they want from us. I will post a picture of nymph when I get home from school tomorrow.

If you could get her inside, and do what I suggested in the first post that would be good. Instead of using pine shavings, or straw, use towels so we can get a better idea of the consistency and color of the feces.

If she is four years old, and a hatchery hen, she is getting pretty up there, so the likely hood of her problem possibly being reproductive, tumor, cancer, etc related is increased. They also can be more inclined to suffer from blockages in their digestive tract. Since you mentioned she's not defecating much, that might coincide with a chance of there being something interfering with the fecal matter properly passing through her digestive tract, or could be directly due to her not eating as much.

Taking a good look at her feces, may help us determine the nature of her problem, but we also need her inside, in a warm area with feed and water, not outside. Tomorrow morning, try feeling her crop and let us know if you can feel anything.

 

[LunaMoriarty]

If you could get her inside, and do what I suggested in the first post that would be good. Instead of using pine shavings, or straw, use towels so we can get a better idea of the consistency and color of the feces.

If she is four years old, and a hatchery hen, she is getting pretty up there, so the likely hood of her problem possibly being reproductive, tumor, cancer, etc related is increased. They also can be more inclined to suffer from blockages in their digestive tract. Since you mentioned she's not defecating much, that might coincide with a chance of there being something interfering with the fecal matter properly passing through her digestive tract, or could be directly due to her not eating as much.

Taking a good look at her feces, may help us determine the nature of her problem, but we also need her inside, in a warm area with feed and water, not outside. Tomorrow morning, try feeling her crop and let us know if you can feel anything.

I believe I made a made a mistake on her breed. She is a black sex link. Not a red sex link. I am staying to think she has a bowl obstruction or it might even be cancer. I first thought it was just depression from molting. Some chicken I heard become depressed during molting. But I knew it had to be something else when she got worse. I'll be sure to evaluate her time after school and probably bring her inside

 

[Isaac 0]

@LunaMoriarty

How is your hen doing, were you able to get a few pictures of her, and her poop?

 

[LunaMoriarty]

@LunaMoriarty

How is your hen doing, were you able to get a few pictures of her, and her poop?

Actually I did see her finally poop. It was about th size of a penny and it did some light sierra brown fecal matter. It was still watery and had some eurate. She has finally eaten for me as well. Not even an hour ago. I offered her a fresh raw egg. She took that with some dry chicken feed mixed in. I got her eating my adding some poltrey nutrient suppliment that works fast if given orally. I mixed in some olive oil to help loosen anything in her digestive tract. I will try to take a picture of any more fresh droppings when she does it again

 

[Isaac 0]

Actually I did see her finally poop. It was about th size of a penny and it did some light sierra brown fecal matter. It was still watery and had some eurate. She has finally eaten for me as well. Not even an hour ago. I offered her a fresh raw egg. She took that with some dry chicken feed mixed in. I got her eating my adding some poltrey nutrient suppliment that works fast if given orally. I mixed in some olive oil to help loosen anything in her digestive tract. I will try to take a picture of any more fresh droppings when she does it again

Were you able to perform a thorough physical examination? How did her abdominal area feel?

 

[LunaMoriarty]

Blo

Were you able to perform a thorough physical examination? How did her abdominal area feel?

Bloated, a little water almost.

 

[Isaac 0]

Blo

Bloated, a little water almost.

If it is bloated, that could indicate a reproductive problem such as EYP, or something such as ascites. I see you made a new thread, and @Eggcessive has given you advice over there. Best of luck with her.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/need-advice-on-my-sick-chicken.1424612/