Need some help with favorite hen, eyes closed while standing, very lethargic

Mama Kay W

Chirping
8 Years
Jul 22, 2011
112
3
91
Northern Idaho
My favorite hen is about 2 1/2 years old, hasn't laid an egg for over 9 months, she's a RIR. I've noticed she's seemed a little thinner than usual, she's eats some and has been drinking water, not sure about today, but today I've noticed she's very lethargic, not moving around much like the rest of the flock what poop she does do seems normal, a few times last year she had only water coming out instead of "normal" poop and seemed fine then, moving around and wanting to eat. But the weird thing is she pulls her head into her neck and closes her eyes like she's sleeping while standing.
My chickens are in a closed run ( too many wild animals out here) and they have plenty of food & water. She goes in the coop at night but she's just standing around with her eyes closed and not moving like the rest of the hens, just really seems out of it.


One other question.....I have 5 hens all 2 1/2 years old and only one is laying eggs about 2-3 a week. I have 2 New Hampshire's and 3 RIR. I'm lucky to get 15-20 eggs a month now, any idea on them not laying too?
 
Your hen may be laying internally and may have egg yolk peritonitis, which is common is some high production hens. It would be painful and she may have fluid in her abdomen for this. Try the search at the top for EYP or internal layer threads.
 
I did some research on internal laying and it doesn't sound like her. Her abdomen is fine, she is loosing weight and looking thin. She eats a little.
I haven't seen her in the nesting box for a very long time.
 
It seems fine, like the other chickens.
I seen her walking around the run for food and she ate some grass which they all love. I was told to try apple cider vinegar and some buttermilk. The feed store didn't have any antibiotics for chickens or any help of what it could be.
 
I also wanted to say her comb is like a gray-black tint to it, not pale but more on the gray-black coloring, all the other hens have bright red combs.
 
Worming her might help. Valbazen and Safegard Liquid Goat Wormer are 2 of the best--1/2 to 3/4 ml of either one. Check her closely for lice or mite eggs, especially around her vent. Could some of the hens be starting their yearly molt? Are you seeing lots of feathers in their coop. Mine are all doing it right now. That would account for pale combs and few eggs. Worms, lice, and mites affect laying too.
 
I have seen a lot more feathers in the run & coop, haven't seen any lice or mites.
She was trying to eat more yesterday, gave them some banana's and mash potatoes. I also got her to drink some of the apple cider vinegar.
It was just after her last year molt that she stopped laying, maybe only 3 eggs after she got her feathers back ( she didn't loose much) but that was when she really stopped laying.
 
I've checked out the hen checklist, the only thing that it sounds like is anemia.

Her comb is pale and purple and her waddles are shriveled up. She really looks out of it and moves very slow.
She was eating and doing better yesterday, but today she wouldn't eat or drink. No place is open today for help.
 

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