Obese chicken? Lethargic/Unhealthy?

[guest226]

She is a 3.5 year old Buff Cochin. I know her breed is a big chicken breed, but I can't help but worry. She is very heavy and is scared of being picked up and does not fly up roosts. She eats a lot of feed and loves treats. I try to give her treats sparingly, but I give all my chickens either vegetables or grubs/seeds daily.

She is much less active during the days compared to my other hens. She stands/sits in the run and seems like she is in a trance, but is energetic around me/treats. I observe her on camera footage of the run.

All of my hens started laying again after their 'winter laying break' but her. She was not as statutory during the day the years before when she was smaller/younger. She has no nose discharge, and isn't coughing or sneezing as of now, however she did have a small respitory issue when she was 1 or 2. It is resolved and hasn't come back.

I can feel her keelbone. Her butt feathers were gone for a little after some vent gleet/cleaning, but grew back. Her butt area was swollen but not like ascites. I think it was just her normal belly size, being a big chicken. Should I be worried about her lack of activeness?

 

[Eggcessive]

I see that you have posted threads about her lack of activity and large size over the last couple of months. Could you stop feeding her any treats, and just provide their usual chicken feed? Are you using a balanced layer or all flock feed? Is it crumbles or a pellet feed, and not a scratch and peck type feed? Chickens do not need treats like seeds or grubs, and those may increase their fat.

Could you feel of her crop now and tell us what it feels like—empty, full, firm, doughy, or puffy like a balloon? Can you start checking it first thing in the morning before she has had food or water? I would get a weight on her using a digital kitchen food scale, or by holding her to weigh her, and then subtracting her weight. Check it often to see if she is losing or gaining.

Fatty liver disease can cause large amounts of fat deposits, liver disease, and a decrease in laying. Hens over 2 can develop reproductive disorders where they may lay internally causing masses of egg materials inside the abdomen. Hopefully, she is okay, just chunky, but her lack of activity and not laying are concerning.

 

[guest226]

I see that you have posted threads about her lack of activity and large size over the last couple of months. Could you stop feeding her any treats, and just provide their usual chicken feed? Are you using a balanced layer or all flock feed? Is it crumbles or a pellet feed, and not a scratch and peck type feed? Chickens do not need treats like seeds or grubs, and those may increase their fat.

Could you feel of her crop now and tell us what it feels like—empty, full, firm, doughy, or puffy like a balloon? Can you start checking it first thing in the morning before she has had food or water? I would get a weight on her using a digital kitchen food scale, or by holding her to weigh her, and then subtracting her weight. Check it often to see if she is losing or gaining.

Fatty liver disease can cause large amounts of fat deposits, liver disease, and a decrease in laying. Hens over 2 can develop reproductive disorders where they may lay internally causing masses of egg materials inside the abdomen. Hopefully, she is okay, just chunky, but her lack of activity and not laying are concerning.

Hi, thank you for the reply. The hens eat layer feed (Madesro Milling Organic Feed). I’ll start limiting treats for her. Is she too far gone for weight loss? Do you think she will be able to become fit again?

 

[Eggcessive]

She could, but there may be something wrong with her causing her lack of energy. Check her crop early mornings to make sure that it is emptying overnight. Let us know if it is full or partly full in the morning. Does her crop look larger than the others? Perhaps you can take her out for some walks or take her to your farthest property line, so that she will walk back. Worming her might help her. Valbazen and SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are the ones I would recommend.

 

[guest226]

She could, but there may be something wrong with her causing her lack of energy. Check her crop early mornings to make sure that it is emptying overnight. Let us know if it is full or partly full in the morning. Does her crop look larger than the others? Perhaps you can take her out for some walks or take her to your farthest property line, so that she will walk back. Worming her might help her. Valbazen and SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are the ones I would recommend.

I think i'll deworm her just in case. She isn't laying right now, anyway.
Her crop does not feel or look bigger than the others, but it is covered by a lot of feathers. I'll check when I get home today!

I would like to let her free range in my yard under my supervision but I'll need to check if my yard is treated with pesticides. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[pvaldes]

I'm just speculating, but can't fall to notice something in your symptoms list: All are related.

If he eats the same as the other, but is much overweight maybe there is a problem with her thyroid gland. I'm not expert on avian endocrine system, but a lazy thyroid gland in humans is related typically with weight gain, lack of energy, infertility and somnolence. This can happen by disease or a poor diet that lacks material to make hormones.

As Iodine is used to make hormones, sometimes it can be supplied to reverse this symptoms. Specially if the hen is not free ranging or its diet is low in iodine. You may want to provide some fish scrapes (rich in iodine) or green algae, or any marine food to your hen for some days and see if it looks more lively and active.

Diseases of the thyroid are most completely documented in chickens. Cysts and tumors can cause low hormone production, and if this is the problem will not disappear with exercise. If in doubt, ask your vet about it

 

[guest226]

View attachment 3746001She is a 3.5 year old Buff Cochin. I know her breed is a big chicken breed, but I can't help but worry. She is very heavy and is scared of being picked up and does not fly up roosts. She eats a lot of feed and loves treats. I try to give her treats sparingly, but I give all my chickens either vegetables or grubs/seeds daily.

She is much less active during the days compared to my other hens. She stands/sits in the run and seems like she is in a trance, but is energetic around me/treats. I observe her on camera footage of the run.

All of my hens started laying again after their 'winter laying break' but her. She was not as statutory during the day the years before when she was smaller/younger. She has no nose discharge, and isn't coughing or sneezing as of now, however she did have a small respitory issue when she was 1 or 2. It is resolved and hasn't come back.

I can feel her keelbone. Her butt feathers were gone for a little after some vent gleet/cleaning, but grew back. Her butt area was swollen but not like ascites. I think it was just her normal belly size, being a big chicken. Should I be worried about her lack of activeness?
View attachment 3745999View attachment 3746002

Update on her

She could, but there may be something wrong with her causing her lack of energy. Check her crop early mornings to make sure that it is emptying overnight. Let us know if it is full or partly full in the morning. Does her crop look larger than the others? Perhaps you can take her out for some walks or take her to your farthest property line, so that she will walk back. Worming her might help her. Valbazen and SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are the ones I would recommend.

Update pn

She could, but there may be something wrong with her causing her lack of energy. Check her crop early mornings to make sure that it is emptying overnight. Let us know if it is full or partly full in the morning. Does her crop look larger than the others? Perhaps you can take her out for some walks or take her to your farthest property line, so that she will walk back. Worming her might help her. Valbazen and SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are the ones I would recommend.

Update on her-
Her crop feels normal, like she just finished eating (it is afternoon as of now)
I put her on a chair and she was terrified of flying down. I had to help her.
Her underbelly is very large but reasonable compared to her body weight? I had a suspicion that she could have ascites but she has no symptoms of it except for her enlarged belly.

She has no panting, no nasal discharge, isn’t coughing. Her poop has more urinary matter than my other chickens but is solid (the pic makes it look watery). Here’s a pic. I will add a pic of my normal chickens poop if needed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Be sure to feel if that crop early am before she eats or drinks. Was it empty this morning?