Off-Balance Hen, becoming lethargic

[J597]

Hi all,

Over the last few days, our 5 year old Black Orpington Hen began acting clumsy. She seems to be off-balance and sometimes trips and falls when jumping- especially on jumps she she had previously never had any issues with, like up to her roost bar or down some small steps.

She is the only bird showing these symptoms and has only exhibited them for the last few days. There doesn't appear to be any visible signs of injury or trauma- though, I will check again tomorrow. Her appetite seems to be reducing as time goes on, and she is more lethargic as a result.

Her droppings are solid and frequent. However, it is clear that some food is not digesting completely. I have attached photos below.

We have administered no treatment so far as we are unsure what to do. We have no avian vets nearby, so any treatment will be done ourselves as best we can.

The symptoms we can see are: Clumsiness, lower appetite, lethargy as a result of eating less, a faint limp as she walks sometimes.

We do not know what has caused this, however, recently I did find what appeared to be mold on a concrete slab below her feeding area- so there is a chance she may have come into contact with it and ingested it. This could also just be moss, but I am providing this information just in case.

Attached below are photos of her, her feet, and some of her recent droppings. I can provide more information and photos of anything, if necessary.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do her eyes look like the other chickens’ eyes when you look at them? At her age she could be having some reproductive problems that might affect her walking. Is she showing any signs of molting, which can bring on unusual behavior? How is her crop emptying by early morning? Is it empty and flat or is there something in it, making it feel full and firm or puffy? Does she lay eggs anymore? Are you seeing any soft or shell-less eggs?

 

[J597]

Do her eyes look like the other chickens’ eyes when you look at them? At her age she could be having some reproductive problems that might affect her walking. Is she showing any signs of molting, which can bring on unusual behavior? How is her crop emptying by early morning? Is it empty and flat or is there something in it, making it feel full and firm or puffy? Does she lay eggs anymore? Are you seeing any soft or shell-less eggs?

Her eyes appear fine from what I can tell- there's no visible damage or obstruction in, or around, her eyes.

We got her when she was 6 months old, and she laid 3 malformed eggs early on- however, since then, she has not laid another egg.

She does not show any signs of molting.

Having checked her coop this morning, she has not produced any droppings overnight. I am not sure if it is an issue with her crop emptying, or because she did not eat much last night.

I will monitor her droppings today, though, she is definitely becoming more lethargic as she goes on.

We have tried giving her scrambled egg, however she does not want to eat it. Will giving her electrolytes and vitamins help perk her up a little?

 

[Eggcessive]

I think the key to her problem is the she is 5 years old and “she laid 3 malformed eggs early on and has not laid an egg since.” She has probably been laying internally, and may have salpingitis and egg yolk peritonitis. Hard to know really until after she passes away and you can do a necropsy, or have your state vet do one. This is very common in hens over 2 or 3, and a common cause of death. I would work on getting her to eat and drink, make her comfortable, not let anyone else bully or pick on her, and let her do what she feels like doing. Egg and mushy wet chicken feed are usually accepted well. Check her crop first thing in the morning to see it is empty, since internal layers may have crop issues.