Old hen with a lot of problems

[Cyprus]

I have an old hen, my last original.
She is a (suspected) Red Ranger hen, almost 6 years old.
If I had to guess her weight, I'd say 15lbs. She is very, very difficult to lift high. Not for lack of effort, though.

Poor girl has been in ailing health for years despite multiple treatments. I'm looking for ways to treat her/make her life more comfortable.

Her list of issues:
Chronic Bumblefoot, already operated on unsuccessfully
Massive mite infestation, treated more times than I can remember
Obese
Lethargy
Overactive Preen Gland. Her whole backside and area around her preen gland is SOAKED in oil and smells lightly like urine. Preen gland is cone shaped, very prominent.
Missing feathers down front of neck -not from a molt
Constantly loose stools


Anything I can do for her? I don't want to kill her.

I've tried:
Baths
Permethrin dust and spray
Bumblefoot surgery
Deworming
Restricting food/dieting
Epsom foot soaks

Feed: Layena 16% in the past, current feed is 19% mixed ration (no seeds, mixed meatbird crumble and Layena pellets)
Housing: dirt floor coop, tall roosts preferred by her. 24/7 access to outdoors.

Please give suggestions. I feel bad

Cyprus

P.S I have not been neglecting her. She has had these issues for 3 years and I've been trying to treat them. Poultry vets are not available for anything under $200 here, my bank account is $438 and I have college next fall.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

put some pine shavings on the dirt floor, or we got a "chip drop" and it stopped getting (and staying soaked). What is the mite infestation from? Can you do a roost bar scrub or full coop cleaning? GOOD LUCK!

 

[Cyprus]

put some pine shavings on the dirt floor, or we got a "chip drop" and it stopped getting (and staying soaked). What is the mite infestation from? Can you do a roost bar scrub or full coop cleaning? GOOD LUCK!

Mites are from someone else's bird I housed who had chronic mites from God knows where.
Whole coop can be scrubbed, yes.

 

[MissChick@dee]

It seems all her issues are weight related. (Not mites) You mentioned diet. Is she still on a diet?

 

[Cyprus]

It seems all her issues are weight related. (Not mites) You mentioned diet. Is she still on a diet?

No longer on a diet.
How is bumblefoot and overactive preen gland weight related? Can I ease the symptoms?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Bumble for the weight on her feet when she perches at night and has to hold up a lot of weight.
Over active preen glad...if she’s obese enough she can’t reach it. She’s not keeping her hygiene up.

 

[Abriana]

I'd put her on a strict diet to see if she can lose some weight, and also scrub out the coop on a warmish day.

 

[Cyprus]

Bumble for the weight on her feet when she perches at night and has to hold up a lot of weight.
Over active preen glad...if she’s obese enough she can’t reach it. She’s not keeping her hygiene up.

Any way I can help her lose the extra weight?
Can I bathe her to take off the extra oil? Or hand preen her.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I’ve never had to put a chicken on a diet. But if I did I would have to more or less put them all on a diet.... what I mean if she’s with her flock mates (which is good) I’d have to have all the food put away except at feeding time where she should be fed separate. You’d need to weigh her first to judge if what you’re doing is being effective. Measure her feed. Perhaps to exercise her more you could encourage her to walk more...the weight is hard on her joints & legs so baby steps to start. Remember there are treats that are very low on calories and have zero fat and no carbs. Encourage her with a little leaf of lettuce for example. Diets are hard for humans....And chickens! You have to stick to them and no cheating! Lol
Yes I’d wash her. Does she dust bathe?

 

[Abriana]

I’ve never had to put a chicken on a diet. But if I did I would have to more or less put them all on a diet.... what I mean if she’s with her flock mates (which is good) I’d have to have all the food put away except at feeding time where she should be fed separate. You’d need to weigh her first to judge if what you’re doing is being effective. Measure her feed. Perhaps to exercise her more you could encourage her to walk more...the weight is hard on her joints & legs so baby steps to start. Remember there are treats that are very low on calories and have zero fat and no carbs. Encourage her with a little leaf of lettuce for example. Diets are hard for humans....And chickens! You have to stick to them and no cheating! Lol
Yes I’d wash her. Does she dust bathe?

Swimming is also an excellent way to exercise without being too hard on joints. You can put her in a slightly too deep tub and hold her while she moves her legs or maybe she will even swim on her own (I've heard of chickens who'd swim; I had a bantam who would!).