Good morning ladies,
I have an old lady hen that should be close to 6 years old now (one of the last of my pandemic chickens) that is really not doing well. It breaks my heart to see her like this, all balled up with her eyes closed, distanced from the rest of the flock. Just wanted to know how you all handle this with your flocks? I don’t treat my ladies like pets … they aren’t pets. They are treated very well, but they are livestock. It’s pulling at my heartstrings whether I should go and remove her from the flock and give her the space and comfort to pass or should I cull her instead. Just wanted some group encouragement
She is a brown sexlink. She is gurgling when she breaths. No discharge from the nose. Sometimes fluid from her beak. She sounds so pitiful. No discoloration in her face, eyes or her comb. I have not seen her eat or drink at all today.
6 years old is not an old hen! She has Infectious Bronchitis a viral disease.
Doesn't sound anything like Infectious Bronchitis or a respiratory disease.
6 is getting on in years for a Sexlink.
Do you feel any bloat or feeling of fluid in her abdomen?
Has she laid eggs recently?
A laying hen that is standing about, balled up with her eyes closed, gurgling is, ime, is having a hard time expelling an egg, is suffering from a reproductive disorder like Cancer, EYP, Internal Laying, etc., may have Ascites which is a symptom of fluid in the abdomen and/or is having some crop dysfunction as well.
I'd check her abdomen for bloat or fluid below the vent between her legs, make sure her crop is emptying. Do look her over for lice/mites while you are examining her.
If she's got bloat/fluid and/or swelling of the abdomen, sometimes fluid can be drained to offer supportive care and comfort - this is not a cure and sometimes this does not relieve symptoms and make a hen feel any better.
If she's been laying eggs and hasn't laid one, then I'd get some Calcium into her asap. This may help her push out any egg or material that's making her feel bad. 1 Calcium Citrate with D3 tablet daily for 1 week.
Gurgling and water coming form the beak is very likely the crop. (Sometimes gurgling is heard when a hen has fluid in the abdomen (Ascites) too).
If the crop is not emptying, then address that symptom, but very often a crop problem is going to accompany a reproductive disorder - inflammation, swelling, etc. in the body just slows the body's processes.
This is the methods I use to address the crop.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
An antibiotic
might help short term, but sometimes medication doesn't help at all. You can try something like Amoxicillin if you have it.
The antibiotic is part of supportive care and comfort for the hen, it's not going to be a cure either.
Unfortunately, these symptoms and problems seem to be very common in laying hen, I've had my share as have others.
It's up to you to determine how well she is, if she can bounce back for a while longer or if it's time to put her out of her misery.
