Older hen getting kicked out??

[vaowen]

I have 2 older hens that are 5+ years and 3 other chickens that are just now 7 months. My oldest girl is probably 6 or 7 years, and this past week she has been spending a majority of her time in the coop on a perch. She was molting and consequently not laying, but she seems mostly through the molting but still is not laying. I thought maybe she didn't feel well and suspected sour crop. She will come out of the coop and do normal chicken behaviors, but she stays close to the coop and will not cross the yard to get food and water. I put her own food and water in the coop and also treated the water with apple cider vinegar. She will not mingle with the other 4 chickens at all and I'm worried. I have looked her over and don't see or feel anything weird. Ideas? Thoughts? Poor girl seems lost and lonely!

 

[AltonaAcres]

Sometimes my larger and/or older birds can't seem to easily get off the roost so they just choose not to.

 

[aart]

When I have a bird that is acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.