Older hen not well

[The Phantom]

Just got back from a 2 week vacation and my 7-8 year old hen is not well. She is very thin and seems to waddle like a duck. She had a very large back end 2 years ago along with a lash egg. After the lash egg the huge back end disappeared. Has been normal since then. What do y’all think?

 

[The Phantom]

 

[Kessel23]

Good luck H

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just got back from a 2 week vacation and my 7-8 year old hen is not well. She is very thin and seems to waddle like a duck. She had a very large back end 2 years ago along with a lash egg. After the lash egg the huge back end disappeared. Has been normal since then. What do y’all think?

I'm sorry to hear about your hen

Sadly, from the symptoms you describe -weight loss and walking like a duck, it sounds like she's having reproductive problems. If she has been laying eggs for the last couple of years after the lash egg, it would be worth feeling inside the vent for an egg and feeling of her abdomen for bloat/swelling or feeling of fluid.

Sometimes supportive care is all you can do if they are declining from reproductive issues-hydration and trying to encourage them to eat. Check the crop to see it's emptying overnight and monitor for lice/mites and worms.

 

[Eggcessive]

Older hens over 2 can suffer from reproductive disorders, such as internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, or oviduct cancer. Lash egg material is a sign of salpingitis or inflammation of the oviduct. Salpingitis can lead to internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. Many times we don’t know what has been going on until we do a necrospy after death. Here is some reading:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

 

[The Phantom]

Ok. She has not been laying for years and had no swelling at all. She is also off balance a little.

 

[The Phantom]

Good luck H

I'm sorry to hear about your hen

Sadly, from the symptoms you describe -weight loss and walking like a duck, it sounds like she's having reproductive problems. If she has been laying eggs for the last couple of years after the lash egg, it would be worth feeling inside the vent for an egg and feeling of her abdomen for bloat/swelling or feeling of fluid.

Sometimes supportive care is all you can do if they are declining from reproductive issues-hydration and trying to encourage them to eat. Check the crop to see it's emptying overnight and monitor for lice/mites and worms.

Older hens over 2 can suffer from reproductive disorders, such as internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, or oviduct cancer. Lash egg material is a sign of salpingitis or inflammation of the oviduct. Salpingitis can lead to internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. Many times we don’t know what has been going on until we do a necrospy after death. Here is some reading:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok. She has not been laying for years and had no swelling at all. She is also off balance a little.

Can she drink on her own?
I would try to get her hydrated. If you have poultry vitamins, give her a direct dose, then see if she will take a little water.

 

[The Phantom]

Can she drink on her own?
I would try to get her hydrated. If you have poultry vitamins, give her a direct dose, then see if she will take a little water.

Ok. She is eating and drinking normally. I don’t have any vitamins.

 

[Ebony Rose]

A scrambled or hard boiled egg, some tuna and/or some sardines may provide some needed protein & amino acids until you can get her some vitamins. If you give her tuna or sardines, I suggest using the ones that are packed in oil, the extra calories could do her some good. Duck waddling or Penguin prancing usually means egg bound, but since she's not been laying for a long time... I just don't know.