Older Hen

[Pearlywhitecity]

Hello, I have an older hen she is around 8 years. Barred Rock. She has always shook her head some down through the years but, lately she shakes it alot and sometimes she has like a liquid come out when she shakes it. When she eats its like she has to lift her head and get her food down. When she lowers her head to get food thats when she really starts shaking her head. I have looked in her throat and i see nothing. Im not sure what to do. I have put vitamins and elctros in the water. The liquid is clear so im not sure of infection but i know something isnt right. she stands around in the sunshine alot lately to. Can anyone help??

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, I have an older hen she is around 8 years. Barred Rock. She has always shook her head some down through the years but, lately she shakes it alot and sometimes she has like a liquid come out when she shakes it. When she eats its like she has to lift her head and get her food down. When she lowers her head to get food thats when she really starts shaking her head. I have looked in her throat and i see nothing. Im not sure what to do. I have put vitamins and elctros in the water. The liquid is clear so im not sure of infection but i know something isnt right. she stands around in the sunshine alot lately to. Can anyone help??

I'm sorry about your hen.

8yrs is getting on up there in years. Does she still lay eggs?
I would check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks to make sure it's empty. Let us know what you find out.

I would also check her for lice/mites, inspect her to see if she's molting - a lot of hens molt this time of year and that can make them not feel too well.

Photos of your hen and her poop may also be helpful.

 

[Pearlywhitecity]

Thank you, yes i know she is the only one left from my originals when i first started with chickens. Yes she still lays. She has just came off of a molt a few weeks ago. Shes not eating just a whole whole bunch because when she lowers her head i think the liquid comes up and makes her raise her head and shake it. I will check her crop and look her over for mites. Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not use an antibiotic until I knew what the problem is. LA 200 might treat symptoms of MG, but if she has a crop disorder or something in her throat or esophagus, it could make her worse. Have you looked into her throat for any cankers or yellow plaques? Did you check her crop this morning? A slow or sour crop would make her crop not be empty first thing in the morning. Those could cause her to regurgitate crop contents if she lowers her head. Can you tell if her lower belly is enlarged or tight?
Many older birds will develop conditions that cause pressure inside the abdomen which can slow the digestion. Those can include internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites and cancer.

A respiratory infection would normally cause watery eyes, a bubbly eye, nasal drainage, sneezing, rattly breathing, or wheezing. MG is mycoplasma, but some other diseases can caused by viruses, and antibiotics do nothing to treat them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, yes i know she is the only one left from my originals when i first started with chickens. Yes she still lays. She has just came off of a molt a few weeks ago. Shes not eating just a whole whole bunch because when she lowers her head i think the liquid comes up and makes her raise her head and shake it. I will check her crop and look her over for mites. Thank you

can someone please tell me if its respitory why when she eats does she get a bite and then hold her head up and kinda gulp like she cant get it down? could her throat be swollen?

Was her crop empty this morning before she had anything to eat/drink?
Have you looked inside her beak for any canker, plaques or yellow/white cheesy material?

 

[annaBsChick]

You could bring her to see a vet who sees chickens - http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php

 

[Pearlywhitecity]

can someone please tell me if its respitory why when she eats does she get a bite and then hold her head up and kinda gulp like she cant get it down? could her throat be swollen?

 

[Pearlywhitecity]

thank you, I could but honestly i have taken my chickens to vets numerous times and they really dont know. I am planning to try the LA 200 recommended by my local feed store.

 

[Eggcessive]

Since she has eye bubbles, nasal drainage, head shaking, she probably has MG. The LA 200 would help to treat those symptoms. Make sure that she crop is emptying overnight, by checking it early morning, when it should be empty. If it is not emptying, then she may have a crop problem. Offer her some type of probiotic with her food, such as a little buttermilk, or a small amount of plain yogurt stirred into some water chicken feed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

((No or mild signs in adult birds, including lethargy, loss of appetite, drop in laying, yellow poo, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, discharge from nares or eyes, or swollen wings or hocks. It causes death in chicks at a much higher rate, and also causes slowed growth, stunting, and other problems.)))

the lethargy is i think from not eating much. shes not sneezing, no swollen wings or hocks. shes not wheezing when she breaths that i can hear theres just like a airy sound from time to time sound like coming from her crop.

i do hear gurgeling from time to time she does have watery eyes. she keeps one eye closed alot cause of the watering of it.

she does have a runny nose also

From what i read about the MG i dont think thats it. Could it be her age and a regular respritory infection.

What is a "regular" respiratory infection? Chickens for the most part have respiratory diseases - Mycoplasma is fairly common (another name for it is CRD=Chronic Respiratory Disease). Symptoms include watery or bubbly eyes, sneezing, mucous, lethargy, going off feed, coughing, etc. Without testing it's hard to know the cause since most have similar symptoms.

The airy sound coming from the crop - is the crop empty in the mornings? Can you cage her overnight, place down some puppy pads and get a good look at her poop? Post some photos of the hen and her poop - those may be helpful.