Please Respond! Sores on body, lathargic hen!!!!

[Angelita]

Hey, I know I only post when something goes wrong lol, but my buff orpington, Angel, almost 2 years old, is normally a really healthy girl. I've never thought she might be sick or in pain, she's a very vibrant girl with an attitude. She lets me know when she doesn't like something, but that's what's bothering me. Over the past week and a half she's become very lathargic, no sassy squacks or trying to steal my snacks. She's been closing her eyes and not moving much. At first I thought it was the heat, but she hasn't been showing interest in her (or my) food either, her poops have been more watery lately without much substance, and her personality is different, like there's no fight in her. She's not getting overly small, she still drinks water and I can tell she's been eating a little bit, and she cuddles and purrs plenty still. As said, the only thing different lately has been the heat as for environmental factors. Last night I was getting pretty worried though because I realized she's starting to look less vibrant too. Her comb is more dry and pale, and her face looks kind of sunken along with her gullet pouch. While I was checking her over I found a black scab on her leg, on the skin, not the scales. Until just now I was thinking it was a bed sore because she really hasn't been getting up early, and she just lays around lately, but I just gave her a soothing bath and was rubbing a healing cream on her when I noticed another black raised scab on her abdomen. I tried looking to see what it could be and I keep seeing fowl pox. I'd like to add she doesn't have anything on her face; I keep seeing things about fowl pox on the comb, also I don't have any others so I can't base her health on that of a flock, so this is a tricky individual basis. PLEASE if you know what this is or how to treat it let me know!!! I love her with my whole existence so I'm open to any suggestions... If moon rocks are the cure I'll get a rocket. I attached some pictures of her comb, her putting her head under her wing (that's new too... She only does that when she sleeps but lately she just does this any time she's sitting down), and of her scabs. It's hard to tell but they are hard and raised up, also they are dry, I just have wound salve on them right now.

 

[Angelita]

I wouldn't be so concerned about the sores if it weren't for her behavior and overall health lately... Her feathers have been falling out more too, from no particular spot, and it's really worrying me that she hasn't been eating much. I am looking to see if the sores may coincide with her other symptoms, or your best educated guess as to what could be happening. This is so important to me, thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she getting close to molting? If her feathers are falling out, that may be a sign. Has she been laying eggs recently? The sores look like skin ulcers, and those might be due to lying on damp bedding or dirt. Are either of those close to her breast bone (keel?) I would offer some watery chicken feex and a little scrambled egg. A chicken vitamin might also be good, or you can use human super B complex vitamins 1/4 tablet daily, crushed into food or a little water.

 

[Angelita]

Is she getting close to molting? If her feathers are falling out, that may be a sign. Has she been laying eggs recently? The sores look like skin ulcers, and those might be due to lying on damp bedding or dirt. Are either of those close to her breast bone (keel?) I would offer some watery chicken feex and a little scrambled egg. A chicken vitamin might also be good, or you can use human super B complex vitamins 1/4 tablet daily, crushed into food or a little water.

Last time she molted was November, I'm not going to lie I'm not sure if they do that more than once a year, but if not then I don't think that's the case. And no, no eggs for about the same amount of time I've been noticing her acting different. Neither of the sores are near her keel, and since she's a singular chicken for now, I actually have towel sets that I change out daily for her bedding. I've been doing that since I had her... Almost 2 years. When we go outside every morning she does tend to just lay in the dirt lately, so that may be the cause of the sores I suppose. I have been making her food more wet and also offering her worms (her favorite) as well as soft fruits but she just sniffs her food and walks away, opting to lie down instead. I keep a bowl of regular feed, wet feed, and water with vet Rx and electrolytes with vitamins where she sleeps since she doesn't eat much throughout the day, but when I check in the morning it looks like it hasn't been touched very much.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well for a 2 year old hen to not have laid since last fall, something is wrong. She may some reproductive disorder that is making her feel bad. Does she walk around normally? I would look her over for lice and mites. Betadine or chlorhexidene would be good to clean the ulcers. It is possible that those might be a fungus, but hard to know for sure.

 

[Angelita]

Well for a 2 year old hen to not have laid since last fall, something is wrong. She may some reproductive disorder that is making her feel bad. Does she walk around normally? I would look her over for lice and mites. Betadine or chlorhexidene would be good to clean the ulcers. It is possible that those might be a fungus, but hard to know for sure.

My mistake, she only hasn't laid since she's started behaving odd, so about a week and a half. She does walk normally, just not often. The only weird thing she does when she walks is she sometimes stumbles when she first gets up because she's just been that lethargic, but when she is up and about she walks normally. I just checked her today when I bathed her for any mites/lice, but found nothing except for the second sore. But thank you, I will look into those to clean her sores. Today I used Epsom salt, honey, apple cider vinegar, and some essential oils in her bath as well as vet Rx and "green goo" wound salve on her after

 

[Angelita]

On a side note, it's not on her feet at all but the sore I found on her leg looks like late stage bumble foot. I check for signs of that regularly and haven't seen anything on her feet. IDK, I'm just putting stuff out there at this point. I know it can spread through infected blood if untreated so thoughts on that too?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try to get an appointment with a vet who sees chickens if possible. That is not possible for some, but can be helpful when a cause is hard to figure out.