poorly chicken???

[kirstyjeffs]

Hi. I have 2 3 year old warren chickens one is absolutely fine she is in the middle of a moult so is not laying. My concern is the other one she hasnt layed an egg for over 12 months which hasnt bothered me and she has been fine. The past 10 days or so she seems really lazy. She is sitting on the grass all the time she will come when encouraged for food and i do see her getting a drink when she can be bothered. They both slept on a wood beam in their pen and only use their little 'house' when it is cold. The wooden beam is about 2foot high. She just doesnt seem to be able to jump up anymore and waits to be put there or resorts to going in their house if we miss her waiting to be lifted. I have checked for injury and cant find any. Checked and dusted for mites but cant find anything, have used verm x for past few days stools are runny but i think that is down to verm x, nothing untoward in them though. Her feathers have been getting paler over the past few months and her comb in bent over and pale at the moment. Could it just be old age catching up with her. (We bought them at POL and are estimating they are both around the same age (3) could it be that she is older than we thought ??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Where are you located and what are they fed?
3 years is no where near old age. They should have been laying right through the spring and summer.

 

[kirstyjeffs]

Im in wales uk. They are fed layers pellets, and sometimes mash and corn. She stopped laying this time last year before she had a moult then never started back again and she has been fine up until the last 10 days or so. She seems like she has no energy most of the time. But will still run if i go to pick her up or if i pull the mealworms out she will run over for some. Shes just not herself at the mo

 

[kirstyjeffs]

Only way to describe how she is lying is that it looks like she is squashing herself into the grass so the bottom of her wings are touching the ground and her back end is raised with her head pulled in so i cant see her neck she doesnt move until i go to touch her

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Could be urolithiasis and gout from eating layer feed all this time without building egg shells. The excess calcium has to be processed by the kidneys and eventually overwhelm them.

 

[kirstyjeffs]

*update* she is still going!! Although i fear not for long her stomach is so swollen she cant walk she is still eating and drinking well and is alert she just cant walk. She has been like this for 4 days now.what do i do? I have read about draining the abdomen do i try to do this and make her comfortable. She is going to die whether i do this or not its just a matter of whether she will give up and go on her own or if i let someone do the deed and put her out of her misery. Im just at my wits end

 

[aart]

Where are you located and what are they fed?
3 years is no where near old age. They should have been laying right through the spring and summer.

3 years is kind of old for a warren...I believe they are high production hybrid birds.

*update* she is still going!! Although i fear not for long her stomach is so swollen she cant walk she is still eating and drinking well and is alert she just cant walk. She has been like this for 4 days now.what do i do? I have read about draining the abdomen do i try to do this and make her comfortable. She is going to die whether i do this or not its just a matter of whether she will give up and go on her own or if i let someone do the deed and put her out of her misery. Im just at my wits end

If her abdomen is grossly swollen, filled with fluid caused by many ailments, it might be best to put her out of her misery...that's what I would do.

 

[kirstyjeffs]

Well i attempted to drain her abdomen i used a 18g needle but the liquid inside her was really thick and yellow and would not drain through the syringe. Looking at her abdomen properly her skin looks yellow i take it this is an infection?? It looks like she will have to be put out of her misery its hard though as she is still alert and eating/drinking. My poor little lady, shes not just a chicken to me. her and her 'sister' are my pets

 

[chickengr]

Well i attempted to drain her abdomen i used a 18g needle but the liquid inside her was really thick and yellow and would not drain through the syringe. Looking at her abdomen properly her skin looks yellow i take it this is an infection?? It looks like she will have to be put out of her misery its hard though as she is still alert and eating/drinking. My poor little lady, shes not just a chicken to me. her and her 'sister' are my pets

I have 1 hen (about 18 mo) with water belly. she laid plenty of eggs, might be damaged for that reason. when I decide to put her out of misery she does many efforts to get up and walk, just like saying that she wants to live. I cannot kill her. my chickens are my pets too.

if you see that she is suffering do whatever you think you should.