Recumbent chickens

[chicken singer]

Hello chicken community,
A couple months ago I posted a forum regarding one of my chickens being very lazy around the yard. What I thought had gone away has returned, and I am again concerned that something is very wrong with my hen.
Cheeko is showing symptoms of being recumbent. She will stand for about 30 seconds before having to lay down, and can only walk about 2-4 feet at a time without getting tired. If I hold her up, she will put all her body weight in my hands. She can't lift her body weight to perch or fly so she sleeps in laying boxes.

Information that may help in diagnosing:
- I first noticed this when she had finished molting last fall. One night she had a lot of trouble flying to perch, could not make it, and has been sleeping in the laying boxes ever since (Its like shes lost her spirit)
- I am currently treating her for lices/mites as it has been a wet winter and they haven't been dust bathing much. Even if she tried dusting I doubt she would do well since she doesn't want to move
- I have a rooster who occasionally picks on her. Its possible he could have harmed her last fall and it has effected her ever since
- She is drinking and eating fine, but will much effort, again cause she doesn't move. Her poops are fine as well. She is about 5 now and doesn't lay eggs.

All help is appreciated; Im really hoping I can get my lovely girl back on her feet (literally)

Thanks everybody!
Autumn

 

[micstrachan]

When did she stop laying? First thing that comes to my mind is she could be laying internally. Are her comb and wattles still nice and bright red like a laying hen?

 

[micstrachan]

Can you examine her? Feel if her keel bone (breastbone) is protruding without much meat on it. Feel if her abdomen (fluffy butt area) is bloated with fluid. Is her crop emptying overnight? Are you treating her for mites because you know she has them?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello chicken community,
A couple months ago I posted a forum regarding one of my chickens being very lazy around the yard. What I thought had gone away has returned, and I am again concerned that something is very wrong with my hen.
Cheeko is showing symptoms of being recumbent. She will stand for about 30 seconds before having to lay down, and can only walk about 2-4 feet at a time without getting tired. If I hold her up, she will put all her body weight in my hands. She can't lift her body weight to perch or fly so she sleeps in laying boxes.

Information that may help in diagnosing:
- I first noticed this when she had finished molting last fall. One night she had a lot of trouble flying to perch, could not make it, and has been sleeping in the laying boxes ever since (Its like shes lost her spirit)
- I am currently treating her for lices/mites as it has been a wet winter and they haven't been dust bathing much. Even if she tried dusting I doubt she would do well since she doesn't want to move
- I have a rooster who occasionally picks on her. Its possible he could have harmed her last fall and it has effected her ever since
- She is drinking and eating fine, but will much effort, again cause she doesn't move. Her poops are fine as well. She is about 5 now and doesn't lay eggs.

All help is appreciated; Im really hoping I can get my lovely girl back on her feet (literally)

Thanks everybody!
Autumn

I'm sorry to hear that she is not doing well. I looked at your other thread, I assume you noticed a decline back in Dec 2017? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lethargic-chicken.1210320/

The symptoms you describe then and now-along with her age and that she has not laid for more than a year-makes me think she has an internal laying/reproductive disorder.
Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer, tumors, Salpingitis are all fairly common in laying hens. There is really no cure for any of these, except to offer supportive care like you have been doing (treating for external parasites, seeing that she is eating/drinking, etc.) Feel her abdomen for any swelling, bloat or feeling of fluid. Sometimes, if the abdomen has fluid it can be drained to give a hen some relief for a short period of time.

I'm very sorry, I wish I had better answers for you. Hopefully someone else will chime in with more suggestions.

 

[chicken singer]

Thank you for your responses!

Im sorry if i didn't make this clearer, but i'm fairly certain Cheeko is not laying simply because of old age. Her sister who is the same age has stopped laying as well and she is a very healthy bird. Im not denying something is wrong, i'm just trying to provide as much information as possible.

When feeling around her abdomen it didn't feel like there was fluid. However, I did feel my other chickens for comparison and they felt "plumper" than Cheeko.
Her sternum may be slightly sharper than normal, and her crop doesn't feel that full compared to the other birds. But because of her limited mobility she has probably been eating less, meaning she has less mass on her than usual anyways.

I am treating her for mites because I know she has them and i'm trying to keep ahead of them as winter closes.

Thank you again for the help