Rhodie on the way out?

[motherofdragons]

My Rhode Island Red is glassy eyed at times, sleeps a lot, roosts during the day. Can I do anything?

 

[Isaac 0]

Glassy eye meaning what?

 

[Eggcessive]

My Rhode Island Red is glassy eyed at times, sleeps a lot, roosts during the day.  Can I do anything?

How old is she or he? Has she been laying eggs recently? Can you separate her with her own food and water, and offer some chopped egg? Hold some water up to her beak with a spoon or dropper to get her to drink. Is her tail up or down? Some things to check would be to look for mites or lice (very tiny bugs on skin around vent and elsewhere,) check her crop to see if it is empty, full, soft, or hard, and to feel inside her vent an inch or so for a stuck egg. Check her droppings for diarrhea or blood.

 

[motherofdragons]

Sorry, Holidays got in the way. Well, it's like she keeps her eye covered with the first lid a lot and seems to be sleeping all the time. Saw her roosting late one morning. She has not been laying but I'm not sure how old she is. Got her as a hen. She looks good otherwise and the other chickens are not pecking her or anything.

 

[motherofdragons]

I'm not sure how old she is because I got her as a hen. She has not been laying since early in the summer. The other chickens are not pecking her or anything. I'll check her for lice etc but I do keep diatomaceous earth in the coop. Weird. She makes a strange sound too, a low almost gurgle sound.

 

[motherofdragons]

I'm not sure how old she is because I got her as a hen. She has not been laying since early in the summer. The other chickens are not pecking her or anything. I'll check her for lice etc but I do keep diatomaceous earth in the coop. Weird. She makes a strange sound too, a low almost gurgle sound.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to tell exactly what is wrong sometimes, when they are laying around and sleepy. In older hens egg yolk peritonitis or internal laying problems can be a problem. That can have many symptoms, such as weight and appetite loss, problems standing or walking for long periods, labored breathing, and lethargy. Gurgling could be a respiratory symptom or sometimes a crop problem. If I have a sick chicken, I like to check the crop for being empty/full/ hard or if it empties overnight, see if they are laying or eggbound, check for lice and mites, check their poops, see what they are eating and drinking, and watch their activity level and behavior. A necropsy after death can be a good way to find out a cause for the illness, and know what to look for in the future.