RIR losing weight and lethargic

[Bp10244]

My Rhode Island Red has been moving very slow lately and hanging out by herself during the day when the rest of the flock free ranges. I thought she may have been molting but I just picked her up and she’s super light. I looked under her feet and found what may be bumble foot? Would that cause her to lose weight and be lethargic? Any advice welcome, thanks in advance.

 

[azygous]

It is bumblefoot, needs to be treated, but it shouldn't cause weight loss unless the infection is systemic. If that were the case, she'd likely be so lame as not to be able to walk from the infection in her leg bones.

If she's old enough to molt, 18 months or older, that can cause weight loss.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Looking at the picture you provided of her foot, it looks like you could give her a good 20-30 minutes soak in warm water (hot but not uncomfortable on the inside of your wrist if you dunk your hand into the tub of water) preferably with epsom salt as she'd benefit from the salts, but not mandatory. After her spa treatment, rub her feet with a dry terry washcloth or towel, from the legs down, and from her 'heel' to her toes (don't rub against the grain of her scales). You're hoping that the scabby part of that bumble foot will simply pop off, or at least get a loose edge on it to give it a good tug off of her foot, opening the wound, so you can squeeze the pus out of it. Chicken pus is not liquid like human pus, it's more like cheese in consistency. If you're not successful in getting it to open the first time you soak her, you can always give her another spa day the next day... and if it simply doesn't seem that you'll get the wound open this way, you may elect to either take her to a veterinarian to have them lance it, or you can watch some youtube videos on the subject and perform the minor surgery yourself. Only you know which option is best for you and your hen. Assuming that you've managed to squeeze the pus out of the wound, give it a final rinse with water to determine if you got ALL of the pus, if not, it will simply fester again. Once convinced that the infection is out of the wound, pack the wound with triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief (neosporin type of medicine, consistency of vaseline), and make her a little bootie with some sports tape in any color but red (the kind that sticks great to itself, but doesn't stick to your skin). Remove the bootie in a couple days to see if the wound appears to be healing properly. If not, back to soak, open and drain. If so, remove bootie and visually inspect the wound periodically.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she and has she laid eggs recently? Usually bumblefoot does not keep them from getting around or getting to food and water. What do her poops look like? Is she eating and drinking anything? Can you feel of her crop now and again in the early morning, to check if it is empty and flat, or if it has food in it, if it is hard or puffy? Can you look her vent area and elsewhere over for lice and mites? Unfortunately, we sometimes cannot figure out what is wrong with a sick chicken until after death, when we can have a necropsy done or we do one ourselves. I would offer her some wet and dry chicken feed, chopped scrambled egg, and add some vitamins with electrolytes to her water.

 

[Bp10244]

Thank you for everyone’s responses I will definitely try them tomorrow morning. She is a little less than two years old and I’m not sure if she’s laying because I have a few RIRs, but I’ll check the eggs a little closer and see if I can tell them apart. She is eating and drinking normally but I’ve noticed her poop is green and runny. Should I give a higher protein feed if they are molting?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Use gloves when treating ...

 

[Eggcessive]

You can try a 20% Flock Raiser type feed while they are molting, and just have a separate container of crushed ouster shell available for those who start laying again. My molting chickens do not eat well, and seem to be listless and aloof. They do perk up when I scramble some eggs or open a can of tuna, or other high proetein snacks.