Severely Underweight Hen

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

Ariana is three years old. She's free range on 6 acres. I have water set up for the hens at multiple locations, and they have food in their coop. Ariana has retired from laying with age. I last wormed her a year ago. She's practically skeletal. I think it might be worms (I have not seen any worms in her stool), but I'm not sure if I should worm her when she's so underweight. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Is her crop full?

 

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

By the end of each day, her crop seems reasonably full (I've been on vacation for two weeks with someone looking after my hens, and he says it's been full). It takes all day, though.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

By the end of each day, her crop seems reasonably full (I've been on vacation for two weeks with someone looking after my hens, and he says it's been full). It takes all day, though.

First thing in the morning check her crop. If it’s full she may have an impacted crop.

 

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

Okay. I'll check next morning. I've never had a hen with an impacted crop. What is it?

 

[Eggcessive]

Since she is only 3 and has stopped laying eggs, I would suspect that she has a reproductive disorder. Those can cause weight loss, poor appetite, diarrhea or different looking poops, low energy, and they may separate themselves from others, not roost, or have problems walking. Egg yolk peritonitis, internal laying, cancer, salpingitis, or ascites are common. Does she have an enlarged lower belly? Here is some reading about reproductive problems:
http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/
http://www.regenbiocorps.com/index.php/poultry-diseases/17-disorders-of-reproductive-systems

 

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

She does not have an enlarged lower belly, but I read the top article, and she does fit all of these symptoms for Egg Yolk Peritonitis:

• Pale comb/wattle
• She’s not as keen as the rest to eat and drink
• May be keeping herself away from the rest of the flock, usually tucked up in a nest-box/coop
• Difficulty/reluctance to move about
• Reluctant to walk around and scratch; lack of interest in surroundings
• Going off lay
• Loss of condition – can be assessed by feeling over the keel (breast) bone muscle mass: in chronically ill birds they often lose the majority of this muscle mass
• Faecal matter stuck around vent
• Look in poor feather condition (not preening)

She's not been laying for I'd say 6-8 months. Often she stops and just lays down in the middle of the yard while her sisters peck around. She is REALLY skinny, but has access to food all day. She started sleeping in an egg box or under the roost rather than to jump up onto them 2-ish months ago.

If she does have Egg Yolk Peritonitis, is she in pain? Should I put her down, or let her just slowly fade?

Thank you.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry about your girl. I agree a reproductive order is a strong possibility, but I would wait and see how her crop is in the morning before you euthanize her.
Some people would give her a course of antibiotics just in case she has an infection somewhere, but not everybody is in that camp. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, but I know we all might take desperate measures to save a beloved hen.

 

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

So sorry about your girl. I agree a reproductive order is a strong possibility, but I would wait and see how her crop is in the morning before you euthanize her.
Some people would give her a course of antibiotics just in case she has an infection somewhere, but not everybody is in that camp. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, but I know we all might take desperate measures to save a beloved hen.

I have Tylan 50 injectable that I've used for Bumblefoot (to excellent results!), is it safe to give if I'm not sure she has an infection?

 

[Aryetheral Waalburgus]

I just bought this Backyard Chicken Health Pack which has Oxy E-100, Zyfend A, and Healthyflock Tabs. It's the time of year for me to worm the flock, and so I'm putting this out there in case it will help Ariana at all.
I'm going to check her crop first thing tomorrow morning.
She doesn't appear to be in pain, so if it is Egg Yolk Peritontitis, I think I'd like to wait to put her down until it gets worse.