Sick Chicken? I just don't know

[jmcd]

We have 4 hens that we have had for 3 years. Our most consistent layer has always been our Rhode Island Red. She is also the most friendly and interacts with us. None of our hens have been laying since the weather in Northern NV turned cold which I expected. Now my Americauna is laying but still no eggs from The RIR or my 2 Barred Rocks. For the last week or so, she has not been roosting and today I noticed that she seems a bit listless. I just went out to check on her and she is sleeping in the nesting box but I don't think she is broody. My Americauna has been broody before so I know what that looks like. The crazy thing is she looks better than ever, super shiny and healthy, her comb looks fine. She is eating and drinking although not with as much gusto as usual. Her poop seems to smell worse than normal chicken poop. There was a little poop stuck on her butt feathers but not packed on. She's just not right and I don't know where to begin trying to diagnose what could be wrong. Any thoughts?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Pictures of your RIR & her poop, please ...
Check her crop in the morning & evenings ... Mornings should be empty & full when go to roost at night. You could get a fecal done on her poop, checking for worms. Possible egg bound, you could try giving her a warm Epson Salt Spa. Keep a close eye on her, let us know if you see any other symptoms.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We have 4 hens that we have had for 3 years. Our most consistent layer has always been our Rhode Island Red. She is also the most friendly and interacts with us. None of our hens have been laying since the weather in Northern NV turned cold which I expected. Now my Americauna is laying but still no eggs from The RIR or my 2 Barred Rocks. For the last week or so, she has not been roosting and today I noticed that she seems a bit listless. I just went out to check on her and she is sleeping in the nesting box but I don't think she is broody. My Americauna has been broody before so I know what that looks like. The crazy thing is she looks better than ever, super shiny and healthy, her comb looks fine. She is eating and drinking although not with as much gusto as usual. Her poop seems to smell worse than normal chicken poop. There was a little poop stuck on her butt feathers but not packed on. She's just not right and I don't know where to begin trying to diagnose what could be wrong. Any thoughts?

@ChickNanny13 gave you some good ideas.
Photos are always helpful - hen and poop.

Give her a good examination - look for lice/mites, check her crop first thing in the morning and feel her abdomen for bloat or fluid.

I'm assuming she molted this fall? She may be having a rough time coming back into lay or she may have a reproductive problem. If she is listless, try to get her hydrated, then see if she will eat for you. Checking to see if she has an egg stuck is a good idea too.

Keep us posted.

 

[jmcd]

Pictures of your RIR & her poop, please ...
Check her crop in the morning & evenings ... Mornings should be empty & full when go to roost at night. You could get a fecal done on her poop, checking for worms. Possible egg bound, you could try giving her a warm Epson Salt Spa. Keep a close eye on her, let us know if you see any other symptoms.

Pictures of your RIR & her poop, please ...
Check her crop in the morning & evenings ... Mornings should be empty & full when go to roost at night. You could get a fecal done on her poop, checking for worms. Possible egg bound, you could try giving her a warm Epson Salt Spa. Keep a close eye on her, let us know if you see any other symptoms.

I just added some pictures for you to look at. I checked her crop this morning and it feels full. Not sure what to do now.

 

[jmcd]

Pictures of your RIR & her poop, please ...
Check her crop in the morning & evenings ... Mornings should be empty & full when go to roost at night. You could get a fecal done on her poop, checking for worms. Possible egg bound, you could try giving her a warm Epson Salt Spa. Keep a close eye on her, let us know if you see any other symptoms.

I just added some pictures for you to look at. I checked her crop this morning and it feels full. Not sure what to do now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you check her crop before she had food or water? Is her crop full and puffy or full and hard? Impacted crop or puffy crop can lead to her not getting enough nutrients. These problems may be related to other problems, such as internal laying or it could be just a primary crop problem.

A hard full crop in early morning before eating would be an impacted crop. A puffy crop would be a sour crop, and there might be a sour or even rotten odor from the mouth. Are you noticing that type of odor. Sour crop can be from a fungal infection in the digestive tract. It can also result from a long term impacted crop where long grasses or food has become stuck.

The only crop problems I have seen are in my older hens who were suffering from internal laying or other reproductive disorders. Feel of your hen’s lower belly between her legs for any enlargement, sponginess, or tightness. The reproductive problems can put pressure on the intestines and gizzard causing the crop to function poorly.

Here are some good links about crop problems:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

 

[ChickNanny13]

Pictures help, do you have any of her poop?

When you checked her crop this morning, was it before or after she had eating? If it was before than she's having crop issues. Eggcessive gave you good advice & links to read up on. Keep us updated

 

[jmcd]

Pictures help, do you have any of her poop?

When you checked her crop this morning, was it before or after she had eating? If it was before than she's having crop issues. Eggcessive gave you good advice & links to read up on. Keep us updated

I checked her crop before she ate this morning. Hers felt squishy and I checked my others and they felt flat/empty. I have a cold so I cannot tell if her breath smells bad but I think her poop smells worse than normal chicken poop. I also just checked her belly and between her legs and my instinct says she has an egg stuck maybe. I think I will try the epson salt bath and see if that helps.

 

[jmcd]

Did you check her crop before she had food or water? Is her crop full and puffy or full and hard? Impacted crop or puffy crop can lead to her not getting enough nutrients. These problems may be related to other problems, such as internal laying or it could be just a primary crop problem.

A hard full crop in early morning before eating would be an impacted crop. A puffy crop would be a sour crop, and there might be a sour or even rotten odor from the mouth. Are you noticing that type of odor. Sour crop can be from a fungal infection in the digestive tract. It can also result from a long term impacted crop where long grasses or food has become stuck.

The only crop problems I have seen are in my older hens who were suffering from internal laying or other reproductive disorders. Feel of your hen’s lower belly between her legs for any enlargement, sponginess, or tightness. The reproductive problems can put pressure on the intestines and gizzard causing the crop to function poorly.

Here are some good links about crop problems:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

I checked her crop before she ate this morning. Hers felt squishy and I checked my others and they felt flat/empty. I have a cold so I cannot tell if her breath smells bad but I think her poop smells worse than normal chicken poop. I also just checked her belly and between her legs and my instinct says she has an egg stuck maybe. I think I will try the epson salt bath and see if that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did her lower belly feel enlarged? You can insert a finger into her vent an inch or so to feel for an egg. If an egg is stuck, giving them calcium, such as a human Caltrate tablet or equivalent, or crushing a whole egg shell and all in a food processor, and feeding that will get calcium and vitamin D into her. Offer fluids as well. I would follow the thread about sour crop treatment.