Sick Chicken, not sure what to do

[MercysGS]

I am new to chicken parenting and this is my first sick girl. We have two americaunas, two welsummers and two maran, all about 7 months old, and all laying fairly regularly. We feed them a huge variety of foods, including bird seed, meats, table scraps, old fruits, plus they have free range of the yard so they eat whatever they can find around there.

Loosie, one of the welsummers, started looking off the day before yesterday - pale comb, tail down, not staying with her flock, not scratching or eating just hunched down in a corner. Then yesterday she was back on her game - her comb was more red, she was keeping up with the other hens and eating again. And now she is back to looking sick again. She is out with the other hens but hiding in the middle of the yard behind a plant, standing in one spot and not doing much. I tried to feel around for an impacted crop or an unpassed egg but am not too sure what I'm supposed to be feeling for. When I picked her sister up for comparison there seemed to be no difference. There is a local vet who will take a look at her, should I take her in? Or does anyone here have any ideas?

 

[seminolewind]

You give them chicken feed too , right?
See if her crop has food in it at bedtime, and is empty in the morning. Is she having trouble laying?
Some of my chickens do that when they have a heavy molt. Is she molting? At 7 months old I wouldn't think she'd have enough worms to cause her to be sick. But I would certainly powder her and the rest for lice and mites, with Sevin dust or poultry dust.

(sorry, I just saw the part that you checked her crop and for an impacted egg)

 

[MercysGS]

I try to give them chicken feed but they are not interested unless it is served with meat stock, picky beasts. So I checked the crops of both welsummers again and Loosie's does seem to be more squishy and possibly distended. Now she is laying down in the middle of the yard, not doing much. I think I will take her in to the vet tomorrow - if her crop is sour I don't really have the expertise to help her vomit it out.