Sick Chicken w Pics, I've no idea what's wrong

[OG Anomaly]

Wow! A 5lb leghorn with a 2-3 body score!!! You must be doing something right!
I certainly got the diagnosis wrong then! Clearly not a crop problem. It's always really difficult to assess what is going on with a bird from a description and photo.

Many people find that their chicken picks up after a warm soak, but as with most things, there are slight risks as well as potential benefits. I do not have a bathroom that would generate the warmth and steam required so that would not be an option for me. I do not think it is a good idea to bathe a very sick, frail bird, but your bird doesn't seem to be in that category at the moment. If you can generate a steam room then certainly, go with that.

I too would probably be leaning towards a shell less egg causing the problem now. They are very difficult for the bird to expel and make them very weary from the constant straining, especially if she has had a run of them.
As birds get towards the end of their egg laying cycle, it is not uncommon for them to become weak shelled or shell less. As has been suggested a direct dose of calcium should help.

Also, because you were so impressed with the weight, and our birds aren't special or anything, I decided I should re-weigh them & double check it, lol.
I had the scale set on the wrong type of measurement
I weighed 3 of them and they were 3.5 & 4 lbs, not 5! So, I apologize for that!

 

[OG Anomaly]

Wow! A 5lb leghorn with a 2-3 body score!!! You must be doing something right!
I certainly got the diagnosis wrong then! Clearly not a crop problem. It's always really difficult to assess what is going on with a bird from a description and photo.

Many people find that their chicken picks up after a warm soak, but as with most things, there are slight risks as well as potential benefits. I do not have a bathroom that would generate the warmth and steam required so that would not be an option for me. I do not think it is a good idea to bathe a very sick, frail bird, but your bird doesn't seem to be in that category at the moment. If you can generate a steam room then certainly, go with that.

I too would probably be leaning towards a shell less egg causing the problem now. They are very difficult for the bird to expel and make them very weary from the constant straining, especially if she has had a run of them.
As birds get towards the end of their egg laying cycle, it is not uncommon for them to become weak shelled or shell less. As has been suggested a direct dose of calcium should help.

Also, because you were so impressed with the weight, and our birds aren't special or anything, I decided I should re-weigh them & double check it, lol.
I had the scale set on the wrong type of measurement
I weighed 3 of them and they were 3.5 & 4 lbs, not 5! So, I apologize for that!

 

[rebrascora]

Actually, after I congratulated you on the weight of them, I thought it maybe wasn't good that they were so heavy and I might be encouraging you to have obese leghorns.... so I'm much happier to hear that they are really a bit lighter at 3.5-4lbs..... that is a much more normal weight for leghorns.

Yes it might be a genetic problem that is causing her to fail to process calcium. Or sometimes a malfunction of the reproductive system which causes the egg to miss a stage in the process. It can be due to having a fright or being stressed, but a regular problem suggests it is something more deep seated. Hopefully a big direct dose of calcium with give her a boost and kick start things again.

So very pleased she is back out with the other girls and looking lots better. I entirely agree that they are far better with the flock if they can be supported/monitored in situ. Good luck with her and fingers crossed she will get over this blip.

Regards

Barbara

 

[OG Anomaly]

Actually, after I congratulated you on the weight of them, I thought it maybe wasn't good that they were so heavy and I might be encouraging you to have obese leghorns.... so I'm much happier to hear that they are really a bit lighter at 3.5-4lbs..... that is a much more normal weight for leghorns.

Yes it might be a genetic problem that is causing her to fail to process calcium. Or sometimes a malfunction of the reproductive system which causes the egg to miss a stage in the process. It can be due to having a fright or being stressed, but a regular problem suggests it is something more deep seated. Hopefully a big direct dose of calcium with give her a boost and kick start things again.

So very pleased she is back out with the other girls and looking lots better. I entirely agree that they are far better with the flock if they can be supported/monitored in situ. Good luck with her and fingers crossed she will get over this blip.

Regards

Barbara

Thanks so much
I've been reading and hopefully will get this figured out before too many more problems arise and/or it turns into a problem not so easily fixed.

 

[casportpony]

Questions... When do you think she passed the soft-shelled egg?

 

[OG Anomaly]

Questions... When do you think she passed the soft-shelled egg?

I'm sorry but I really couldn't tell you. We've seen the soft eggs few times, but they seem to only be from her, we're trying to watch carefully & make sure it is just her, but none of the other girls seem to be having them. I think she may have a genetic problem.
I only give them treats 2-3x a week; just a handful of meal worms & now with winter I've given them suet blocks to nibble on. They also have free access to crushed oyster shells & there are shells in their pellets as well, so I don't think it's dietary. Wouldn't the other girls be laying soft eggs too, if it was due to diet...?

 

[Noreaster Egger]

I'm sorry but I really couldn't tell you. We've seen the soft eggs few times, but they seem to only be from her, we're trying to watch carefully & make sure it is just her, but none of the other girls seem to be having them. I think she may have a genetic problem.
I only give them treats 2-3x a week; just a handful of meal worms & now with winter I've given them suet blocks to nibble on. They also have free access to crushed oyster shells & there are shells in their pellets as well, so I don't think it's dietary. Wouldn't the other girls be laying soft eggs too, if it was due to diet...?

My first 10 chickens all came from the same hatchery. I got 5 different breeds in pairs. For some reason my NH red chickens from this hatchery have always had issues with thin shells or softies. One of them only lays about once every 3 weeks now. They're all eating the same fermented feed with layer pellets and oyster shell on the side. Sometimes you just get birds not blessed with great reproductive genes. I think giving her the occasional Ca supplement, as previously mentioned, may be a good idea.

If they are anything like humans, they would need magnesium, D3, and vitamin K/K2 for maximum calcium absorption. Excessive oxalates from foods can inhibit Ca absorption as well.

 

[OG Anomaly]

My first 10 chickens all came from the same hatchery. I got 5 different breeds in pairs. For some reason my NH red chickens from this hatchery have always had issues with thin shells or softies. One of them only lays about once every 3 weeks now. They're all eating the same fermented feed with layer pellets and oyster shell on the side. Sometimes you just get birds not blessed with great reproductive genes. I think giving her the occasional Ca supplement, as previously mentioned, may be a good idea.

If they are anything like humans, they would need magnesium, D3, and vitamin K/K2 for maximum calcium absorption. Excessive oxalates from foods can inhibit Ca absorption as well.

Thanks Yes, I did get the calcium & also D3.
I have magnesium that I take daily, I could probably just give her some of that...?
I need to find a dosing chart for this stuff, for chickens, haha.
I didn't think about the Vit K. I'll look into that as well.

Is NH New Hampshire? Or something else?
How old is the bird that's only laying every 3 weeks?

 

[Noreaster Egger]

Yup...New Hampshire Reds for a New Hampshire guy.

All 10 of those birds are a little over 18 months. The one laying every 3 weeks had an egg break in her in Apr. I had a couple of birds develop issues then when the snowpack finally melted. I feel like they picked up something from all of the dead worms and caterpillars they found floating in all of the puddles in the yard while free ranging. That's when I lost a leghorn too. Anyway, the NH red was pretty sick for a week and then she pulled out of it. She went a few months without laying, but was active and in tip top shape. Then she began the once every 3 weeks laying in the middle of the summer. She has stopped again since beginning her first big molt. The only one of the 10 laying right now is the other leghorn and she has gone from an egg everyday to about 2 out of 3 days. I'm not sure if she's about to molt or if it's a low light deal. She is the only one who hasn't started her molt yet. I'd like for her to get going because the pattern looks cold and potentially snowy in the northeast after about the first week of December. We had 14F with a slight breeze this morning and the molters were not enthused.

 

[OG Anomaly]

Yup...New Hampshire Reds for a New Hampshire guy.

All 10 of those birds are a little over 18 months. The one laying every 3 weeks had an egg break in her in Apr. I had a couple of birds develop issues then when the snowpack finally melted. I feel like they picked up something from all of the dead worms and caterpillars they found floating in all of the puddles in the yard while free ranging. That's when I lost a leghorn too. Anyway, the NH red was pretty sick for a week and then she pulled out of it. She went a few months without laying, but was active and in tip top shape. Then she began the once every 3 weeks laying in the middle of the summer. She has stopped again since beginning her first big molt. The only one of the 10 laying right now is the other leghorn and she has gone from an egg everyday to about 2 out of 3 days. I'm not sure if she's about to molt or if it's a low light deal. She is the only one who hasn't started her molt yet. I'd like for her to get going because the pattern looks cold and potentially snowy in the northeast after about the first week of December. We had 14F with a slight breeze this morning and the molters were not enthused.

I have to read more about this molting business. Other than the when their first adult feathers came in, our girls have not molted. They dropped some feathers here & there but haven't gotten 'ratty' looking at all. I did read something that suggested heavy laying hens don't molt as profusely as other breeds and I'm attributing it that, for now, lol. We put up clear shower curtains, all around the our run area, to act as windbreaks & they're working really well, so far. We haven't had a major windstorm yet though. Even if they do get torn up (due to a storm), they're inexpensive enough that we can easily pick up more and replace as needed.

Sorry you lost a chickie. Was the leghorn attacked?

Our leghorns are still laying an egg a day, but are younger than yours, maybe that's why...? I've been wondering if ours will slow down on their winter laying, or not. I wouldn't mind, we're sitting on 6 doz eggs, lol. We can't eat or give them away fast enough. I had no idea we would get so many eggs.

It's been down to 11F a few mornings here & we've had snow on the ground a couple times as well. However, today it's supposed to get into the high 50's, possibly even 60 though. Crazy warm for this time of year.

Hope you have a great day