Sick Hen

[GwenC]

Hello. I have a hen that has been acting strange for a couple of days. She high steps when walking, has been keeping to herself and today she doesn’t seem to be eating. I looked at the bottom of her feet and one does have swelling but no scab. Just a point to the side. She lost some feathers easily while we handled her to take some pics. We have 9 hens and none of the others are showing symptoms of being sick. I'm attaching pics. One is of her next to another hen her age and one is of her poop. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Looks like bumblefoot? but here are the experts: @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Overo Mare

 

[Eggcessive]

Could she be starting to molt? Can you do a warm soak to the feet (indoors where it is warm if possible) and get a new picture of the foot? Also feel of the crop in early morning to see if it is emptying overnight. Offer some moistened chicken feed and chopped egg, and make sure that she is drinking water. Has she been laying eggs? Have you wormed them recently?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She high steps when walking, has been keeping to herself and today she doesn’t seem to be eating.

She lost some feathers easily while we handled her to take some pics.

What does her crop feel like? Is it emptying overnight?
Any chance she ate moldy feed?

Can you take a sample of poop to your vet for a fecal float to see if worms are contributing to her being unwell?

Any chance she ate something moldy or rotten?

 

[azygous]

Age? Currently laying? The poop appears to have signs of possible reproductive infection. Do you have any antibiotics on hand?

 

[GwenC]

She is approximately 16 months old. She is/was laying. Seven of our nine are laying and haven’t really cut back since the days are shorter. None of our hens have molted. Eaten moldy food? It could be possible since the scratch we throw down usually doesn’t all get eaten in a day. They feed from a homemade bucket feeder with 3 feeding holes but it seem to do a good job of keeping rain out. Could the swollen foot pad be bumble foot and the infection spread? We have never wormed our hens. There are a lot of black feathers in the coup and some on the ground today. She is just standing around with her neck kind of hunched down like in the pic. I’m going to see if my vet also treats chickens but would rather not have to spend that kind of money if not necessary. Is there something I can buy from tractor supply or a feed store to give her that might help?

 

[GwenC]

She is moving around the yard a little but stands in one place mostly. She is not eating and I haven’t noticed her drinking. Her neck is still hunched a little and her chest is puffed out. I felt her crop (lower right side?) and it feels like a hard knot. Could this be the problem?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, the crop not emptying is a problem.
Most of the time there is an underlying condition that is contributing to the crop symptoms. Reproductive disorders, worms, infection and coccidiosis are a few more of the common causes. In my flock, reproductive disorders have been hands down the cause of crop symptoms.
I would address the symptoms and see if that improves her overall condition. It really depends on what else is going on as to how well she recovers.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/