Sick or just old age/dying??!

[briannajustine]

Hi all,

I have an old girl (not sure of age but at least 5yo+ ) who has been really off balance the last few days. It’s been getting progressively worse and she’s started falling over and can’t get herself back up without help. She’s still interest in food and water and when I help her up she will walk around until she falls over again.
I rescued her about 4 months ago, and bought her back from the brink of death and she had been doing pretty well since however had remained very skinny (had put on some weight since she came to me however). She’s still really alert and trying really hard
I don’t know if It’s just her time, or if this is being caused by something that’s treatable.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know!

 

[nuthatched]

What's her diet?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Same hen that was rescued a while back?
Does she still have some respiratory problems or did that clear up?

Does she lay eggs?

Check to make sure her crop is emptying, look for lice/mites. If possible, get a fecal float to rule out internal parasites.

Start her on a vitamin therapy to see if they make a difference. Give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily. A treat of egg will help with the uptake of E.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-with-possible-respiratory-illness.1566603/

 

[briannajustine]

Same hen that was rescued a while back?
Does she still have some respiratory problems or did that clear up?

Does she lay eggs?

Check to make sure her crop is emptying, look for lice/mites. If possible, get a fecal float to rule out internal parasites.

Start her on a vitamin therapy to see if they make a difference. Give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily. A treat of egg will help with the uptake of E.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-with-possible-respiratory-illness.1566603/

Yep same hen! I’m not sure if it was respiratory or not but I treated her for a bunch of things and the coughing ended up clearing up after a while. I treated her for an impacted crop about a month ago as it wasn’t emptying which really seem to help.
She doesn’t have lice or mites that I can see and I’ve treated her regularly since she came to me. She doesn’t lay, her comb is tiny and she’s a very old commercial layer so I don’t think she’s laid for a long time.

I actually did start her on vitamin e today and was planning to get some vit b after what I have read online.
She seems really weak and can’t get back up herself after she falls over, but she has spent most of the day walking.
The only way she will eat egg is if i give it to her soaked in bread. She’s very fussy about what she will eat now and only seems to be interested in bread, grapes and cheese she is very excited about food though and seems to perk up a bit when she’s eating and even tries to steal off the other girls. .
Shes been alert all day but tonight has been sitting around like this

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you get a fecal float to rule out worms and Coccidiosis?

I'd check her crop again just to make sure it's emptying overnight.

The hunched appearance says she's not feeling well, the poor thing.