Sick partridge Olive Egger :(

[710pollo]

i wonder if somebody here could help.

One of my 7 month old hens, my only colored egg layer is behaving weird.

She stopped laying 2 weeks ago and used to lay 3/4 a week but now nothing.

-red comb looks normal, but she’s skinny and just seems depressed and walks around slowly and like she doesn’t care.

-also chills separate from her flock


- She still eats little picky things and she seems to wander round free ranging and looks interested in food If say you are shaving a corn cob .


- stil active, likes to free range and will move quick if u try to catch her.


- plays with mealworms, kills them and just drops it on the floor.

So I dnt think she needs protein, she got sooo soo much access to good quality food, water and grit

I do remember seeing her eating some vermiculite from a plant pot, could this of really damaged her ?

Also a separate hen is currently raising chicks. But they are separate and I even let them all free ranging together

Other than that no incident I can
Recall that’s changed in her situations to cause her weight loss and lack of interest in food.

Please help

 

[Eggcessive]

Feel of her crop first thing in the morning to see if her crop is empty, full, firm, or puffy like a balloon. Is she passing droppings normally? If might be wise to separate her in a dog crate for a day or so to check what she is eating and drinking, and to see her droppings. Reproductive disorders can be common. Look for any feather loss or symptoms of a molt.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's not too unusual for a new layer/pullet to take a break from laying. Since she is a bit slower, I would check the crop to make sure it's empty in the mornings, look her over for lice/mites, feel the abdomen for any bloat/swelling and consider getting a fecal float to rule out worms.

You feel that she has lost weight, it would be a good idea to weigh her so you have a baseline to go by. Weigh her at least once a week and track it to see if she is how she's doing.

 

[710pollo]

Thanks guys, She is still acting the same.

Her crop is kinda empty when I check in the morning.

I force fed her some mealworms, blueberries and a little keffir.

Tomorrow I’m thinking to try raw egg yolk?

Today I noticed she had watery poop

No feather loss, just skinny.

It’s been nearly 3 weeks now :/

 

[Eggcessive]

Most chickens love chopped scrambled eggs tossed around or fed from a bowl. Canned tuna and chicken feed made into a wet mash with water is usally popular as well. Is she pooping normally? I usually try to give them a little vitamin B complex, 1/4 tablet a day per hen, crushed or grated over food. B1 can help stimulate the appetite. If you havene’t seen her droppings, you could separate her in a dog crate overnight, or find her spot on the roost tonight, and place something underneath that spot to catch them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop is kinda empty when I check in the morning.

I force fed her some mealworms, blueberries and a little keffir.

You mention the crop is "kinda" empty in the morning - it's not completely empty or flat or in the morning before she eats/drinks?
Did you feel her abdomen?

I would try to get her to eat her normal feed along eggs/vitamins as suggested by Eggcessive.
If you can take a sample of poop in for testing that would be a good idea.

 

[710pollo]

Hi again.

Ok so update she is still sick

Her crop was still full this morning,But i saw her poop and it came out normal.

No other symptoms, just quiet and slow, no appetite.

Sitting down a lot.

If I let her free range walks around slowly like she’s unbothered but she still pecks around

No eye problems, weird breathing and her comg is still very red

 

[710pollo]

I dnt wana seperate her because I feel having her sister company is all that she’s got ??

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop was still full this morning

Can you feel her abdomen - is there bloat or fluid?
The crop not emptying is one of her problems. What does it feel like in the morning - is it hard, soft, airy, doughy, squishy, fluid filled? Does her breath smelly sour?

You don't necessarily have to separate her if she's not being picked on, but you need to try to address the crop problem. Often there is something else going on that is causing it not to empty - it could be reproductive problems, worms, coccidiosis or infection.
I would start with giving her a teaspoon of coconut oil, gently massage the crop so you can get a better feel of what's going on in there.
Photos of her poop would be good to.

Here's a good article to get you started - report back and let us know which one you think she may have.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[710pollo]

Her crop is swollen,

Almost spongey? Airey, tender like a balloon.

Haven’t managed to see her poop yet tho.

Going to try the oil thing right now