Still can’t determine what’s wrong with lethargic 4yo hen

[HennyPenny44]

I posted on here on Thursday for help with my 4yo Buff Orpington hen who is from my first flock. I found her Thursday sitting down with the other hens with her eyes closing and looking lethargic. Her waddles move when she breathes and her breathing looks labored. I listened to her closely and heard a slight clicking sound.

Took her inside Thursday evening and gave her feed and water. She ate the chick starter/grower at first and drank quite a bit as I held a bowl in my hand. But she ate nothing the next day (Friday). Barely drank. Her poop has been green/white and liquidy which I assume is from lack of food. Crop seemed empty and no mites/lice to be found. Fearing dehydration and starvation, I gave her a scrambled egg on Saturday which she enjoyed. Barely drank. Today, I made whole grain pancakes and she enjoyed half of one. Didn’t touch chick starter wetted down with water or her water bowl. I have been trying herbal cures because I don’t know what she has and I figure they’re gentle. Tried oregano oil and Astragalus root boiled in water…had to administer with a syringe since she refuses to drink. I have no clue how to stop the heavy breathing.

Thought she was more alert yesterday (Saturday) so put her in the run with her flock mates and she was chased off by my head hen continuously who she was raised with since day 1. A couple of others joined in. She ran to a corner of the coop and was panting with her mouth open and eyes closed. I hugged her close and took her back inside the house. She foraged outside today but still not eating well and still labored breathing with clicking sounds. What gives and what can I do? I cannot return her to the rest of the flock knowing they’ll chase her off and she’s so stressed. She was only gone for 1 1/2 days and they decided she’s not part of the flock. It breaks my heart so she’s roaming the inside of my house when she has the energy and she just stands around most of the time. She’s living in a crate in my dining room. She currently weighs 5 pounds and rarely lays eggs. She stopped a couple of years ago after her eggs started coming out asymmetrical and odd shaped. But I love her since she’s my lap chicken.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Re-check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

If possible, get a fecal float to see if worms are part of the issue.

At her age, she likely is having some reproductive problems if she's not laying eggs. EYP, cancer, etc. can be common in laying hens.

I'd feed her her normal feed, see that she's drinking well.

Sometimes removing a hen from the flock does make it more difficult for re-introductions, especially if that hen was low in the pecking order to begin with.

Hopefully she will improve.

Your other thread can be found here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/4yo-buff-orpington-with-labored-breathing.1575176/

 

[HennyPenny44]

Re-check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

If possible, get a fecal float to see if worms are part of the issue.

At her age, she likely is having some reproductive problems if she's not laying eggs. EYP, cancer, etc. can be common in laying hens.

I'd feed her her normal feed, see that she's drinking well.

Sometimes removing a hen from the flock does make it more difficult for re-introductions, especially if that hen was low in the pecking order to begin with.

Hopefully she will improve.

Your other thread can be found here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/4yo-buff-orpington-with-labored-breathing.1575176/

Her crop isn’t completely empty but she ate some chopped grapes this morning. Refused scrambled eggs, her feed and water. Yes, at first I thought it was respiratory but now I think it might be some kind of cancer or reproductive issue. She’s very laid back and non-confrontational so is easily dominated by other chickens. For this reason I decided against reintroducing her. I will look into the fecal float. At this point, I’m just trying to make her comfortable and less stressed toward the end of her life as I don’t think she’ll make it without adequate food and drink. She just sleeps or stands around the house at this point. Thank you for all your advice!

 

[HennyPenny44]

I did some research and inspection of my other hens and in comparison, this girl has a bit of a swollen belly yet her breast bone is protruding. I then recalled finding lash eggs last year in the coop though at the time, I was perplexed what these were and didn’t investigate further. That would line up with the fact that she hasn’t laid eggs in at least a couple of years except for one or two a year. All my other hens lay well so I assume the lash eggs were her’s and this is Salpingitis. Took her out with me to garden so and she ate some insects I dug up...the only food she’s interested in. Not sure how much longer she’ll make it as she looks like she’s suffering and I don’t want her to suffer much longer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd re-check her crop to see if it's empty, if not, then address that symptom.

If she is the one that was expelling lash material, then this may be what's causing her decline. It's possible that she has more material to expel and then once that happens she may rally for yet another while. This decline could also signal that her time is coming to a close as well. Hens can wax and wane, having good days and bad. Sometimes all you can do is treat symptoms, do the best you can to keep them hydrated and eating something and see if they come out of it with supportive care.

Only you can determine when it's time and she's had enough.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[HennyPenny44]

I'd re-check her crop to see if it's empty, if not, then address that symptom.

If she is the one that was expelling lash material, then this may be what's causing her decline. It's possible that she has more material to expel and then once that happens she may rally for yet another while. This decline could also signal that her time is coming to a close as well. Hens can wax and wane, having good days and bad. Sometimes all you can do is treat symptoms, do the best you can to keep them hydrated and eating something and see if they come out of it with supportive care.

Only you can determine when it's time and she's had enough.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Her crop is and has been pretty empty since I brought her in. In fact, I could feel her vertebrae when I feel for it. She looked bad last night so I thought she would pass overnight due to lack of hydration but then this morning, she walks around the house, following everybody around and lies down with the dog in her bed and is trying to peek in on the ducklings I’m brooding. So I held and petted her as she watched them. She refuses to drink though. I can’t bring myself to euthanize her myself. She’s from my first flock and is my favorite hen. But if she gets worse, I will take her to the vet to put her to sleep.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sweet photo! She's lovely. What's her name?

Do you have another chick water station? Try providing water in a chick waterer.
Raise the little station up on a block or some type of platform so she can reach it easier.

Offer her a bit of wet feed, bits of egg, melon, tomato, etc. Try just a little piece of something. When they get like this they can be finicky. They often just go off normal feed, so offering "interesting" things can make a difference. Even a little tuna/mackerel/sardines.

Since she's still walking and interacting, if she will drink and eat a bit, then I'd consider giving her a round of antibiotics to see if she improves. The meds are not a cure but can be part of supportive care if you think she will rally for a while longer. It's up to you of course. You see her behavior and how she's doing.

 

[HennyPenny44]

Sweet photo! She's lovely. What's her name?

Do you have another chick water station? Try providing water in a chick waterer.
Raise the little station up on a block or some type of platform so she can reach it easier.

Offer her a bit of wet feed, bits of egg, melon, tomato, etc. Try just a little piece of something. When they get like this they can be finicky. They often just go off normal feed, so offering "interesting" things can make a difference. Even a little tuna/mackerel/sardines.

Since she's still walking and interacting, if she will drink and eat a bit, then I'd consider giving her a round of antibiotics to see if she improves. The meds are not a cure but can be part of supportive care if you think she will rally for a while longer. It's up to you of course. You see her behavior and how she's doing.

Her name is Clementine because she’s sweet. I put the water right up to her face but she refuses. Sometimes I dip her beak in it but she hates it. I tried egg and grapes today but she ate a couple of tiny pieces and refused the rest. And she would normally go crazy for those. She’s still hanging on though though I’m not quite sure how. Must want to spend a bit more time with her humans and dog.

 

[HennyPenny44]

As an update, it’s been 3 months and Clementine is still hanging in there. I put her back with the flock and she was eating and drinking well. But she slept in the nesting box instead of the roost, I presume because of pain. She does not like being picked up or petted like she used to. In the last few days, she has experienced more labored breathing and now sleeps on the ground. I think she can no longer fly well and thus doesn’t want to fly up and down to the nesting box. Her comb is very pale pink. I don’t have the heart to euthanize her but I’m amazed she’s lived this long being so sick.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

As an update, it’s been 3 months and Clementine is still hanging in there. I put her back with the flock and she was eating and drinking well. But she slept in the nesting box instead of the roost, I presume because of pain. She does not like being picked up or petted like she used to. In the last few days, she has experienced more labored breathing and now sleeps on the ground. I think she can no longer fly well and thus doesn’t want to fly up and down to the nesting box. Her comb is very pale pink. I don’t have the heart to euthanize her but I’m amazed she’s lived this long being so sick.

Thank you for the update about Clementine.

It's nice to hear she's still hanging in there.
I've found that as they decline they do find a nesting box or comfy corner to sleep in so I just make sure they have extra bedding to snuggle down into.

The labored breathing may be from a little fluid in the abdomen and/or organs starting to fail, this can go on for a good while sometimes. So if she's still eating/drinking and interacting with her flock and her flock is not picking at her, just monitor.