To late to save?

[CHICKENRANCH14]

I have a chicken that recently began keeping tail down but eating and drinking. Stayed away from other chickens but her poo looked fine. About Friday she stopped roosting. It looks like a large bump on her back where tail droops. I have done butt check but do not feel any eggs. Since Friday Her poop is very very tiny but looks fine. She has stopped eating and drinking today and just lays and pants. Her back end contracts like she us trying to poo or lay an egg. ...I have given her Big Ole Bird PROBOTIC and I made her food a mash. I fed her some scrambled egg yesterday and she ate that. They are on a good layer feed with calcium in it so I have not given and free eat calcium. She is a 3 yr old Delaware. They free range in back yard. Coop is kept very clean and food and water are available both inside and outside my coop. Any Suggestions? I am guessing to put her down this eve if she does not improve today. She has suffered enough. I have searched internet but can't come up with anything that might cause this. When noticed her illness I brought her in. Second chicken this month. The other one was a 4 yr old Brama. I don't feed but meal worms in eve for treats. Thanks for any help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When was the last time she laid an egg?
Any swelling of the abdomen?

She may be suffering from an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Salpingitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors. Any of these can cause going off feed, lameness, difficulty breathing/panting, weight loss, etc. Unfortunately supportive care is usually the course of treatment (food, water, vitamins, etc.). Chickens are very good at hiding illness, so usually their condition is usually quite advanced before it becomes noticeable. If caught early enough antibiotics can give some short term relief.

Do the best you can keeping her hydrated. If she seems to be suffering then letting her go would be best.

If I understand correctly, this is the second one in a short period of time(?) If so, then you may want to consider having a necropsy performed. This will give you better information to the cause and if it something that can be corrected in the future through diet/nutrition, etc.

As far as I know, if it is internal laying/reproductive issues, there's not much you can do to stop or necessarily "prevent" these from happening. Older hens are prone to developing problems.

You may also want to have a fecal float test by your vet to check for Cocci, worms and a gram stain to check for bacterial infections.

Keep us posted.

 

[CHICKENRANCH14]

Thank you, and what you have stated is kinda what I thought. She has not layed in over a year. Her tummy was real swollen when I brought her in. That's why I did the butt check. I think I messed things up when I bought feed store chicks last year and when they were combined with older chicks everyone was eating the last flock raiser feed with oyster shell at freedom. Then I switched to the Layena with calcium. This particular chicken and the other I lost had not layed in over a year. If I do littles again I will keep separate till everyone can be on the Layena feed all together. I have had a couple buff orpingtons three years ago that died from being egg bound. I learned a hard hard lesson with being sure to have extra calcium with just store brand chicken feed. The first one I took to vet, and that's how I learned about egg binding. She refuses water and when I wrap her in towel to help control so I can feed her, afterwards she just flops over on side. Then later when I check on her she is back laying on tummy and panting. I know its not Merek's as I also know the signs and symptoms of that. I have a friend that raises backyard chickens. Feeds them generic feed. Doesn't have very clean coops and her eggs from nest are always poopy and her chickens don't seem to have issues. I keep a very clean pen, feed name brand food, tuck them in every night, watch their poo for issues, play with them, and mine have issues. Don't know what gives. These girls are my sanity keepers. I love them sooooooooooooo much.