Unusual Chicken Behavior, Rhode Island Red

[chickengal12345]

Hello, everyone! I have a Rhode Island Red who is just about five years old now. She has deformed feet. She has fallen over repeatedly since we adopted her and has always been okay. Recently we noticed she has been behaving oddly. She has been:

1) Acting dazed, as if she is in a trance. She stares blankly at nothing as opposed to foraging or moving.

2) Little to no appetite.

3) Shakes her head every once in awhile.

4) Has runny stools, a white to yellow color.

5) Has no desire to drink water.

She has stopped laying eggs completely. There was nothing that triggered this that we saw. Any ideas as of what’s going on? She is the only one in our flock acting weird. Should we just accept her days are coming to an end as she is getting old? Thank you!

 

[Chicken Heel]

Sounds typical to me given her age and being an RIR which are not bred for longevity, more so for productivity. But do watch your other birds though for any similar effects.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, everyone! I have a Rhode Island Red who is just about five years old now. She has deformed feet. She has fallen over repeatedly since we adopted her and has always been okay.
1) Acting dazed, as if she is in a trance. She stares blankly at nothing as opposed to foraging or moving.
2) Little to no appetite.
3) Shakes her head every once in awhile.
4) Has runny stools, a white to yellow color.
5) Has no desire to drink water.
She has stopped laying eggs completely. There was nothing that triggered this that we saw. Any ideas as of what’s going on? She is the only one in our flock acting weird. Should we just accept her days are coming to an end as she is getting old? Thank you!

Welcome To BYC!

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.
Can you provide some photos of her, her feet and of her poop?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed including treats?

With an older hen she may be developing some reproductive issues. I would look her over really well for lice/mites, consider getting a fecal float to check for worms. Feel her abdomen (between the legs, below the vent) for bloat/swelling or fluid. Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, it should be empty/flat.
While you are checking her out, look for pin feathers, is she molting?

It may be that she is starting to decline and you need to offer supportive care and make her more comfortable until it's time to put her out of her misery.

 

[chickengal12345]

Welcome To BYC!

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.
Can you provide some photos of her, her feet and of her poop?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed including treats?

With an older hen she may be developing some reproductive issues. I would look her over really well for lice/mites, consider getting a fecal float to check for worms. Feel her abdomen (between the legs, below the vent) for bloat/swelling or fluid. Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, it should be empty/flat.
While you are checking her out, look for pin feathers, is she molting?

It may be that she is starting to decline and you need to offer supportive care and make her more comfortable until it's time to put her out of her misery.

Thanks for getting back to me so quick! I do not have any photos of her at the moment but I can get some later. Thank you for giving me some instructions, I really appreciate it.

 

[chickengal12345]

Sounds typical to me given her age and being an RIR which are not bred for longevity, more so for productivity. But do watch your other birds though for any similar effects.

Thank you for getting back to me. That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking.