WHATS WRONG?! Lethargic, droopy wings and tail, not eating or laying (picture)

[feathermaid]

My Barred Rock, Pepper, is two years old and usually the friendliest and chattiest hen. But recently, she has distanced herself from the flock. Yesterday, she stayed in one spot on the ground all day and never moved even when I brought out treats for everyone!

She hasn't laid any eggs at all this year. I thought she may have been stressed after losing a flockmate this winter. But my only other hen is happy and laying just fine. I got 3 new baby chicks about 7 weeks ago and they have been integrated and all chickens hanging out peacefully together for about 3 weeks now (MHP method).

I thought she might be broody but she doesn't spend much time in the nest box and when I noticed her in there a couple times she kept moving and scratching while her vent was pulsing. But never an egg. That was weeks ago.

So throughout the day yesterday she mostly just stood there hunched with her wings slightly spread and drooping down. I never noticed her eating but she did go to drink water.

I am not very good at giving exams, but I did notice she had some crusties around her vent. So I gave her a warm soak, blow-dried her and I isolated her inside the coop with food and water. It was getting late and she was still a little damp so I put her on a heating pad covered with shavings to keep her warm.

This morning she was standing by the water dish, drinking occasionally. Three hours later she still hasn't moved again... at all! What could be wrong?

 

[feathermaid]

Well, whatever was ailing her was very serious. She just died a few hours ago

 

[LittleCheepers]

Aw, I am so, so sorry!

 

[Barbs Girls]

Oh, that is just awful! Sounds like you tried what you could.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh no! I’m so sorry.

 

[feathermaid]

Aw, I am so, so sorry!

Oh, that is just awful! Sounds like you tried what you could.

Oh no! I’m so sorry.

Thank you all for your condolences. I feel terrible. Today was a birthday party for my daughter and I was so busy with guests that I couldn't devote much time to her when she needed it... maybe it would have been too late anyway. Was hoping I could wait until tomorrow to take her for help, but now I have to deal with her body and I still haven't told my daughter yet. I don't know what to do.

I'm just not sure if there was an underlying problem for a long time... possibly related to her not laying eggs, but I have wrapped her body in many layers of plastic and put her in the fridge to examine later. I'm really surprised she passed so suddenly after only showing signs of being sick for one day. I mean, she was always happy and talkative, dust bathing and gobbling food and treats like crazy until yesterday.

 

[LittleCheepers]

It’s obvious how much you cared about her and I know she felt that. Maybe you can take comfort in the fact that she had a happy normal life right up until the end. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Svaness]

I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you.

 

[Coop de Grass]

I'm so sorry that you lost your hen. You mentioned that she had stopped laying and that it had been several weeks? Also that she would be in the nest box with her tail pumping? And that recently she was distancing herself from the rest of the flock. The timing is confusing because if the ceasing of egg laying was a symptom, then she would have deteriorated very quickly, and it doesn't seem to have happened that way.

I recently had a hen who seemed normal, who walked out of the coop in the morning, crossed the run, hunkered down with her tail pumping, and then moved around the side of the run where the camera doesn't reach. I found her an hour later lying on her side. I had a necropsy performed by a vet but he found nothing out of the ordinary.

Please let us know if you discover the cause.

 

[feathermaid]

I'm so sorry that you lost your hen. You mentioned that she had stopped laying and that it had been several weeks? Also that she would be in the nest box with her tail pumping? And that recently she was distancing herself from the rest of the flock. The timing is confusing because if the ceasing of egg laying was a symptom, then she would have deteriorated very quickly, and it doesn't seem to have happened that way.

I recently had a hen who seemed normal, who walked out of the coop in the morning, crossed the run, hunkered down with her tail pumping, and then moved around the side of the run where the camera doesn't reach. I found her an hour later lying on her side. I had a necropsy performed by a vet but he found nothing out of the ordinary.

Please let us know if you discover the cause.

Wow, I guess chickens can just die suddenly, especially in your case!

To clarify, my hen actually hasn’t laid any eggs since last fall… never started laying again this spring when my other hen did, that's why I thought she might be broody. But she never just sat on a nest all day, and the only time I did notice her in the nest box (weeks ago) she seemed unable to settle, like maybe she wanted to lay an egg but never did. Though she seemed normal in every other way… eating, drinking, pooping, roosting, activities and behavior…

Sorry if my description was confusing because if she would have stopped laying recently, she may possibly have been egg bound, which definitely would have made her deteriorate quickly like you said. But since she was never laying in the first place... maybe it was something else internal?... I don't know… why do chickens just stop laying at only 2 years old? And distancing herself from the flock was only in the last couple days at most. I searched a zillion threads trying to find an answer but no luck. I’m still baffled.

I would love to be able to know what happened to her and will certainly post if I find out.

Curious... how much did you pay for a necropsy?

And do you think my other chickens are in danger of a similar sickness?