What's wrong with Hazel ?

[svh]

This is my 18 month old, Green eyed, BR hen Hazel. She has not been herself for the last week or more. Something's not right with her.

Her feathers look funny, different, not the same as they used to look, she eats and drinks, but not much, and has lost a lot of weight. She used to be fat, and healthy looking.

She mostly stays by herself, away from the others. Her crop seems to get full, but not bulging like it used to, and seems to be empty in the morning, and her poop looks normal.

I don't know what to do for her !

Here is a couple of pics for the experts to look at and any observations, or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Allthefloofs]

Is she perhaps molting? Our birds go off feed a bit when they molt. They also get rather cranky with me and each other. One girl acts pretty withdrawn.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks to be molting, which occurs around 18 months and yearly thereafter. They tend to stop laying, mope around, and may not eat as well as usual. I would take her aside and offer some scrambled egg, tuna, or some wet chicken feed. Most chickens love those. Keep an eye on her, and possibly consider worming her with Valbazen. Look for any lice or mites on her skin.

 

[coach723]

Molting? They sometimes don't eat well during molt and can lose weight. If she has pinfeathers coming in anywhere then that is what I would suspect. The new feathers are sensitive and uncomfortable, they may be standoffish from others due to that, sometimes they just don't feel great. You can try giving her more protein to help tempt her to eat better, and it will help new feather growth. Suggestions above are what I would try.

 

[svh]

Thanks for the replies. Her eyes are bright, and her comb red, and she did gobble down some deer meat this afternoon, so hopefully it is a molt.

She does peck me when I touch her now, and she didn't before. I'll check for mites and pin feathers in the morning.

 

[Allthefloofs]

Thanks for the replies. Her eyes are bright, and her comb red, and she did gobble down some deer meat this afternoon, so hopefully it is a molt.

She does peck me when I touch her now, and she didn't before. I'll check for mites and pin feathers in the morning.

We have a BLRW that pecks only when she molts. Never hard but certainly annoyed with me. I always feel stressed along with the girls when they molt. The feeling in the flock really changes and they bicker a lot more during their molts.