White mess on hen’s backside

[Rock chook]

This hen is 5 years old now, so no longer a layer

 

[Mimi13]

This hen is 5 years old now, so no longer a layer

However, hens can continue to lay until they are way on up in years, just not with any regularity. With you mentioning her “bearing down,” that tells me she is trying to expel something. I will be willing to bet that what you are seeing is a hen that does pass an occasional busted egg, which is partly causing the vent feather mess.

 

[Mimi13]

Now granted, by no means am I any kind of chicken expert. But, I have experienced my Red Star doing this for the past 18 months to 2 years.

 

[Rock chook]

However, hens can continue to lay until they are way on up in years, just not with any regularity. With you mentioning her “bearing down,” that tells me she is trying to expel something. I will be willing to bet that what you are seeing is a hen that does pass an occasional busted egg, which is partly causing the vent feather mess.

I will make an appointment with the vet

 

[Rock chook]

I will make an appointment with the vet

Seeing vet tonight will report back later

 

[Rock chook]

Been to vets, she is very poorly, the hen not the vet lol, temperature of 42º.nothing can be done without doing x rays tests etc, costing over £200, vet wanted to euthanise her, I said I will take her home and do it myself. I'm not though,as she is still able to walk around and eat bits of grass and little titbits from hand. When she gets to the stage that she won't eat or drink, and can't stand, then the time is right.

 

[CCUK]

Been to vets, she is very poorly, the hen not the vet lol, temperature of 42º.nothing can be done without doing x rays tests etc, costing over £200, vet wanted to euthanise her, I said I will take her home and do it myself. I'm not though,as she is still able to walk around and eat bits of grass and little titbits from hand. When she gets to the stage that she won't eat or drink, and can't stand, then the time is right.

Did she say what she was poorly with? It sounds like EYP to me. If it is EYP then there is nothing you can do anyway and £200 will have been wasted.

 

[CCUK]

With that being said, there may be something else going on.

Is her abdomen hard, distended? It seems it may be in your photo, but I can’t really tell.

When a hen lays an egg, she will “grunt/bear down” with each contraction to expel the egg. Is there a possibility she could either be egg bound OR possibly have the remnants of a soft shelled egg still inside her? I do have a Red Star that no longer lays an actual egg. Her eggs have no shell, just membrane that gives way to the contractions and pops, releasing the contents of the egg through the vent, which also makes a big mess on her feathers. If left on her own she will stand and grunt until she has passed the wadded up membrane, but most of the time I see her and intervene. I will lube my finger and help her “deliver” the remaining parts of the egg. I then put a bit of hemorrhoidal cream inside to help with any inflammation. [If this particular bird wasn’t one of my OG hens (Original Gansta Hens) I would have put her down long ago.]

Can you get Zolcal-d? It is a calcium supplement that you put in the water for a couple of days. It can/should/will help with shelless or soft shell egg layers.

 

[Mimi13]

When she gets to the stage that she won't eat or drink, and can't stand, then the time is right.

This is so true. That is what I am doing with my big bellied biddy...waiting till she gives me a sign. As close as Butter and I are, I believe she will let me know or that I will just be able to tell when the time is right.

I am going to assume that you live somewhere in the UK. And then when you say her temp is 42*, I am going to guess Celsius, which would be 107.6* F, which is on the higher end of a chicken’s normal temp. I’ve not had a bird with a “fever” so I’m not certain if the 6/10’s of a degree is critical or not.

However, I believe what you are doing (watching her for clear signs) is all you can do. My thoughts and prayers are with you my chicken friend.

 

[Rock chook]

From what you say I'm guessing you are not UK based then? You are right, I am based n e Uk.
Its a horrible thing to have to do, but it has to be done, it makes you feel like s#!= and that you are a horrible person. The vet would have charged me about £30 plus vat for the job.
Tonight she was sat on the grass by herself, I gave her a dish with fresh water, and she had a few dips of that and a couple of tomatoes from my hand. Then at bedtime she managed to get into the coop without problem. CCUK where would I get that calcium supplement?