Year old hen lethargic, with white/yellow runny poo- isolating herself

[My1stChickens]

It can be frustrating when they won’t eat. At least with the Corid treatment, you can rule that out if she is still not doing better. If her problem is a reproductive issue, then she may get better or not. She seems young to be having the reproductve problems, but it can happen occasionally in a younger hen. Have you tried any sunflower kernels? My hen who doesn’t eat much of anything, will dive for those. I prefer the shell-less ones.

This morning she was off the roost, and interacting with the rest of the flock. She was moving out pretty well-- she was not the last one out the door, but middle of the pack. There was no poop, just a wet spot under her spot on the roost, so that was not good-- but she was actively mingling. I placed two feed pans out in the run, so that she would not have to compete-- then went to work.

At lunch I took out scrambled eggs with the shells, plus raw sunflower seeds and some watermelon. She was sitting in a hole she'd dug in the shade of one of the tractors, and did not come out to partake. She did stand and move towards some I tossed in to her, but did not eat anything.

When it gets cooler, I may try to put her in the cage/separated and offer food where she does not have to compete? I was encouraged this morning, not as much by lunch time, so we'll see how she looks this evening.
Editedfrom phone to add this morning’s poop- or lack thereof

 

[My1stChickens]

Wednesday evening. Once it cooled off a bit, she came out of her little hidey place. The rest had some grapes, she came over to look at the food pan, and look at the water, but did not eat or drink. She walked slowly but steadily. Her butt was still a bit dedraggled but not super messy. She was just not participating in snacks, and eventually I encouraged her to go into the coop. Once she was in there, I closed the door, caught her and put her in the cage with a little dish-- pellets, sunflower seeds and mealworms. I opened the door so other hens would come in, and they ate from normal dishes. The sick hen did eat a few bites, the first I've seen her eat. I'm guessing 4-5 bites, and not sure whether it was sunflower seeds, mealworms or pellets but at least she ate something. Then she decided to get up on the roost. I moved the dish and put it right in front of her, in case she'd eat some more, but no luck. Eventually everyone else roosted, and I've marked her spot so I will know which poop (or lack thereof) is hers in the morning.
A couple times it seemed like she was straining a bit. She's not breathing hard, and it's not her whole body. It was a little like her butt was "pulsing". No discharge, and she did not seem distressed, just tired. She was just a little better today, but this is a long time for her to be so puny and not eating.

 

[My1stChickens]

Thursday/Day 4 of Corid
This morning she was on the roost, just sitting, even though all the others were up, active and talkative. My heart sunk a little, but I went in, caught her and put her in the cage with a hanging cup of food. She looked at it, but was more focused on not wanting to be in the cage. She did not eat. I thought about just putting the cage in the car, and heading to the vets but instead I let the others out first, then opened her door and she hustled out to join them. Her dropping were mostly liquid and white but there was a bit of green. I checked her a bit later, and she was up, pecking for things on the ground-- basically chickening with the flock. I did not see her eat pellets, but I had scattered scrambled eggs around, and she did eat at least one small bite of egg. Later I brought cool water and watermelon. She marched right over and started eating watermelon with the others! As of lunch time I have seen her pecking at watermelon 3x. And she will join others to eat. I'm feeling encouraged. Her tail feathers are still a little messy, but not as bad. And seem dry. She is a bit puffy-- and now I'd say yes, she looks puffed up through her body, like one that needs Corid. I will probably continue to 7 days rather than 5 (the longer end of the range rather than the shorter) in case she is responding to the Corid that I've not seen her drink LOL.

 

[My1stChickens]

Final update: On Friday/Day 5 of Corid she seemed just a bit more herself. She was up and standing with the others waiting to go out. But she did not eat or drink with the others. She just hung out with them, sometimes standing sometimes sitting. I did she her eat some watermelon but not more substantive treats. She was first on the roost. This morning she was off the roost, hunkered down in a corner of the coop. There was absolutely no poop under her spot on the roost, just a wet spot with some yellow. She went out to the pen, pecked half heartedly in the grass, but did not actually eat or drink. Our normal heat is returning this week, and I did not think that bode well for a hen that is lethargic and has eaten little to nothing for a week. I took her to the vet, to pay for a peaceful ending. She was down to 3.48# on the vet's scale. That's not much for a Barred Rock hen. She lingered a bit before drawing her last breath, probably a testament to her being young and healthy til this last week. Oddly, as she relaxed under the effects of the barbiturate, her body straightened out. It makes me wonder if something was hurting her/tight inside causing her crookedness. Her tail has always been a bit to the left, but her body was markedly more crooked once she was not well.

Like Eggcessive said, if it was a reproductive disorder (or actually anything internal?) she might get better or might not. In this case, I did not want her to get weaker and starve. When they won't eat or drink, and a week's gone by..... well I wasn't up for letting her suffer further.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. Many of us do a necropsy on the body to look at organs for anything that might look obvious that had been causing the illness. Your state vet can also look for what might have been wrong.

 

[My1stChickens]

So sorry for your loss. Many of us do a necropsy on the body to look at organs for anything that might look obvious that had been causing the illness. Your state vet can also look for what might have been wrong.

Thank you. I know that lots of people cut them open and have a look. I'm not one of those who are wired to be able to do that. I actually get squeamish when people post pictures of their findings. I admit to being a little curious, and strongly suspect something was amiss inside of her. But not curious enough to get a packing kit, and store a dead bird in the refrigerator and ship her off. It won't bring her back, and I'd rather spend my $$ for a peaceful passing and accept the loss rather than deal with a necropsy.

It weighs heavy on me to have lost these hens recently. My first chickens are 4 years old now, and everyone said I'd never have them all survive to be old enough to lay-- so buy a couple extra. My first loss was in the 3rd year, so I was taking a lot of pride in the care I provided. The rest of the girls are active and eating well. The one who was sneezing isn't sneezing anymore-- so probably just got in some dust or something. One of the old ladies is just finishing up a molt, and she's becoming more social again. One of the year old hens is active, eats well, lays every day but losing feathers as if she's molting-- but she's been sprayed 2x with permethrin and will get #3 this evening on the roost. I pray things normalize and they thrive again.

 

[Kdlevesque]

Final update: On Friday/Day 5 of Corid she seemed just a bit more herself. She was up and standing with the others waiting to go out. But she did not eat or drink with the others. She just hung out with them, sometimes standing sometimes sitting. I did she her eat some watermelon but not more substantive treats. She was first on the roost. This morning she was off the roost, hunkered down in a corner of the coop. There was absolutely no poop under her spot on the roost, just a wet spot with some yellow. She went out to the pen, pecked half heartedly in the grass, but did not actually eat or drink. Our normal heat is returning this week, and I did not think that bode well for a hen that is lethargic and has eaten little to nothing for a week. I took her to the vet, to pay for a peaceful ending. She was down to 3.48# on the vet's scale. That's not much for a Barred Rock hen. She lingered a bit before drawing her last breath, probably a testament to her being young and healthy til this last week. Oddly, as she relaxed under the effects of the barbiturate, her body straightened out. It makes me wonder if something was hurting her/tight inside causing her crookedness. Her tail has always been a bit to the left, but her body was markedly more crooked once she was not well.

Like Eggcessive said, if it was a reproductive disorder (or actually anything internal?) she might get better or might not. In this case, I did not want her to get weaker and starve. When they won't eat or drink, and a week's gone by..... well I wasn't up for letting her suffer further.

Sorry for your loss...I applaud your dedication! We had our 3 1/2 year old BO, Biscuit, euthanized at the vet last week. I couldn’t bear to see her suffer and couldn’t do it myself. He did do an “autopsy” to see what issues she had and found what looked like cancer in her lower abdomen. These people on the forum were so supportive and very knowledgeable. I call this my “chicken Facebook”.

 

[My1stChickens]

thank you Kdlevesque, for your kind words. Like you, I greatly value the knowledge and support from this forum. I know they are "just chickens" but I also know they count on me for their care and well being-- and do my best. It stings when my best is not good enough.

 

[Kdlevesque]

thank you Kdlevesque, for your kind words. Like you, I greatly value the knowledge and support from this forum. I know they are "just chickens" but I also know they count on me for their care and well being-- and do my best. It stings when my best is not good enough.

I have cried many tears for my chicken babies. Once you own chickens, you understand. My “non chicken owning” friends always say “they are just chickens” but to me they are my pets. I had one that my vet did save about 3 years ago and she’s still going. She is our sweetest one. It stinks when you work so hard to save them but they don’t make it. It’s exhausting. But in the end, owning chickens is so rewarding and a fabulous hobby.