[richyrich7]

One of my hens looked a bit off colour last night just before bedtime, when I let them out this morning she just sat on the perch looking about tail down. I've found her later in one corner looking a little listless and tail still well down, she got up to have a look at a few strawberries I tried to tempt her with but only half heartedly pecked at them, I noticed her straining her neck forward and opening up her mouth but she only did this once over a period o 5 or so minutes. And she has lost  a little colour from her comb.

Any ideas would be appreciated please.

[poultrygeist]

Usual questions which I'm sure you've covered.

Crop full at opening time ??

Worms, lice, etc

Could it be a soft egg on its way ??
They do go very listless and stare into the distance. Stand in corners a lot and keep out of the way. Takes it out of them until it's laid then back to normal.

Hope you can get her back to her old self.

Rob  

[richyrich7]

Did wonder about worms but I flubenveted them about 4 weeks ago, she's deffo got an egg on the boil I can feel it, not sure about the crop I'll double check and see what its like now .

[richyrich7]

Nothing or very little in her crop, she's up on the perch again nodding.

[poultrygeist]

One of ours is called noddy because she did that. Had a slightly inflated crop and we think something had got stuck and was causing discomfort. Haven't seen her do it for several weeks now.

But she was still eating ok and was alright in herself. Sounds like it could be the egg causing the problems.You've got the choice now of waiting to see what she's like in the morning or examine her for any egg probs now !  :roll:

Not sure what the right thing is. Had any experience of egg binding or anything similar ?

Rob  

[Foxy]

Hi do you when she last laid?
Keep a close eye on her tommorrow -if you can feel an egg that she doesn't lay tommorrow  she might need a little help.

Keep an eye on her breathing -you mentioned her "gaping" does she seem breathless?  as this could point to an egg related problem particulary relevant if she does not lay tommorrow and you  still feel there is something there -could be an egg or fluid build-up.

Hopefully she will be fine though lay an egg and wonder what all the fuss was about!

[poultrygeist]

Hope so. Will check in tomorrow Richy to see your full report !  

Rob  

[hookfarmchickens]

First of all, is it just her, or has it spread? If it is just her, then it is something she has done and is not infectious. It sound to me like a crop impaction: has she has long grass, celery, stringy cabbage, anything stringy which could wrap itself around the crop contents and cause a blockage?
Someone else said to look at her crop, if it is solid, then it will have to be masaged out. I'll tell you how to do it if crop impaction is confirmed
A lot can be told from her poo. Is is solid, runny, frothy, yellow, brown, none of the above?
Alison

[GrannieAnnie]

Hope its not gapeworm?  But does flubenvet get rid of gape?

[SnooziSuzi]

I lost Henny Penny yesterday to a mite problem.  I hadn't realised until it was too late and she was showing the same symptoms;  tail down, not laying, comb off colour and flopped over, but not gaping.

I'd strongly recommend you check her for parasites - they literally sucked the life out of poor Penny.  That's a hard lesson I'll never forget  :cry:

[poultrygeist]

flubenvet is supposed to cover gape.

Where's Richy. Waiting for news !!  

My money's on an egg problem but my experience is somewhat limited.  :?

Hope she's better.

Rob  

[richyrich7]

Well she's still no better,Although her comb looks a little redder this morning.

 I've had a good look over her I can see no mites or lice, her poo's more or less normal slight touch of green in it .

I've had a feel of her crop and it feels empty but then she's not eating a lot there's no bad smell from her breath, I've had a gentle feel of her abdomen and I can't feel anything hard or ball like.

My 3 other hens are fine, I can't think they have had anything stringy or hard
I try to be quite careful over what they eat.

I'm really stuck  :?  always been lucky and have had very little wrong with my hens over the years.

She's in the kitchen at the mo sitting in a crisp box I'll try getting some food into her and I suppose it will be a wait and see job.

[poultrygeist]

At least she's no worse which is a good sign.

Obviously not a crop problem.
You wormed them so unlikely to be that.
No lice.
Poo ok so not poinsoned herself.

I reckon a soft or misshaped egg will appear soon. I don't think ours eat when that's happened in the past.

Could try a bit of chopped up worm or something ? There's nothign like it in teh morning.  :roll:

Rob  

[Aunt Sally]

You need to rule out egg problems Rich.  I doesn't sound like a crop problem.  They've been wormed so very unlikely to be that.  If her breathing is OK then nothing respiratory.  No symptoms of any paralysis.

Some antibiotics would be my next thought.

[richyrich7]

She's eating chopped up grapes, how does an egg feel in side a hen ?