Cochin not roosting, losing weight, etc

[JacksonPearce]

I’m at a bit of a loss as to what to do with a Cochin who has been “off” for almost six months.

She is now VERY thin. I see her scratching and pecking for food, and feel confident she isn’t being bullied out of eating. That said, I never feel like her crop is particularly full (admittedly, I am only checking sporadically at the moment). I also never see her eating from the feeder, just from the ground.

She is also no longer roosting at night. I have to go in, pick her up, and place her on a roosting bar. This is EVERY night. She nestles up on the ground in the run if I don’t move her.

She about five years old, give or take.

What I’ve tried so far:
-worming with Safeguard (which I just realized is expired, so perhaps less effective?) and later on, Ivermectin
-mite/lice treatment with Elector PSP
-flock fixed high protein food
-isolated her for about a week with only high protein food (she ate, but didn’t seem to gain much in terms of weight or energy)
-a few dishes of parrot hand feed to try and get some calories in her
-propping the treadle feeder open, just in case something about it is spooking her and preventing her from using it

I’m at a real loss, here! I hate to give antibiotics without knowing if something that warrants it is going on, but that’s about the last weapon in my tool chest. Anyone have suggestions?

I almost wonder if something has gone wrong with her sight, even though her eyes look perfectly normal to me.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

She is now VERY thin. I see her scratching and pecking for food, and feel confident she isn’t being bullied out of eating.

You can try force feeding her, or giving her a different kind of feed (though remember to transition slowly, suddenly switching feed even for one chicken can cause health issues－especially vent issues in hens). Have you seen anyone bullying her excessively? Is she at the bottom of the pecking order? It sounds like she would be.

She is also no longer roosting at night. I have to go in, pick her up, and place her on a roosting bar. This is EVERY night. She nestles up on the ground in the run if I don’t move her.

The other hens are likely knocking her off, which they do to hens who are low-ranking or ill/injured (or both). If possible, it would be good to see if she tries to get on the roost at night and gets knocked off or if she never even tries. Taking her inside and caring for her there can improve her health, or separating her from the flock.

-flock fixed high protein food

How much protein? And what else are they fed? Too much protein, along with unhealthy food, is not good for them. But it sounds like it is only that hen having problems, so I am assuming that is not it.

-a few dishes of parrot hand feed to try and get some calories in her

Try scrambling her eggs and putting a bit of red food coloring in them. Chickens love eggs, and they are attracted to red, so it may make her start eating more. I have done it every time my sick/injured chickens are not eating and it is about the only thing they will eat.

 

[ChicNmom]

Is she still laying eggs? I imagine her poop looks off and green. Just because she is scratching and pecking doesn't mean she is eating. They keep up appearances so the flock doesn't view them as weak.
She may not have the energy to roost.

Any abdominal swelling?

This has been going on for a long time and now she is in really bad shape. It's possible she may also have some kind of cancer as I would think she would be dead from a reproductive infection by now.

Sometimes when they don't eat for a long time and starvation sets in they loose the ability to feel hunger.

I would separate her. Give her some sugar water and electrolytes for energy. You may need to dip her beak in the water to get her to drink. As mentioned scrambled eggs are usually a winner. Canned cat food, tuna, oatmeal, rice. Really anything she will be good at this point.

I had an older hen that stopped eating for over a month but did bounce back once I found something (steak) that she would eat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Cochin who has been “off” for almost six months.

She is now VERY thin. I see her scratching and pecking for food, and feel confident she isn’t being bullied out of eating. That said, I never feel like her crop is particularly full (admittedly, I am only checking sporadically at the moment).

She is also no longer roosting at night.

She about five years old, give or take.

When was her last egg?

At 5yrs of age, she may be in a state of decline since this has been going on for 6 months or so. Often older hens begin to have reproductive problems or age takes its tole.

Feel her abdomen below the vent between her legs, is there any bloat or feeling of fluid?

No longer roosting at night generally indicates they are not able to roost or they are not comfortable roosting. If I have a hen that no longer wants to roost, then I make her a comfy place of her choosing, usually they pick the same spot every night, just keep the bedding fresh and clean her bum if she gets poop on her feathers.

I would see to it that she has access to food/water, that she's not being bullied or picked on. Do check her crop to see if she's going to bed with some food in the crop and that the crop is emptying overnight. Look her over for lice/mites.

If she's still moving about some, is not getting picked at and seems reasonably happy within herself for the most part, I'd let her chicken on until she no longer can.

 

[JacksonPearce]

This poor hen is still hanging on, but is so emaciated that I think we’re nearing time to dispatch her. I hate to do it since there’s not a clear injury or illness! But she is losing balance and so incredibly thin despite being separated, eating decently (not WELL, but enough that she certainly shouldn’t have still been losing weight), and kept comfortable.

I’ve got her indoors, and her balance is lousy— lots of listing left and right when standing still. I’ve made her some scrambled eggs and dosed the water with nutridrench and rescue, and syringed some to her. I also went ahead and did a dose of tylan 50 because at this point, why the hell not?
Still, any final tips and tricks? She’s not a dear pet chicken or anything, but I’m still a bit partial since I hatched her!

FWIW: There’s no bloating, no bumblefoot, no signs of breathing issues or a cold. No indications of being egg bound or similar. No injuries that I can see. Not being bullied by other chickens, as she’s been in isolation for about two months. Just VERY thin, unable to balance, and a consistent decline for the last eight months.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This poor hen is still hanging on, but is so emaciated that I think we’re nearing time to dispatch her. I hate to do it since there’s not a clear injury or illness! But she is losing balance and so incredibly thin despite being separated, eating decently (not WELL, but enough that she certainly shouldn’t have still been losing weight), and kept comfortable.

I’ve got her indoors, and her balance is lousy— lots of listing left and right when standing still. I’ve made her some scrambled eggs and dosed the water with nutridrench and rescue, and syringed some to her. I also went ahead and did a dose of tylan 50 because at this point, why the hell not?
Still, any final tips and tricks? She’s not a dear pet chicken or anything, but I’m still a bit partial since I hatched her!

FWIW: There’s no bloating, no bumblefoot, no signs of breathing issues or a cold. No indications of being egg bound or similar. No injuries that I can see. Not being bullied by other chickens, as she’s been in isolation for about two months. Just VERY thin, unable to balance, and a consistent decline for the last eight months.

I'm sorry she's not doing well.

So hard to know what's happening with her. If you have Nutri-Drench, direct oral dose her at a rate of 1cc per 3 pounds of weight for a couple of days. Giving her extra Vitamin E at a rate of 400IU daily may help with the balance.

Last ditch with Tylan 50, I agree, it's worth a try. Dose of Tylan 50 is 0.25ml per pound of weight given orally 3 times a day for 5 days in a row.

I'd let her eat whatever she fancies at this point. Normal feed, bits of eggs, canned fish (tuna, sardines, mackerel), a little beef, bit of fruit/veggies, etc.

If you lose her or determine it's her time, then having a necropsy to see what caused her decline will hopefully give you some answers. Your state lab can do that for you or if you are up to it, do your own informal one to see if you find anything obvious like tumors/cancer, etc.