Lethargic hen - is this vent gleet?

[firechicken76]

Hello all,

I have a hen who seemed a little off yesterday. She's almost 1.5 years old. She had some whitish/yellowish discharge around her vent, so we thought it was vent gleet. It was late in the day (almost sunset). Gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she perked up. Was able to get on the roost by herself and got off by herself this morning.

This morning when we went out to let the girls out, she seems worse. The rest of the flock seems fine. She was in a nesting box when we went out, so we know she jumped off the roost and then jumped into the box at some point. Standing up with her butt facing the outside of the box.

Gave her another warm epsom salt bath. Doesn't seem to have done much. She has some redness about 2" under her vent. Her crop also seems swollen when she's being held, but it's not hard. Pictures of both areas attached. We don't think it's an egg binding issue because we couldn't feel an egg in her abdomen. Her abdomen is soft with no hard spots we could feel.

She had no discharge this morning from what we could tell.

She's able to stand on her own, but doesn't want to move around much. She seems to be breathing fine - not panting. She's mostly keeping her eyes closed like she's sleeping. Won't drink when we dip her beak in water (mixed with sugar, ACV, vitamins E and B). Doesn't seem interested in food.

At a loss of what to do to help her. We did separate her from the rest of the flock this morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she has been molting or recently was broody.The red area looks like she has some pin feathers that have been feather picked, or could have pecked her own feathers. Does her belly under her vent seem enlarged? Has she been laying recently? Check her crop first thing in the morning to see if it has emptied overnight. If she is molting, she doesn’t feel well. Offer some plain water and a little soft egg and wet mushy chicken feed (just mix a little at a time.) Let us know how her crop is in the AM.

 

[firechicken76]

She was neither molting nor recently broody. Those were the only areas missing feathers.

She unfortunately passed away about an hour ago. If anybody knows what this could have been and how to treat it, would greatly appreciate that knowledge.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She had some whitish/yellowish discharge around her vent, so we thought it was vent gleet. It was late in the day (almost sunset). Gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she perked up.

She was neither molting nor recently broody. Those were the only areas missing feathers.

She unfortunately passed away about an hour ago. If anybody knows what this could have been and how to treat it, would greatly appreciate that knowledge.

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.

Perhaps she was having a hard time expelling an egg or she may have been suffering from a reproductive disorder like so many laying hen do.

Unfortunately these are just guesses. The only way to know what caused her to decline is to have a necropsy. This can be done through your state lab or if you are up to it, you can do your own informal investigation to see if you find something obvious. Many of us do our own, sometimes we can tell what happened, other times it remains a puzzle. If you wish to do your own, then post photos of what you see, we'll try to help you.

You can find your lab here:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...Gi1yAOpFiKCnKCopvSEMjAc1rScAHIrKMBNIknIdjQo_t
Video of internals, this is helpful:

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. If you can keep her body cold, contact the state vet and take or send her body in for a necropsy. That is the best way to know what she died from. A home necropsy could be done if you take pictures of her organs to post here, but the state vet one is best.

 

[firechicken76]

Thank y'all for the responses. She lived a good life. Just not as long as we would have hoped.

She's already buried so I guess it'll remain a mystery.

 

[Goldendreams]

Hello all,

I have a hen who seemed a little off yesterday. She's almost 1.5 years old. She had some whitish/yellowish discharge around her vent, so we thought it was vent gleet. It was late in the day (almost sunset). Gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she perked up. Was able to get on the roost by herself and got off by herself this morning.

This morning when we went out to let the girls out, she seems worse. The rest of the flock seems fine. She was in a nesting box when we went out, so we know she jumped off the roost and then jumped into the box at some point. Standing up with her butt facing the outside of the box.

Gave her another warm epsom salt bath. Doesn't seem to have done much. She has some redness about 2" under her vent. Her crop also seems swollen when she's being held, but it's not hard. Pictures of both areas attached. We don't think it's an egg binding issue because we couldn't feel an egg in her abdomen. Her abdomen is soft with no hard spots we could feel.

She had no discharge this morning from what we could tell.

She's able to stand on her own, but doesn't want to move around much. She seems to be breathing fine - not panting. She's mostly keeping her eyes closed like she's sleeping. Won't drink when we dip her beak in water (mixed with sugar, ACV, vitamins E and B). Doesn't seem interested in food.

At a loss of what to do to help her. We did separate her from the rest of the flock this morning.

Try fluconzole. Dont fear using a lot. I bought fish ones but Reef wasnt working as well