Lethargic hen, still eating and drinking

[Cluckcluck1215]

Hi y'all.

I have a 3 year old Rhode Island red hen. She used to be the top of the pecking order, but she's slowly gotten to the bottom of it, and is constantly bullied. It's never to the point of injury, but it does get bad.

The other night I found her hunched up outside when I went to lock up the coop. Everyone else had gone to bed, but she was hunched up outside, eyes closed, and her comb was purple.

I immediately brought her inside (in a coolish room as to not shock her system, I live in Maine and it's been in the mid to upper 30's) and she perked up a bit, but wouldn't eat or drink.

Her tail was still down and she was a bit hunchy, so I checked her for eggbound, and she was fine.
So I left her with some soaked grain and electrolyte water.

The next morning she was perfectly fine. Walking, clucking, eating like crazy and drinking water. So I put her back outside.
Later that afternoon, she looked like she was on her way out again.
So, rinse and repeat.

For the past week.

I've checked her for everything. Crop issues, eggbound, waterbelly, mites, I really doubt she has anything like cocci, her poop is pretty normal. It's a bit funnier than normal, but at this point I feel like she would be getting steadily worse rather than up and down if it was something like that.

I've been gone for the weekend, but my dad has been watching the animals, and he said he thought was going to have to put her down this morning, as she looked so poorly. But as soon as he brought her out of the coop and onto the front lawn, she started acting fine again. A bit puffed up, but fine nonetheless.

However, he said that she "threw up" some sort of liquid? He couldn't get a good look because it was on the lawn, but he said it looked mostly clear coming out.
I won't be home until tomorrow afternoon, so he just has her inside for now. But he said she's eating eggs and grain and drinking water, pooping and talking.


Honestly I'm at a loss, and I can't have a house chicken forever.
Does anyone have any sort of thoughts, opinions, advice? I'd truly appreciate it.

 

[DobieLover]

she "threw up" some sort of liquid

This may indicate a backed up crop or sour crop.
Has her crop been checked for proper function? Is it full and semi-hard at night or squishy, doughy or gassy? Is she drinking excessively?

She may have sour crop at this point. If so, I would treat her with acidified copper sulfate (ACS) for 5-7 days. That can be done by isolating her in a large wire dog crate so no one can bother her but she can still remain with the flock and putting the ACS water in there for her to drink. I would also make a mash out of a good chick starter using ACS drinking water for her to drink.

she's eating eggs and grain

What is her normal diet? The eggs are balanced. The grain is not.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

This may indicate a backed up crop or sour crop.
Has her crop been checked for proper function? Is it full and semi-hard at night or squishy, doughy or gassy? Is she drinking excessively?

She may have sour crop at this point. If so, I would treat her with acidified copper sulfate (ACS) for 5-7 days. That can be done by isolating her in a large wire dog crate so no one can bother her but she can still remain with the flock and putting the ACS water in there for her to drink. I would also make a mash out of a good chick starter using ACS drinking water for her to drink.

What is her normal diet? The eggs are balanced. The grain is not.

I also thought she could have sour crop, but she does not have sour or impacted crop. I've checked her every night, and it's normal. I have treated birds with both in the past, so I know what to look for.


Her normal diet is layer crumbles. We just call it grain up here.