Older chicken sleeps a lot, moves slow and puffs out her feathers as if cold

[SputniksChickens]

Hello,

I rescue three older chickens last year. Not sure on exact age. Two of them are more active than one. One of them “Sage” has been walking very slow, will sleep with her feathers puffed out as if cold and it’s been in the 90s the last week and a half. She also has been popping diarrhea which I understand can be from the heat. How do I know if she is sick or just old? In worried she is sick and not just old. She is still eating and drinking water from what I can tell.

 

[LandonE]

how old is she it could be she's just nearing the end of her life

 

[SputniksChickens]

how old is she it could be she's just nearing the end of her life

That’s the hard part I don’t know. They were rescued and all we were told is that they are not egg laying anymore.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello,

I rescue three older chickens last year. Not sure on exact age. Two of them are more active than one. One of them “Sage” has been walking very slow, will sleep with her feathers puffed out as if cold and it’s been in the 90s the last week and a half. She also has been popping diarrhea which I understand can be from the heat. How do I know if she is sick or just old? In worried she is sick and not just old. She is still eating and drinking water from what I can tell.

Please post photos of her and her poop? One while she's got her feathers puffed out too!

Are you in the U.S. or?

Is she an Ex Batt or where was she rescued from?

Does she make any noises when she's puffed up?

Since it's hot, I'd start working on hydration, electrolytes in one water station would be good. Do provide plain water too.

Check her crop to see if it's emptying overnight.

Look for lice/mites.

I would not discount an old hen laying eggs. Do you provide a source of Calcium for the hens? I'd be inclined to give her 1 Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet once daily for 3-5 days just to see if she's having trouble expelling an egg.

Hens can and do continue to lay eggs even when "old".

 

[SputniksChickens]

Please post photos of her and her poop? One while she's got her feathers puffed out too!

Are you in the U.S. or?

Is she an Ex Batt or where was she rescued from?

Does she make any noises when she's puffed up?

Since it's hot, I'd start working on hydration, electrolytes in one water station would be good. Do provide plain water too.

Check her crop to see if it's emptying overnight.

Look for lice/mites.

I would not discount an old hen laying eggs. Do you provide a source of Calcium for the hens? I'd be inclined to give her 1 Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet once daily for 3-5 days just to see if she's having trouble expelling an egg.

Hens can and do continue to lay eggs even when "old".

Thank you for your reply. I did notice lice on one of my chickens but a couple not many and not in her. We sprayed them all with poultry protector. I offered grit and oyster shells to her and she didn’t eat any. She is full eating and drinking water. She just moves really slow and kind of stays to herself. I did notice another chicken bullying her but not bad. Shell ocean at her if she comes near but won’t follow her or continue as long as she keeps distance.

She has a lot of diarrhea and it has been in the 90s here but all my other chickens seem active besides her. I’ve been putting electrolytes in their water.

I’ve added picture of sage and the poop. She hasn’t puffed her feathers today and it’s almost like she a little better and than not.

I also felt her crop and it does feel squishy and big. So maybe sour crop?

Ugh I treat my chickens like family and I’m so frustrated that I don’t have a chicken vet near me to check her out.

I appreciate any help!

 

[LandonE]

Thank you for your reply. I did notice lice on one of my chickens but a couple not many and not in her. We sprayed them all with poultry protector. I offered grit and oyster shells to her and she didn’t eat any. She is full eating and drinking water. She just moves really slow and kind of stays to herself. I did notice another chicken bullying her but not bad. Shell ocean at her if she comes near but won’t follow her or continue as long as she keeps distance.

She has a lot of diarrhea and it has been in the 90s here but all my other chickens seem active besides her. I’ve been putting electrolytes in their water.

I’ve added picture of sage and the poop. She hasn’t puffed her feathers today and it’s almost like she a little better and than not.

I also felt her crop and it does feel squishy and big. So maybe sour crop?

Ugh I treat my chickens like family and I’m so frustrated that I don’t have a chicken vet near me to check her out.

I appreciate any help!

watery poop is from them drinking more because of the hot weather and check her crock right in the morning before they get fed to see if it sour crop

 

[SputniksChickens]

watery poop is from them drinking more because of the hot weather and check her crock right in the morning before they get fed to see if it sour crop

Thank you! I appreciate your advice. I will check her in the morning to see if her crop is full.

 

[Rowanh16]

Thank you for your reply. I did notice lice on one of my chickens but a couple not many and not in her. We sprayed them all with poultry protector. I offered grit and oyster shells to her and she didn’t eat any. She is full eating and drinking water. She just moves really slow and kind of stays to herself. I did notice another chicken bullying her but not bad. Shell ocean at her if she comes near but won’t follow her or continue as long as she keeps distance.

She has a lot of diarrhea and it has been in the 90s here but all my other chickens seem active besides her. I’ve been putting electrolytes in their water.

I’ve added picture of sage and the poop. She hasn’t puffed her feathers today and it’s almost like she a little better and than not.

I also felt her crop and it does feel squishy and big. So maybe sour crop?

Ugh I treat my chickens like family and I’m so frustrated that I don’t have a chicken vet near me to check her out.

I appreciate any help!

try to make sure she’s eating since that poop looks like just water. i started soaking some food for my older hens which helped her for the last month or so. it sounds like she’s just getting ready to pass though. add a ramp up to the roost so she can still get up there if you don’t have a ramp already. i bathed my hen and painted her nails around this time with kid safe nail polish so she’d be dolled up when she went and that helped me get some quality time before she went so i would recommend that.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I also felt her crop and it does feel squishy and big. So maybe sour crop?

We sprayed them all with poultry protector. I offered grit and oyster shells to her and she didn’t eat any. She is full eating and drinking water.

Oyster Shell and grit should be provided free choice. Oyster shell is not a quick uptake for Calcium, this is why I suggest what I do.

The poop doesn't look very good. Take a sample to your vet and have a fecal float performed to rule out worms.

If the crop is not emptying overnight, then address that symptom according to this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I would not discount an old hen laying eggs. Do you provide a source of Calcium for the hens? I'd be inclined to give her 1 Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet once daily for 3-5 days just to see if she's having trouble expelling an egg.