Sunken breasts

[Greta A]

I have a 3 year old hen that has recently is loosing mass in her breast area. She eats fine and drinks fine. She has never been a good egg layer but I am hating no eggs from her now Any ideas on what could be happening?

 

[Greta A]

I have a 3 year old hen that has recently is loosing mass in her breast area. She eats fine and drinks fine. She has never been a good egg layer but I am hating no eggs from her now Any ideas on what could be happening?

Forgot the pics

 

[Greta A]

Forgot the pics

The first pic is now an the second is from spring

 

[Tonyroo]

Older chickens will not lay like young chickens. That's why most people replace chickens at 2 years of age to keep the steady flow of eggs coming.

As for your hen, I'm thinking improper diet for her condition while she was molting. Since she appears to be healthy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have a 3 year old hen that has recently is loosing mass in her breast area. She eats fine and drinks fine. She has never been a good egg layer but I am hating no eggs from her now Any ideas on what could be happening?

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

Sounds like poor genetics may be a consideration.

One thing is she may be going into or molting.. they won't lay eggs during that time and can lose up to 30% of their body weight as the reproductive system shrinks back in size.

I would also consider getting a fecal float to check for parasites, which could cause wasting despite the birds normal appetite. Or possibly treating with a broad spectrum wormer.

Slow wasting *CAN* be a symptom of Marek's in elder birds that showed resistance (no symptoms) when young..

Lastly, I ask what is your feed routine including treats and supplements? Just to see if there is anything that may be done to help enhance her intake nutrient level.

Spring pic looks like the rooster knows she's less fertile than the other lady in the pic.. or at least not his favored.

Hope this helps with some ideas.

 

[Greta A]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

Sounds like poor genetics may be a consideration.

One thing is she may be going into or molting.. they won't lay eggs during that time and can lose up to 30% of their body weight as the reproductive system shrinks back in size.

I would also consider getting a fecal float to check for parasites, which could cause wasting despite the birds normal appetite. Or possibly treating with a broad spectrum wormer.

Slow wasting *CAN* be a symptom of Marek's in elder birds that showed resistance (no symptoms) when young..

Lastly, I ask what is your feed routine including treats and supplements? Just to see if there is anything that may be done to help enhance her intake nutrient level.

Spring pic looks like the rooster knows she's less fertile than the other lady in the pic.. or at least not his favored.

Hope this helps with some ideas.

That was the roosters first day at my house. So they were all acting weird. He does mate with her but not much anymore. As far as Feed. I feed egg layer twice a day They probably do get more treats then normal because they have access to my compost and it is always bare by the next day

 

[mchickies]

Hello Greta A,
The most recent pic is definitely concerning in that the breastbone is very prominent, as you said. There could be several reasons, so I'll try to name all the ones I can think of from least to most problematic.

Her feathers look kinda untidy now and her crown looks smaller and paler vs. the picture in spring. Could it be that she is beginning a molt? My hens drop weight during their molt because: they feel bad; they're not as willing to fight the other hens for their food; and the feather growth is pulling from their fat/muscle stores. If she is starting a molt, you can separate her from the rest of her sisters for some "alone time" with some scrambled eggs every day. The extra protein will help her molt easier, and the fat will help her gain weight. You can also give them leftover cooked beef and even tuna.

Also, you can tell if the hen is eating well if her crop is full when she goes up on the perch at night. A hen will fill up her crop to digest overnight. Go out after dark and feel the right side of the hen's breast. If it feels like there's a small golf ball in her chest, she's eating well. If it just feels like loose skin, she isn't eating for the night. You can also feel the other hen's crops to compare.

The second thing that could be causing this is some kind of parasite is eating away at her resources. This can be worms or coccidia. If you can, the best method is to collect a few samples of her poo and take them to your vet if they do fecal floats for chickens. Mine does it for about $35 which may seem expensive, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run if you're able to get rid of the parasites before it spreads. I would call your vet to ask.

If you can't get a float test done, you can try to check her poo yourself. I know ...it's weird but true. Worms are different but coccidia will generally show up in the stools. The first thing you can do is, when you let her out in the morning, watch her poo so you can look at it, maybe take a pic so you can reference it later. Below is a pretty good guide to show you what's normal and what's not.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive/

You can also post a pic here if you're not sure. Just a note though, it is a myth that coccidia only appears in stools as blood. There are many different types of coccidia and only three (I think?) come up as blood in stools. Different hens of mine have had coccidiosis over the last few years and not one of them has ever had blood in it. In fact, none of them had the same looking poo though it was all caused by coccidia. Coccidia, at least in my case, would give my hen's poo a green color, slimy texture (vs. the natural ground up feed texture), and repulsive sulfurous smell. Every hen is different though...

Treatment for coccidia is Corid Amprollium. I use Casportpony's guide here as she's the best when it comes to med dosing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing.818879/

As for worms, sometimes you will actually see worms in the hens poo and by then, it's really bad! So, if you see a worm in her poo, you need to identify it and treat asap! If you need me to calculate dosage math for you, I can do it . But, generally speaking, you won't see worms or worm eggs in the poo even if the hen has it, so a float test is the only way to know.

The last thing I can think of is possibly a reproductive problem. You can usually tell if there's a problem if her abdomen (between and behind her legs) is swollen. A skinny chicken with a swollen/hot abdomen is usually a surefire sign she has some sort of reproductive tract infection.

I listed everything I could think of but don't get discouraged ! I'm not trying to scare you - just giving you all the possible reasons! As it stands, the hens looks (to me) like she might be in a molt, so only some extra TLC is needed. If you have any questions, feel free to message me!

 

[3KillerBs]

I feed egg layer twice a day

IMO, unless you're being very scientific about the rations and have enough room at the feeders that all birds can ABSOLUTELY eat at the same time with no possibility of dominant birds shoving subordinate birds way and/or guarding the feed against others it's best to free feed -- keeping the feeders available all hours of daylight.

I say "feeders" plural because even with the food available all day a bully might guard a single feeder. So it's best to have multiple feed and water stations arranged so that a bird at one of them can't see the birds at the other.

Also, layer feed is minimal protein and may not be sufficient to support the condition of birds who are molting.

Can you switch to a 20% all-flock feed and leave it available throughout the day to ensure that all birds get to eat as much as they need?

 

[Greta A]

IMO, unless you're being very scientific about the rations and have enough room at the feeders that all birds can ABSOLUTELY eat at the same time with no possibility of dominant birds shoving subordinate birds way and/or guarding the feed against others it's best to free feed -- keeping the feeders available all hours of daylight.

I say "feeders" plural because even with the food available all day a bully might guard a single feeder. So it's best to have multiple feed and water stations arranged so that a bird at one of them can't see the birds at the other.

Also, layer feed is minimal protein and may not be sufficient to support the condition of birds who are molting.

Can you switch to a 20% all-flock feed and leave it available throughout the day to ensure that all birds get to eat as much as they need?

There is feed left most days after all of them are done eating. The wild thurkeys get to it when they come thru

 

[Greta A]

Hello Greta A,
The most recent pic is definitely concerning in that the breastbone is very prominent, as you said. There could be several reasons, so I'll try to name all the ones I can think of from least to most problematic.

Her feathers look kinda untidy now and her crown looks smaller and paler vs. the picture in spring. Could it be that she is beginning a molt? My hens drop weight during their molt because: they feel bad; they're not as willing to fight the other hens for their food; and the feather growth is pulling from their fat/muscle stores. If she is starting a molt, you can separate her from the rest of her sisters for some "alone time" with some scrambled eggs every day. The extra protein will help her molt easier, and the fat will help her gain weight. You can also give them leftover cooked beef and even tuna.

Also, you can tell if the hen is eating well if her crop is full when she goes up on the perch at night. A hen will fill up her crop to digest overnight. Go out after dark and feel the right side of the hen's breast. If it feels like there's a small golf ball in her chest, she's eating well. If it just feels like loose skin, she isn't eating for the night. You can also feel the other hen's crops to compare.

The second thing that could be causing this is some kind of parasite is eating away at her resources. This can be worms or coccidia. If you can, the best method is to collect a few samples of her poo and take them to your vet if they do fecal floats for chickens. Mine does it for about $35 which may seem expensive, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run if you're able to get rid of the parasites before it spreads. I would call your vet to ask.

If you can't get a float test done, you can try to check her poo yourself. I know ...it's weird but true. Worms are different but coccidia will generally show up in the stools. The first thing you can do is, when you let her out in the morning, watch her poo so you can look at it, maybe take a pic so you can reference it later. Below is a pretty good guide to show you what's normal and what's not.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive/

You can also post a pic here if you're not sure. Just a note though, it is a myth that coccidia only appears in stools as blood. There are many different types of coccidia and only three (I think?) come up as blood in stools. Different hens of mine have had coccidiosis over the last few years and not one of them has ever had blood in it. In fact, none of them had the same looking poo though it was all caused by coccidia. Coccidia, at least in my case, would give my hen's poo a green color, slimy texture (vs. the natural ground up feed texture), and repulsive sulfurous smell. Every hen is different though...

Treatment for coccidia is Corid Amprollium. I use Casportpony's guide here as she's the best when it comes to med dosing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing.818879/

As for worms, sometimes you will actually see worms in the hens poo and by then, it's really bad! So, if you see a worm in her poo, you need to identify it and treat asap! If you need me to calculate dosage math for you, I can do it . But, generally speaking, you won't see worms or worm eggs in the poo even if the hen has it, so a float test is the only way to know.

The last thing I can think of is possibly a reproductive problem. You can usually tell if there's a problem if her abdomen (between and behind her legs) is swollen. A skinny chicken with a swollen/hot abdomen is usually a surefire sign she has some sort of reproductive tract infection.

I listed everything I could think of but don't get discouraged ! I'm not trying to scare you - just giving you all the possible reasons! As it stands, the hens looks (to me) like she might be in a molt, so only some extra TLC is needed. If you have any questions, feel free to message me!

Thank you for the info I will check it out. Fyi I am not squeamish around poo