Poorly chicken

[chickenNutter]

I have a flock of 11 chickens and a cockerel, most of them cream Legbar in two large covered runs currently joined as one with two coops.  The cockerel and all but 4 of the Legbar are in one run and the other 4 who I think are low down the pecking order go in the other.  One Legbar is always the first to go to roost every night in this run and for the last 2 weeks spending a lot of time sitting around often with her eyes closed and a bit puffed up.  and carrying her wings low.  She is eating and drinking fine but just appears depressed.  In case she was ill I brought her indoors for the last 5 days but she didn’t develop any symptoms and just appeared depressed.  Can bottom of the pecking order get depressed.  Any illnesses you can think of that show nothing but lethargy?  Mystified.  

[Beantree]

Usually the bottom of the pecking order is running about avoiding the others. What you describe is typical of illness, like a heavy worm burden, sour crop or egg bound? What are her poos like? Has she any abdominal swelling? Have you checked her throat for cankers?

[chickenNutter]

She has been wormed and her crop was quite full early on in the day , so considered impacted crop as it was full and fairly firm.  After giving syringe of water, massage etc it softened immediately and emptying the crop only produced a few drops of water.  There isn’t a strong smell to suggest sour crop.  I will check for plaques in her mouth for plaques, but I think it will be a vet visit on Monday. ☹️

[Luvachicken]

She does sound poorly rather than depressed to me.

How old is she ? It could be an age thing ?

I hope she manages to get sorted at the vets on Monday.

Let us know how she gets on.