Very poorly 6 year old lady :(

[rachelb]

Over the last week I've watched one of my fav hens (road island cross) become poorly. Her beautiful red comb has now flopped to one side, her droppings are white & watery, she is not eating v much & she hardly stands at all. She seems to have lost all strength in her legs. Her tail is definitely pointing downwards & her whole body appears to be drooping. I moved her to a quiet place with fresh waster & food but am unsure of my next step (if there is one). Can anyone suggestion anything please...

 

[MrsBrooke]

Have you checked her for mites and/or lice around her vent and ears? Too many external parasites can cause anemia in birds.

When was the last time you wormed your flock?

Do you have a picture of her runny, white poops?

It's possible, though a little more rare, that she's suffering from kidney issues.

Hope this helps!

MrsB

 

[rachelb]

Thank you Mrs B. I've never wormed her. I've had a problem with red mite. Will try & photograph her poo! Offered her some sweet corn tonight which she ate and loved.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Do you treat your girls often?

Does it feel like her abdomen is very, unusually "full" like a water balloon? Have you seen any bloody poops or poops with intensely green droppings?

Does she have a lump near her vent? Any masses in her belly that shouldn't be there?

I would take a fecal sample to a vet to determine if there are worms or eggs present... I'm unsure what anthelmintics are available in the UK, but I know we can purchase locally or order Valbazen liquid goat wormer online and pick up Corid/Amprolium (treats Coccidiosis) at local feed stores.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/valbazen-broad-spectrum-dewormer






MrsB

 

[rachelb]

Do you mean giving them treats? They have spinach, bread and a little sweet corn but not v much.

 

[Chickenchick11]

This is likely not the cause, but I'll throw it out there anyways. The oxalic acid in spinach binds with calcium and prevents the chicken from being able to absorb the calcium as well as it should. But by adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to a spinach salad, the stomach acids are increased, which helps with absorption of not only calcium but other minerals and nutrients. Low stomach acid prevents proper absorption, so the acetic acid in the ACV raises the stomach acids and boosts absorption.

 

[rachelb]

Thank you chickenchick11, I'll stop the spinach and hope that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

If she is a couple of years old, she could be suffering from a reproductive disorder such as internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, cancer , or others. They can feel poorly, have trouble walking or waddle, have runny droppings, and lay infrequently if at all. Cooked yolk looking material is sometimes seen in droppings. It's hard to diagnose without an Xray, or without a necropsy after death. I would worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer, offer her some raw or cooked egg with her feed, and put some vitamins with a probiotic into her water or feed. Many feeds are starting to contain probiotics in them nowadays. Here is some info on reproductive problems:
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis

 

[rachelb]

I can hardly write this without feeling nauseous. My hen appears to be looking a little better following 3 days of nutri drops, however I decided to try & clean her messy back end up. What did I find but a hole almost the size of her vent below her vent from which maggots are appearing. I have bathed her underside in warm clear water but now what?

 

[Chickenchick11]

I can hardly write this without feeling nauseous. My hen appears to be looking a little better following 3 days of nutri drops, however I decided to try & clean her messy back end up. What did I find but a hole almost the size of her vent below her vent from which maggots are appearing. I have bathed her underside in warm clear water but now what?

It sounds like your girl has flystrike, which happens when a fly lays eggs on the hens rear, the eggs then hatch into maggots which burrow into the hens flesh. When it happens it's often because the hen had a dirty poopy rear which attracted the flies. Type "Flystrike" into the search bar and some treatment options should come up. Good luck!