Hoping someone can advise me please

[KIWI CHICK]

One of my girls, Cilla Red, is not very well. Her tail is down, and she is so lethargic that she just sits where she is.

I know coccidiosis only/usually affects young birds, but up to what age? Cilla is nearly a year old and maybe she is too old?

Her belly is soft and squishy and I cannot feel an egg in there. There us a wee bit of yellowish poop stuck to her feathers on her bottom but no blood. She is just sitting around with her wings out.

Oh I have have given her a dose of wormer and syringed water into her mouth.

I will go and get some coxiprol (our equivalent of corid) for her tomorrow...is there anything else I can get?

Thank you for any suggestions!

 

[KIWI CHICK]

And I should say that she is totally free-range so definitely not over-crowded. I cleaned out the house (Cluckingham Palace) last weekend and sprayed it with ripcord, so the deep litter has just started again...there is only hay and a few grass clippings in the chook house.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would insert a finger a few centimeters inside her vent to feel for a stuck egg. The cocci medication is a good idea. Symptoms of coccidiosis are sleepiness, runny droppings with mucus or blood, refusal to eat, and puffing up or hunching. How long since she has laid an egg? Reproductive problems such as internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis are common. Will she eat some chopped egg, tuna, or treats? Is she drinking water okay? Is her crop empty or full? Check her skin for mites and lice as well.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

While coccidiosis is typically seen in younger birds, adults can still develop it. It's important to isolate the symptomatic chicken. If you haven't already seen it, there's a helpful BYC thread on the topic: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coccidiosis-how-to-treat-it.

Amprolium is commonly used to treat coccidiosis. The BYC thread above recommends supplementing with vitamins after the amprolium treatment; the Merck Veterinary Manual states "antibiotics and increased levels of vitamins A and K are sometimes used in the ration to improve rate of recovery and prevent secondary infections" (http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html).

Since coccidiosis can kill chickens very rapidly, immediate treatment is the prudent approach. If you have poop pictures, posting them on BYC may help with visual confirmation of coccidiosis.

Best wishes for Cilla's recovery.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

I would insert a finger a few centimeters inside her vent to feel for a stuck egg. The cocci medication is a good idea. Symptoms of coccidiosis are sleepiness, runny droppings with mucus or blood, refusal to eat, and puffing up or hunching. How long since she has laid an egg? Reproductive problems such as internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis are common. Will she eat some chopped egg, tuna, or treats? Is she drinking water okay? Is her crop empty or full? Check her skin for mites and lice as well.

I did check her crop and it is completely empty. I didn't put my finger in her vent, but I had a feel on the outside of her tummy to see if I could feel an egg and I couldn't feel anything hard. Her pin bones are wide apart and I know she has been laying.

I couldn't see any lice or mites on her when I checked earlier on tonight. There shouldn't be any red mites in the chook house as I took out all the deep litter last weekend and sprayed it with ripcord.

She is going to have chopped egg and cat food for breakfast so that should tempt her surely?! She was wormed tonight and I will get the cocci medication tomorrow morning. I will see if they have electrolyte meds at the store too otherwise I will concoct something up myself.

Thank you for both of your replies.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Arrggghhhh! None of the farm stores here sell corid/coxiprol, and nor do the vets so I am have ordered some from Trademe (our equivalent of ebay). The only think I can think of doing for her in the meantime is giving her some medicated chick food in with her cat food and smashed up egg for brekkie. Any other ideas?

 

[chickens really]

All I will say is what I would do.....STOP all meds....Pick up a Probiotic for Birds...Feed only specific Chicken feed and cut out all treats for entire flock...Remove the hay and grass clippings.....

Good luck...

Cheers!