Sick chicken! Lethargic, bright yellow poop!

jsmp

Hatching
Dec 8, 2016
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I have a sick hen
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Three days ago when I came home from work and fed the girls, one would not come eat and was standing leaning against a post with her eyes closed. I took her out and checked her for any wounds or mites. I couldn't find anything. I separated her and put her in a large dog crate in case she has something that could infect my other girls. I put some apple cider vinegar in her water and also put some Gatorade in there for her, along with food. She seems to be drinking and eating a little bit. Her poop is bright yellow. She lays down every chance she gets and is hardly vocal at all. Her vent looks maybe a little swollen and on her left side she has a very hard internal lump near the vent-not bones. I don't know any technical chicken terms but I felt the other birds and they don't have it. It feels like it could possibly be an egg? I've tried to research this online but haven't found anything that has helped.
She is a golden sex-link, and I have one Americana. She is 9 months old. They are let out during the day to roam around the yard. We live on a lake and it's in the upper 50's during the day right now.
I should mention that last week one of the other girls - an Americana chicken got a wound on her head and her eye was completely swollen. She stopped eating and moving around- I ended up having to put her down. I don't think she had a disease, it looked like she was attached so I do not think these are related. But these are the only two hurt chickens I've had and their illness/injuries are so close together
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Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
I have a sick hen
1f61e.png
Three days ago when I came home from work and fed the girls, one would not come eat and was standing leaning against a post with her eyes closed. I took her out and checked her for any wounds or mites. I couldn't find anything. I separated her and put her in a large dog crate in case she has something that could infect my other girls. I put some apple cider vinegar in her water and also put some Gatorade in there for her, along with food. She seems to be drinking and eating a little bit. Her poop is bright yellow. She lays down every chance she gets and is hardly vocal at all. Her vent looks maybe a little swollen and on her left side she has a very hard internal lump near the vent-not bones. I don't know any technical chicken terms but I felt the other birds and they don't have it. It feels like it could possibly be an egg? I've tried to research this online but haven't found anything that has helped.
She is a golden sex-link, and I have one Americana. She is 9 months old. They are let out during the day to roam around the yard. We live on a lake and it's in the upper 50's during the day right now.
I should mention that last week one of the other girls - an Americana chicken got a wound on her head and her eye was completely swollen. She stopped eating and moving around- I ended up having to put her down. I don't think she had a disease, it looked like she was attached so I do not think these are related. But these are the only two hurt chickens I've had and their illness/injuries are so close together
1f633.png

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Welcome to BYC.

I'm sorry you are having trouble.

When was the last time she laid an egg ?
Has she had any trouble laying eggs in the past - soft shell, extra large, shell less, etc.?
Does the yellow poop look like egg matter (yolk) - can you post a photo of the poop?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

If you have a vet that can see her that would be best.

From your description she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, tumors or cancer.
The "lump" you are feeling could possibly be an egg or some type of abscess or tumor. Unfortunately there are not many treatments for any of these. Some hens improve with supportive care, antibiotic treatment is usually not successful and short-term at best.

Make sure she is staying hydrated, if you have any, add some poultry vitamins to her water. You can try giving her a soak in a warm epsom salts bath to see if this will relax and help her move any obstruction that she may have. Sometimes you can insert a lubricated finger into the vent about 1" to see if you feel an egg that is bound up in there, but since she has been like this for several days, egg bound is unlikely (a truly egg bound hen won't usually survive more than 24hrs.).

Let us know how she's doing.

Peritonitis and internal egg laying issues:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/6-causes-of-chicken-swollen-abdomen.aspx
 
Thank you for your response.
She hasn't laid an egg in at least a week, but she has never had any issues laying, or had strange eggs before. She eats lating pellets and veggie scraps and whatever bugs she can find in the yard. The poop looks more yellow than an egg yolk and it's lighter and brighter. I haven't figured out how to post a photo yet. She is not really pooping anymore and not eating. She will drink a little if I put her beak in the water. She just lays there and doesn't open her eyes anymore. I think I will have to put her down.l due to her not eating- I don't want her to be starving herself and suffering.
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Is this something you think I should be worried about with my other hens? So far, the rest are their normal happy selves.
 

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