Is this normal chicken behavior? I think she's sick!

ChickensAreSweet said:

Hi I was on the other thread but I just wanted to say that worming medications are very hard on hens. So if you can afford to do so, a poo sample to the vet would be great. If she is on the verge of dying from something other than worms, the worming medication might kill her. But the thing is, that worms can kill too. I have lost chickens to worms.

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Ok, that is good to know. I'll call the vet as soon as they open. I used to work at one & I know fecal tests aren't much at all, atl least for a dog so hopefully they wouldn't be anymore for a chicken. I just hope he will do it without wanting to see her. Thank you for telling me.

Self loading baggage said:

I believe the green poop our chicken had while she was sick was bright green. From what I remember, it was due to excess bile (due to lack of eating and drinking). And that didn't even come until after we began to rehydrate her with the vinegar water. I think that was a good sign that she pooped. It slowly began to change back to a normal color, frequency and texture, with the rehydration process (she began to eat a little more also)
We also massaged her crop and watched that closely. We thought initially she had a sour crop....still don't know if that was the problem....because she had food in her crop the next day, where it should have moved through her GI tract.
I believe the vinegar and rehydration was the key to her recovery....I hope it works if you try it. I will keep my fingers crossed!!

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I'm getting the vinegar this morning, I could at least start that while waiting for the fecal results! I'm worried about her not drinking very much, especially since I put vitamins in her water and this way she could get something good in her. Thank you again, so much!!

Just wondering how your girl is doing?

Self loading baggage said:

Just wondering how your girl is doing?

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She ended up passing Friday morning. It was worms b/c they came out in her poop even though I had a fecal sample checked. As soon as I saw it I started her on dewormer but it was too late. She died about 7 hrs after starting it. I updated it on my other thread about her in emergencies, etc. I thought that I had done it on here too but I guess not, I'm sorry. Thank you for checking on her though! At least she isn't suffering anymore.

These two are sleeping:




The pullet below is sick. Note how her comb is flopped over. This is not normal for her. She kept away from the others, and the flock avoided her. She was not coughing or sneezing and relatively quiet. She was easy to pick up. She had a sour crop which required sedation and lavage. After three days in the chicken hospital in my house, she returned to the flock.

parkerpeeps7 said:

She ended up passing Friday morning. It was worms b/c they came out in her poop even though I had a fecal sample checked. As soon as I saw it I started her on dewormer but it was too late. She died about 7 hrs after starting it. I updated it on my other thread about her in emergencies, etc. I thought that I had done it on here too but I guess not, I'm sorry. Thank you for checking on her though! At least she isn't suffering anymore.

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I am sorry to hear about her. I learm more and more as I read through this forum, unfortunalty, sometimes it is at other peoples (chickens) expense.
I hope that she brought you much joy and happiness while she was with you.

Self loading baggage said:

I am sorry to hear about her. I learm more and more as I read through this forum, unfortunalty, sometimes it is at other peoples (chickens) expense.
I hope that she brought you much joy and happiness while she was with you.

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Thank you. I know what you mean though.
She sure did & I miss her. Thank you again for checking on her.

What kind of vinegar did you use? Do you have an idea of what the chicken was sick with? THNKS

My BO has had this same exact behavior for almost three weeks now..shes slowly wasting away only eating yogurt mixed with olive oil or little bits of tomato, grit, she pecks at the ground a tad.. (honestly surprised shes still alive) I cannot recall the last time I saw her eat any crumble. I've always used DE to prevent worms and ACV in the water to prevent any slime in the nipple dripper jug. She's only 24 weeks, has never laid an egg. (her Rock flockmate started laying two weeks ago and is totally healthy!) her vent looks small puckering a little, watery whitesh poo most of the time(like cooked egg whites), slightly yellowish at times and sometimes theres some brown, no blood, no worms. I almost certain she must have EYP?!? I've been researching and checking her for everything! She is so bony now it's hard to tell anything on her..Ugh feel like I'm just prolonging the inevitable :-( So saddening to see her this way..she was my TOP girl in the beginning!