Chicken one eye closed and lethargic please help

[EChicky]

Hi, one of my chickens (7 months old) has recently been acting strange. She always has one eye closed, is more calm, and seems a little wobbly. In addition, when she poops it comes out really small and sometimes runny and she makes a squeaky sound. She isn't as big as her sister who is the same age. I'm worried about her since she has been the sweetest chick. Is there anything I can do to help her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd try giving her some molasses water, see if that helps move things if she's constipated.

Dissolve 1tsp Molasses in 1/4cup of warm water and have her drink it all or syringe it into her. Molasses has a laxative affect, so I'm not sure if this will help or not, you may find that she just pushes out a lot of liquid (has runny poop).

Do provide fresh plain water for her to drink after giving the Molasses.

If you are able to remove more material or she poops/expels material on her own, try to get photos.

I'm still uncertain if what you see if hardened poop or perhaps lash material. Lash Egg is inflammation of the Oviduct and there's a caseous multilayered exude that can build up in the Oviduct and reproductive system. This material can block the reproductive system, there's no cure. Best case is she's able to expel some material and be more comfortable, antibiotics can be given to help fight inflammation and infection, but eventually a hen will succumb to the condition.

 

[Tookie]

What’s her diet?
Is she eating and drinking?
How long has she been acting like that?
When was her last egg?
How is she wobbly? Not walking straight?
When does she make that sqeak noise? Could you possibly get a video of her doing it?

For her eye, all I would do for now is rinse it out with saline a few times a day.

 

[Tookie]

View attachment 3716815

It could just be urates, or possibly a lash egg, maybe. But I honestly don’t see anything too concerning.

We plan on giving her an epsom salt bath

Good idea! Make sure after you do that she doesn’t get cold.

 

[EChicky]

Is she pooping, is the poop whole or just runny?

Is she weak?

I agree with @Tookie it may be lash material she's trying to push out. I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate tablet daily for a few days, see if this will help her push out what's in there, if it's in the oviduct.

She is pooping but it is small and looks hard to pass. It is like mini versions of regular poops. She has always been weaker then the other chickens but even more now.

 

[Eggcessive]

600mg calcium is good for now, but I would try to get one with vitamin D. It might be a lash egg stuck in the vent. Calcium might help that to be passed. Lubricate the vent with a bit of oil.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is pooping but it is small and looks hard to pass. It is like mini versions of regular poops. She has always been weaker then the other chickens but even more now.

Also we were thinking maybe it is vent gleet?

Okay. So we have her a bath and noticed that the yellow object looks hard. It is almost like it is clogging her vent. I want to remove it but don’t know if that is the best solution. What should I do?View attachment 3717479View attachment 3717485

Try lubricating the vent and giving her the calcium.

I have seen where some of have slowly picked material out of the vent with something like a popsicle stick, but that would be up to you whether you want to attempt something like that.
I'd lean toward her having lash material in there, but it's possible she's got a hard piece of stool lodged in there.

Doesn't look like Vent Gleet.

I agree with @Tookie it may be lash material she's trying to push out. I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate tablet daily for a few days, see if this will help her push out what's in there, if it's in the oviduct.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi, one of my chickens (7 months old) has recently been acting strange. She always has one eye closed, is more calm, and seems a little wobbly. In addition, when she poops it comes out really small and sometimes runny and she makes a squeaky sound. She isn't as big as her sister who is the same age. I'm worried about her since she has been the sweetest chick. Is there anything I can do to help her?

I'd make sure she's got grit available free choice.

Give her some applesauce if she won't eat the coconut chunks. This may help with constipation.

The eye, open it up, flush it out with saline and see if there's anything in it.

Do you know if she was vaccinated for Marek's?

I'd focus on her eating/drinking, encourage hydration. Layer feed is o.k. at her age, but it sounds like she may be failing to thrive very well. You can try giving her extra protein and vitamins to see if those make a difference. Give her 1/4 tablet B-Complex and 400IU Vitamin E daily for a couple of weeks. For extra protein, egg, fish or meat are good to give, a small amount every few days.

 

[Tookie]

She is taking the coconut oil very well and has been for 2 days, but I noticed a small yellow rock shaped thing inside her vent. She still is struggling to poop but it is getting a little better. Any ideas what this could be?

Could you get a picture if possible?

 

[Tookie]

Is it okay to give her save a chick electrolytes in her water?

Yes, that’d be okay!