Emergency: Chicken laying head down, diarrhea, pretty sick suddenly

[Bdfarm]

For a couple of days my 3 year old flock of white leghorn hens have had a bit of poop sticking to them. I assumed maybe worms and was going to get wormer today. This afternoon when I went to check on them 1 girl was sitting under their outdoor (penned) roost looking listless. I moved her to my emergency "hospital". As I picked her up, white and clear stinky runny poop ran out of her. I put some Sulmet in water for her, but she is not interested so far. She is mostly just lying there chest down, head down, eyes closed. Her comb is somewhat purple, but those are the only symptoms so far. Any idea what I am looking at and what treatment I should use? Treating her myself, no chicken vets around me. And assume would need to treat whole flock with something? I think she is in a pretty bad way.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you changed their food recently? What are you feeding including any treats? Chickens can get messy vents just from the dropping not clearing their bottoms, especially if they are having looser stools. Drinking more water than usual can cause runny stools. Since one is acting listless, I would feel of her crop now and again in the morning, to see if it has emptied. Does this hen lay eggs? Is her tail position up or down? Reproductive or crop disorders can lead to not feeling so well. Probiotics can sometimes help with diarrhea. Giving a one time meal of cooked rice with buttermilk or plain yogurt might firm up the droppings. I would consider worming them if you haven’t done so recently. Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer are good ones. Tell me if you need dosages.

 

[Bdfarm]

Same food as always, some layer pellets and some mash from our local feedstore that mixes their own feed. I have another separate group of hens that are fed the same and none of them have the poopy butts. They look great and very healthy. No treats recently. I'll check her crop. Not sure if she is laying right now. I have been getting 3 or 4 eggs a day from the 8. Not sure on tail position, she's laying down. I'll try some rice with yogurt. I have Panacur horse dewormer 25 gram paste 10% (100mg/g) to be given at 2.3 mg/lb and Panacur canine dewormer 1gram pack per 10 lbs, in stock here at home. Would I be able to use either of those or should I get the liquid you mentioned? Thank you so much for responding. I just don't know what to do. I've had chickens for years, but very rarely have any medical issues with them.

 

[Eggcessive]

The horse paste is the same dosage as the goat wormer, both are 10%. I would give 0.25 ml (1/4 ml) per pound given for 5 days for most all worms. Or give it once and then in 10 days for roundworms only.

 

[Bdfarm]

The horse paste is the same dosage as the goat wormer, both are 10%. I would give 0.25 ml (1/4 ml) per pound given for 5 days for most all worms. Or give it once and then in 10 days for roundworms only.

Thank you. I did just give her and the others Corid in their water as my husband (a beef farmer) thinks they have Coccidiosis. We divided it down to 1/4 oz. per 1 1/2 gallon water, change daily for 5 days. We'll see if that helps. Meantime I could also worm them. Probably would do best to get the liquid goat wormer as it might be hard to get the paste in to 8 chickens, right? I wasn't thinking about that! Maybe do that when finished with the Corid? Meantime I've got to try to get her interested in drinking. She just sits there. I'll try to give her some yogurt and rice and see if she'll take it.

 

[Eggcessive]

The horse paste or the liquid goat wormer (shake well) can be drawn up into a syringe. Try dipping her beak into a small cup of the water to get her started. Let us know how she gets along.