Help, sick chicken!

[JollyChickenLady]

My 9 month old EE is ill. She didn't lay yesterday (not unusual), then laid a perfect egg early this morning. Not unusual for her to lay early if she didn't lay day before. Then list evening she was back in the nest box very late, 7 pm. That's never happened for her. I noticed she was way less active once she got out of the box. She didn't lay another egg. She was drinking a lot of water, then started to look lethargic. I brought her in & started doing warm epson salt soaks x 2. Massaged her crop, it feels empty. I didn't feel any egg. Tried to give her scrambled egg with ground egg shells & she won't eat. She's also drooling from her mouth/beak at times. Did have a watery non bloody poop after one of the soaks. No other chickens ill. She hasn't had any issued lately. The only thing different in feeding is that I've been putting out chick grower in morning because some 10 week old chicks kept eating the layer pellets so I was making sure they got their grower. This older hen & her sisters do eat the grower feed, but also have free choice oyster shells that they eat.... although I've never seen this chicken eat them? (I've seen the other older hens eat oyster shells frequently)...... Is she egg bound? What can I do??

 

[BastyPutt]

Hello there

Sorry to hear about this gal. Lots of good info there, and definitely some strange behavior and it sounds like you monitor them closely in general, nice work. So far, everything you've detailed aside from the behavior isnt telling. Obviously an empty crop at night tells you what you already know, which she hasn't been eating. An increase in water intake is something, but still a bit broad

I'm going to ask a few more specific questions here. If you have a minute to go through them, it will help us in getting her back on her feet!

Can you attach a picture of her next poop?

How long ago did you introduce the new chickens to her? Did you have any health issues with them at all if you brought them up from chicks? What about any recent issues with anyone else in the flock?

Spread her feathers on her neck, and read end to where you can see the base of them. Do you see any bugs? Lice, mites?

Feel her keel (breast) does it feel like it is protruding or pointy? Like she has been losing weight.

How do her eyes look? Foamy, swollen?

Does she have any labored breathing, weezing or sneezing? Check her nose for any mucous build up, also the inside of her beak for anything that looks abnormal.

Side note - in terms of feed - a good way to go with the current makeup of your flock is a feed called "flock raiser" or "all flock". It is a good general feed that is intended for different ages together and/or species. Like you are already doing, you'll want to supplemebt some oyster shells along with it.

 

[JollyChickenLady]

Hello there

Sorry to hear about this gal. Lots of good info there, and definitely some strange behavior and it sounds like you monitor them closely in general, nice work. So far, everything you've detailed aside from the behavior isnt telling. Obviously an empty crop at night tells you what you already know, which she hasn't been eating. An increase in water intake is something, but still a bit broad

I'm going to ask a few more specific questions here. If you have a minute to go through them, it will help us in getting her back on her feet!

Can you attach a picture of her next poop?

How long ago did you introduce the new chickens to her? Did you have any health issues with them at all if you brought them up from chicks? What about any recent issues with anyone else in the flock?

Spread her feathers on her neck, and read end to where you can see the base of them. Do you see any bugs? Lice, mites?

Feel her keel (breast) does it feel like it is protruding or pointy? Like she has been losing weight.

How do her eyes look? Foamy, swollen?

Does she have any labored breathing, weezing or sneezing? Check her nose for any mucous build up, also the inside of her beak for anything that looks abnormal.

Side note - in terms of feed - a good way to go with the current makeup of your flock is a feed called "flock raiser" or "all flock". It is a good general feed that is intended for different ages together and/or species. Like you are already doing, you'll want to supplemebt some oyster shells along with it.

Thanks for responding. She actually looks way better this morning. I didn’t see an egg in her crate but there was a some gummy yellow stuff ….? She ate scrambled eggs & took egg yolk with electrolyte water …..then was acting hungry so I gave her some scratch/grubs & she went crazy eating it! Seems to have more energy & is acting a little sassy (which is more her personality)….. there wasn’t that much poop in the crate this morning ….just a couple small non bloody darker ones…. Then after she ate some, she had a GIANT greenish, watery, kinda explosive poop…… (on my leg )….. no odor or anything….and then continued to perk up….. maybe she was constipated?? Does that happen?? .

I integrated the younger flock over 2 week time about 6 weeks ago. They were in a separate coop with their own run within the bigger run. See-no touch method. No other illness with anyone else at any point.

No evidence of mites. I do mix red pepper flakes into their food & add food grade DE occasionally to keep worms away.

Eyes look bright, no wheezing, no respiratory issues. She was drooling out her beak last night but not this morning. Comb is red ….

I think she’s out of the woods ? Hopefully she continues to improve. This was my first sickness in my flock! It’s so hard to know what to do!

 

[BastyPutt]

Thanks for responding. She actually looks way better this morning. I didn’t see an egg in her crate but there was a some gummy yellow stuff ….? She ate scrambled eggs & took egg yolk with electrolyte water …..then was acting hungry so I gave her some scratch/grubs & she went crazy eating it! Seems to have more energy & is acting a little sassy (which is more her personality)….. there wasn’t that much poop in the crate this morning ….just a couple small non bloody darker ones…. Then after she ate some, she had a GIANT greenish, watery, kinda explosive poop…… (on my leg )….. no odor or anything….and then continued to perk up….. maybe she was constipated?? Does that happen?? .

I integrated the younger flock over 2 week time about 6 weeks ago. They were in a separate coop with their own run within the bigger run. See-no touch method. No other illness with anyone else at any point.

No evidence of mites. I do mix red pepper flakes into their food & add food grade DE occasionally to keep worms away.

Eyes look bright, no wheezing, no respiratory issues. She was drooling out her beak last night but not this morning. Comb is red ….

I think she’s out of the woods ? Hopefully she continues to improve. This was my first sickness in my flock! It’s so hard to know what to do!

This is all good news. Of anything, behavior is the best indicator. Just like us, they can be off for a day.

As a matter of fact, chickens can constipate - and usually because of too much protein. Looking at your original post with the chick grower and "the plug coming out" on a big poo - the extra protein in the grower could have backed her up.

Just make sure to keep a very close eye on her over the coming weeks.