- May 31, 2016
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My 2 yr old bantam hen, Beanie, is sick. My flock free-ranges - She started staying apart from the flock 3 days ago. She and one other hen had a poopy butt with yellow/green matted feathers under their vents. I attributed that to the very hot weather and all the water/watermelon they were eating to stay hydrated - they all had runny poop. Yesterday she was laying down in the middle of the day with her eyes shut. I hand fed her to check her appetite - she is eating and will drink. She made a couple of "cheeps" as she was eating - like a chick - never heard her do that before. I caught her gaping 2 or 3 times -not constant - but it made me think of gapeworms so I tried to check her throat - she wouldn't let me see. I forced a Q-tip in and swabbed the back of her throat and it came out clean. i put a few drops of VetRX down her throat, on her nose, her comb - in case it was respiratory. She did NOT like that - but really perked up afterward. I did not separate her from the others (I only have 6 hens and a rooster) - she went to bed fine. This morning she was first out of the coop. I have been watching her all day. Her poop is normal - though much smaller than usual. (eating less than usual). She sat away from the flock again today. (Re eggs - she has not laid one in a while. She laid an egg every day for a year - then just stopped. I didn't mind - as long as she wasn't sick I did not care.) She has always been my most active bird - boundless energy - now, she is listless. She is in the house with me now. When she is laying down - her breathing seems labored, her eyes closed, she gaped twice in one hour. Then I brought a box of hay in - she jumped in it all excited - kicking it around! I called 3 vets - the 2 best do not have exotic vets on duty tonight - another that is farther away and handles chickens charges $180 just to walk through the door. The final option is a 24 hr animal ER. their prices are reasonable and they take chickens - but none of their DRs specializes in birds. I'm torn between taking her there tonight - or giving her another day. This happened same time last year - with a different hen. Someone suggested Corid - I dosed the whole flock with it - within 2 days all were recovered. Within a week - 2 rescue hens that had NEVER laid eggs started laying! I decided to start the flock on Corid today - what have I got to lose? I squirted some in Beanie's mouth an hour ago. She is just standing up, slightly fluffed, with her tail down. Can anyone help? I'm at a loss.