Lethargic hen, green watery poop

[JBarbini]

Hello, one of my hens out of a flock of 10 has been unusually lethargic with decreased eating and drinking for a couple of days. The past two days I have been isolating her a few times a day to make sure she gets some food. She seems to eat a little when I feed her alone, but still very sleepy looking with a drooped head and tail. When eating she seems slightly uncoordinated, but I'm unsure if that is severe enough to be part of the lethargy or not. Her face is still pink but maybe a little washed out. I have noticed very watery bright green and white poop with maybe some bits of green (hopefully grass) and checked her belly and vent and doesn't seem to be egg bound, but I only had one egg bound hen and she passed it herself! No other hens are showing signs of illness.

I did look through this resource, but I still don't think I've arrived at any ideas! https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ps044

If anyone has any idea of signs to check for or how to treat, I would appreciate any information! She is a sweet bird.

 

[JBarbini]

I guess I should also add she has always been so tiny for a Barred Rock! The rest of my birds are the same age, but much larger and heavier in general.

 

[TannerTrue]

Did you get an answer as to what was wrong? I feel I’m dealing with the same thing. No appetite and lethargic. This hen is our favorite and I can’t seem to help her.

 

[JBarbini]

Did you get an answer as to what was wrong? I feel I’m dealing with the same thing. No appetite and lethargic. This hen is our favorite and I can’t seem to help her.

No I haven’t. I did however, decide I would give a dewormer a shot today basically because her condition has persisted and I hate sitting around just watching! I chose Safe Guard with 0.5% fenbendazole. Apparently people use dewormers somewhat regularly as a precaution so I don’t think it will hurt the bird and possibly eliminate parasites as my concern. I also live in Florida and it has been extremely hot!

Is that your only sick bird and for how long? Have you checked her feathers and skin and such for wounds or external parasites? Just some thoughts I have been dealing with myself!

I also recently bought the book The Chicken Health Handbook 2nd Ed by Gail Damerow, and it’s full of health info! They also had it at my local library which is cool.

 

[JBarbini]

No I haven’t. I did however, decide I would give a dewormer a shot today basically because her condition has persisted and I hate sitting around just watching! I chose Safe Guard with 0.5% fenbendazole. Apparently people use dewormers somewhat regularly as a precaution so I don’t think it will hurt the bird and possibly eliminate parasites as my concern. I also live in Florida and it has been extremely hot!

Is that your only sick bird and for how long? Have you checked her feathers and skin and such for wounds or external parasites? Just some thoughts I have been dealing with myself!

I also recently bought the book The Chicken Health Handbook 2nd Ed by Gail Damerow, and it’s full of health info! They also had it at my local library which is cool.

I hate to say now I feel the hen could have an impacted crop as well from sitting too much/irregular eating, wish us luck!

 

[TannerTrue]

Thanks for getting back to me and I’m SO HAPPY your hen is still on the planet! I did check Tulip over trying to find something. She does have a small bumble foot sore that I found. I didn’t treat it yet since she’s feeling bad. She eats only if I have a special treat. I’ve been giving her water with a syringe. Her crop feels empty. The other hens are fine (Tulip is quarantined in the house). I’m frustrated and worried.
I read through the link you posted which was pretty scary! If you find anything, post it here and I will do the same! Thanks for the tip about Gail Damerow‘s book, I’ll look for it.

 

[TannerTrue]

So, to update on Tulip. When I checked on her this evening, she was up and about. She had some scrambled egg and yogurt. I did syringe-feed water to her and Poultry Cell and I think that helped.

 

[Heart1111]

I guess I should also add she has always been so tiny for a Barred Rock! The rest of my birds are the same age, but much larger and heavier in general.

Smaller ones tend to be weaker
Try epsom salt bath 15 min
Perks them up
Look it online