What is up with Esther?

[chefchick]

She is about 8 mos. old. I have to say...I dont think she is egg bound,or according to the info on here she would have died by now. I have her in the house in her own cage. She is just sitting around but doesn't ACTsick. I brought in one of her friends to spend the night Saturday, but she was so loud she went back outside yesterday. she is eating, but not much. The guy at the feed store recommended an antibiotic in her water for the yellow gooey poo thinking it could be something on that line. Noticced a norml poo in her cage this am. IDK what else to do. Should I put her back in the flock for awhile and see how she does? I also got a wormer to do the whole flock as another just in case....??? Some advice would be much appreciated. More info... egg production is down in the whole flock. I am getting 6-8 eggs out of 13 girls. they are all getting some new feathers as well.

 

[BlazeJester]

I hope she recovers. I had a columbian wyandotte do this to me and she died after about 3 days of sitting around fluffed up and not eating. She would drink but not eat. No signs of anything wrong with her other than lethargy.

I did a necropsy and did not find any eggs in her system, so she was not egg bound. There was some infection that was starting to harden in her reproductive tract, maybe egg yolk that was punctured or ended up where it didn't belong. There were no other signs of anything wrong other than a lot of fat around & on her heart, but a heart attack would have dropped her at once. We didn't find her liver, per se, but something we couldn't identify that was not the right color for a liver - much too light (almost caramel colored). I guess it could have been fatty liver disease. I wouldn't put anything past her as she didn't fully feather out until 8-10 weeks, indicative of genes that didn't work right. Sometimes you just don't know what happened.

 

[chic hens]

You mentioned new feathers....could they be moulting? I have heard of strange things happening during that time. I sure hope she pulls through. She is fortunate to have you looking after her.
I am sure some one will come along who is knowledgeable about this and help you.

Hang in there!!

 

[Parismymare]

Check for lice, that is all of the symptoms, drop in egg production, raggety feathers, and not really moving around. Look at the vent for bugs and a white build up on the base of the feathers, that is the eggs. The lice can only live around the vent for the moisture untill they have an established population. My flock had that problem and i put 7 dust on them and they sprung back into really good laying. That would be my guess, and my neighbors who have had chickens all of their lives agree.

 

[chefchick]

I am happy to report that Esther seems to be doing fine. thank you all for your suggestions. I wormed her and the rest of the flock two days ago. I returned her to the coop yesterday, and she was out enjoying the sunshine yesterday afternoon. this morning she was be-bopping around with the rest waiting for her share of the meal worms that I tossed them. I also added vitamins to the water, and plan on giving them some probiotics in the form of buttermilk (have some left from my sunday biscuit making) later today. Again, thanks to everyone who gave me advice. It's funny how the fuzzy butts grow on you. In fact, I am awaiting my order of SLW pullets and a NHR roo, due to arrive Monday!

 

[GoldenSparrow]

Happy to hear shes doing well.

 

[chic hens]

Great news! Glad she bounced back.
Best of wishes to your new additions!