2 Yr Old Barred Rock: lethargic, sleepy, no eggs

[Roostworthy]

What: 2 year old barred rock

Symptoms: no eggs except two fairy eggs last week. It has been hot here (90s) as summer comes to end. I have been misting their run, which stays cooler. I thought the no eggs was due to heat. Yesterday, though, I noticed her sleeping standing up and when I picked her up it felt like she had lost weight. Has tail down posture. Some vent gleet on bottom tail feathers. Still eats and drinks. I haven’t been back there to watch her poop. However, the one time I did, her poop was watery, which I thought was due to her drinking more since it’s been so hot.

What I’ve done: due to the perceived weight loss and lethargy, I began administering Corid in their 1 gallon waterer (2 teaspoons). I give her a mash mixture of scrambled eggs, a little yogurt (for gut health), feed (16% layer pellets), and water from their Corid waterer (their only water source. Although she is the only one exhibiting these symptoms, I am treating the whole flock. I have felt for eggs (none), checked her crop (soft). Checked for mites and lice near tail feathers and vent (none).

Questions: was Corid the right treatment? She sleeps most of the day unless I come in with food or treats. I’m very worried about her and I’m not sure what else I can do. Any suggestions would be amazing!! I’ve been tending chickens for two years and I’ve lost so many. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong and I’m desperate to be better. You guys are an awesome community and I learn more every day. Thank you so much for any input.

 

[CCsGarden]

Sounds like she might have some sort of egg bounding. Bring her inside and give/offer her some electrolytes and cooked egg.

I had a hen that recently died (egg bound) and had deformed eggs stuck way in her and didn't know till we did the necropsy .
Good job on the yogurt! Can you add some vitamins B complex and E selenium into the yogurt?

 

[Roostworthy]

Yes — should I stop the Corid though since I know vitamins interfere with its efficacy?

Also, I just picked her up and got a whiff of her face, which was pretty terrible-smelling. So, maybe Coryza? I haven’t notice her sneezing and no foamy eyes or nasal discharge either

 

[CCsGarden]

Yes — should I stop the Corid though since I know vitamins interfere with its efficacy?

Also, I just picked her up and got a whiff of her face, which was pretty terrible-smelling. So, maybe Coryza? I haven’t notice her sneezing and no foamy eyes or nasal discharge either

Okay, if it smells very bad that might be sour crop. How does her crop feel?
Open her beak and smell inside, if it smells very bad, most likely she has sour crop.
I have instructions on how to treat sour/impacted crop.

They do eventually get very weak with sour crop because she can't pass food thru .

 

[CCsGarden]

Yes — should I stop the Corid though since I know vitamins interfere with its efficacy?

You can continue the corid. How many days have you been giving corid for?

 

[Roostworthy]

Her crop feels squishy. I just checked. This is day 2 of the Corid.

 

[CCsGarden]

Her crop feels squishy. I just checked. This is day 2 of the Corid.

Did it smell bad? Seems as if she might have sour crop.

 

[Roostworthy]

Yeah…rotten almost, like if someone has a decaying tooth. Not “yeasty” per se. What should I do for sour crop? Isolate and withhold water and food for 24 hrs?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

no eggs except two fairy eggs last week.

Some vent gleet on bottom tail feathers. Still eats and drinks.

I began administering Corid in their 1 gallon waterer (2 teaspoons). I give her a mash mixture of scrambled eggs, a little yogurt (for gut health), feed (16% layer pellets), and water from their Corid waterer (their only water source.

Also, I just picked her up and got a whiff of her face, which was pretty terrible-smelling. So, maybe Coryza? I haven’t notice her sneezing and no foamy eyes or nasal discharge either

Yeah…rotten almost, like if someone has a decaying tooth. Not “yeasty”

Isolate and withhold water and food for 24 hrs?

No, don't withhold food or water, she needs to stay hydrated.

Can you look inside her beak for any Canker or lesions?

You mention a rotten smell to the beak, is there any facial swelling, mucous, watery or puffy eyes?

Photos of her bum and the vent gleet? Poop?

No eggs, except for Fairy Eggs.

The Corid won't hurt her, if you've started it, give for 5days.

In the meantime, I'd also give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 for a few days to see if she's able to expel an egg or lash material.

When was the last deworming?

Check the crop again, first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink.

If she has a very rotten odor, try an Epsom Salts Flush, if that doesn't work, then try Acidified Copper Sulfate.

Don't vomit her.

Instructions for the Epsom Salts Flush and how to use ACS are below.

https://jedds.com/products/acidified-copper-sulfate-animal-science?_pos=19&_sid=b3d389944&_ss=r

It could possibly be a yeast infection. If that's the case, mix one teaspoon Epsom Salts into one cup of water. Use a syringe without a needle and draw up 8ml of the mixture and give it to her orally 1/4ml at a time, 3 times a day for 3 days.

When you do this, cradle her in your forearm. With your free hand, grab the preloaded syringe. Then with your cradling hand/arm, use your thumb and finger to gently pull down on her wattles and her mouth will open. Then dose her orally with the 1/4ml Epsom Salt mixture and quickly release her wattles so she can swallow the liquid on her own.
If you dont quickly release her wattles, she could aspirate.
Practice this procedure a couple of times without actually dosing her until you get the hang of it.

If you use Acidified Copper Sulfate, be careful how you use it.
Follow these instructions:
Use a one gallon plastic container, do not use a metal container.
Put 1/4 level teaspoon of acidified copper sulfate (ACS) in the one gallon container. Then add one gallon of water into the container. Then add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into the container. Cap it and shake the container well. (It will be a light blue color liquid.) (Do NOT add more ACS into the container, more is NOT better, it can burn the innards.)
Then put the mixture in a plastic waterer for your bird to drink. Give it to your bird to drink for no more than 10 days.