4 or 5 month old hen lethargic and not eating. Also might be a dwarf.

[gwar1988]

My (I think) 4-5 month old dwarf hen has been lethargic and seems to not be eating for 2 days now. All my chickens except one rooster are the same age and none have laid an egg yet. She's the only one that's acting weird. Everyone else is happy and healthy. I have no idea what is going on. I think she drank a little last night. I have her separated in a large cardboard box with straw, food and water in it. I picked her up and check her nostrils and look for any wounds. Everything seems ok. Please help. They're my little buddies.

 

[Wyandottes7]

It could be Coccidiosis. Coccidiosis causes lethargy, lack of appetite, sleepiness, droopiness, and sometimes bloody droppings. It usually affects relatively young birds, but can affect chickens of any age. To be safe, I'd get some Corid, either liquid or powder, as soon as possible. Coccidiosis can kill quickly, so you want to start treatment soon. The dosage for the Corid liquid is two teaspoons, and I believe that the dosage for the Corid powder is around 3/4 teaspoon. Give Corid for five days, and don't give any vitamins or dairy products during the treatment period.

Worms can cause lethargy as well, but they tend to affect slightly older birds, and the symptoms usually come on slower. If Corid doesn't work, get some Safeguard or Valbazen dewormer, and try deworming.

 

[gwar1988]

I ran to the nearest Tractor Supply before they closed and they said they don't have it. I'll have to try to next nearest one tomorrow. Thank you so much for responding!!!!!! Below is a picture of her dropping in the very center of photo and on the green twine. It's milky white. There are also two pictures of her below. She did fly out of the box I put her in and go back to her favorite sleeping spot where she usually nests with the other chickens. They're keeping their distance from her which is good for them probably, but not a good sign, I guess.

 

[Eggcessive]

It will be in the cattle medicine dept. at most feed stores in packets of powder or liquid. I would give her some milk or buttermilk mixed with a little feed which would coat her intestines until you get meds.

 

[gwar1988]

Thank you for responding! Do you have any suggestions on how to get her to eat the milk and feed?

 

[Eggcessive]

Try just the milk with a dropper. Pull her wattles down and put a small amount in the side of her beak and release the wattles while she swallows. Dipping her beak may work too. Coccidiosis takes away their appetite.

 

[gwar1988]

Thank you for the idea. She doesn't have any wattles yet, but I'll figure something out to get her to take the milk.

 

[gwar1988]

She took a drop or two. Not much. I tried dipping the tip of her beak in a little bowl of milk to no avail.

 

[gwar1988]

Also tried to get the milk in her mouth with a straw.

 

[Eggcessive]

Tube feeding may be something you might want to try: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding