8 week old Barred Rock pullet, sleepy, barely eating. What's wrong?!

[good3gg]

Hello, I am new to BYC, and also new to raising chickens.For starters, I would like to thank everyone here for all the wonderful information about everything chickens!

I have an 8 week old barred rock pullet who barely eats and has been listless and sleepy since yesterday. She has also been pooping green and white poop with alittle bit of dark solid in it, but it is mostly watery. She has always been the smallest one, but now she is very skinny(I can feel her breastbone very sharply). It seems that she is at the bottom of the pecking order, and it sometimes seems that she is afraid to eat or drink when the main 3 pullets are nearby (11 week old Buff Orpingtons), because they will peck her out of the way. We have noticed her looking "sad", standing off by herself and looking lonely.

She is one of a flock of 15 birds, 8 Buff Orpingtons (11 weeks), and 7 Barred Rocks (8 weeks). We have seperated her for one day and let her free range, and she perked up a little. But today she is back with the others because she was calling out like she was lonely. She is falling asleep with her beak on the ground, and moves very slowly We tried giving her her regular chick crumble mixed with yogurt and olive oil but she only takes a few tiny pecks of it or ignores it .When I am in the fence with her she will eat if I put her in front of the food, but she soon loses interest and ambles off, or falls asleep with her beak on the ground. I've been checking her crop, and it felt a little hard, and was marble sized for the past three days, but today it is soft and I had trouble finding it (it seemed empty). If anyone has any info on what she might have and what can be done, I would much appreciate your input, Thanks!

 

[texaschickmom]

I'm pretty new myself but I hope you can get some good ideas from all the experienced ones here.

 

[good3gg]

Thank you texaschickmom!

I just discovered her nose was dripping. I thought I heard her sneeze before, but wasn't sure. She was eating quite awhile when I checked on her five minutes ago, and looked perkier. But, then I saw her nose dripping, please help!!!

 

[Squishypuff]

If her nose is dripping, I'd keep her away from the others until you figure out what it is- just to do what you can in terms of prevention. I hope it turns out to be nothing big, wish I could offer some useful information.

 

[pinkwindsong]

Ive got one of my 12 week old roo's in the house.. and he has a terrible cold.. now some people have said they cant get colds.. others say they do... but since the symptoms are of a cold and dogs cats horses cows etc can catch colds. Im going with cold.. do not want him to get my girls sick.. ahah that would be horrible.. he is on .05 cc of amoxi drops every 12 hrs. I have vicks vapor rub on his comb and top of beak just above his nostrils.. ) poor guy yesterday am he couldn't even breath out of his nose he was so congested.. tonight. his chest is rattlingly.. like the mucus is breaking up part of a cold.. and he is able to breath thru his nose.. the vicks is great he gets snuffy i put it on and in min. he is breathing better.... its so hot out and he gets so hot I didn't want him to fight the heat and not feel good.. husband is NOT happy but I am.. I do not want to loose him he is a wonderful roo already and hes still just a kid... the girls are running a muck without him out there.. they act like its spring break running all over the place not going to be at normal time.. just being silly... I tell ya I have a whole new respect for him... He DA MAN !!! cant wait till hes mature he gonna be DA BOMB!! hahahh


good luck with your little girl..)O(
pink

 

[good3gg]

Thanks Squishypuff, and pinkwindsong! Your encouragement is so helpful! I'm going to keep her in, and give her some TLC. While I find out what else to do. Where does one get amoxi drops? Can I just give her vitamin drops in the meantime? Thank you all for all your help.

 

[good3gg]

Thanks Squishypuff, and pinkwindsong! Your encouragement is so helpful! I'm going to keep her in, and give her some TLC. While I find out what else to do. Where does one get amoxi drops? Can I just give her vitamin drops in the meantime? Thank you all for all your help.
(Sorry, double post.)

 

[chickengrl]

Respiratory illness in chickens is really not just a cold. Yes they may get better but will become a carrier and be contagious to other chickens. Many very experienced people on here would recommend that you cull a sick bird. This is the only way to be sure you stop the illness. If you have no interest in selling chicks, hatching eggs, or going to shows you can close your flock and even vaccinate if you choose to add birds. Vaccinating is risky too since it can be really hard not to spread the illness to your chicks before they are old enough to vaccinate. It't a very difficult decision. I would read all you can about Biosecurity and also respiratory illness. Type it into the search bar. If you want to treat while you decide what you would like to do Tylan 50 from the farm store is better than amoxiccilin for these things. Keep in mind though that many of these things are viral and the antibiotic may not do anything. ALso, get the bird to your state vet for necropsy if it dies. You can't really make a plan of action if you don't know what you are dealing with. The respiratory problems can all look very similiar. Google for instance: Virginia state veterinarian...and you should get a contact. Good luck!