9 month old hen sick

[leannwilson]

Hi,

I have a 9 month old hen that has white poop, won't eat or drink (did a little last night), and opens her mouth wide. She's slept most of the day. I've given her meds for coccidiosis and have it in the water for the rest of the flock. She shows no other signs of respiratory illness so I thought it might be coccidiosis. This began a few days ago and today she's slept most of the day. I have her inside in a dog crate with a heat lamp on her. Any ideas?

 

[silkiemother]

is she wheezing?can you get anything into her?

 

[micstrachan]

Coccidiosis was a good guess. It doesn’t hurt to treat, and I hope it helps. How does her poop look? Since you have her inside, you should be able to monitor her crop and see if it is emptying g properly overnight.

 

[leannwilson]

is she wheezing?can you get anything into her?

No wheezing at all. The only thing she does that may point to it being respiratory is open her mouth several times.

 

[leannwilson]

Coccidiosis was a good guess. It doesn’t hurt to treat, and I hope it helps. How does her poop look? Since you have her inside, you should be able to monitor her crop and see if it is emptying g properly overnight.

I gave her the 2 drops of the medicine directly in her mouth about 3 hours ago. After about an hour she woke up, got up, drank, pecked at the food (couldn't tell if she actually ate) and laid back down. I'm about to go give her more water by syringe. Her poop was runny white earlier today, and after the meds it starting firming and had bits of brown in it. Now it is normal poop. I sure hope she's getting better. She's a very sweet hen. She sits on my husbands shoulder like a parrot lol. She even let me check her crop for those worms. Nothing came out on the q-tip so don't think it is the worms. I've never monitored a crop before so don't really know how to do that.

 

[leannwilson]

I just watched a youtube video on it. I'll check it in a bit and let you know what it feels like.

 

[leannwilson]

No wheezing at all. The only thing she does that may point to it being respiratory is open her mouth several times.

Also, yes, I can get water into her mouth with a syringe. She pecked at her food earlier but not sure if she ate anything.

 

[leannwilson]

Coccidiosis was a good guess. It doesn’t hurt to treat, and I hope it helps. How does her poop look? Since you have her inside, you should be able to monitor her crop and see if it is emptying g properly overnight.

 

[leannwilson]

I can't feel a full crop. She's pooping solid now but still not eating. I put 2 blueberries in there and still nothing. Not even a meal worm. If it isn't coccidiosis would't her poop still be white & runny?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos of the poop and of her?
When did she last lay an egg?

Check the crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink, feel the abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid and look her over for lice/mites.

Keep us posted.