Anemic hen, currently treating for lice

[Wyorp Rock]

If you can get a fecal float to check for worms that would be good.
With her not laying eggs along with the onset of symptoms, I would suspect that she's having some reproductive issues, but with chickens it's hard to nail things down at times.

 

[77horses]

The most common reason for an otherwise healthy hen who is anemic is internal parasites. This is easily diagnosed by a fecal floatation test performed at a vet. Other reasons for anemia is poor diet (not your case!), liver or kidney disease. Heavy metal poisoning (Lead) can also cause anemia-this is seen in pet parrots who like to chew on their cage. Certain types of cancer can also cause anemia. I personally had a hen who was anemic from eating a bolt. It was surgically removed and the hen treated for lead poisoning post op. She lived for several years.

I think I need to get a better look at her poops to check for parasites.

If you can get a fecal float to check for worms that would be good.
With her not laying eggs along with the onset of symptoms, I would suspect that she's having some reproductive issues, but with chickens it's hard to nail things down at times.

How much do fecal floats at the vet usually cost? Surely it can’t be much, right? Do most vets do them, even if they don’t treat poultry? We have a vet for our cat but they don’t see birds or farm animals. Either way, I’ll definitely call to check.
I think I’m going to bring her inside and keep her in a pet carrier to monitor her for the day tomorrow, that way I can get a sample of her poop too.

I’m not sure if this is relevant, but ever since she was a chick she’d do this odd, subtle head twitch every once in a while. Kinda like a bobbing motion for a couple seconds and then it would go away. It mostly subsided as she grew up and has never been an issue. Not sure if it’s a cognitive thing she was born with? Or if that could relate to her feeling sick?

What causes sudden egg laying problems? Other than diet, because I really don’t think it’s that. She has never had any issues with laying in the past. Her eggs have always had good quality shells (not thin or shell-less, yolks always looked healthy and vibrant yellow), and she has never been egg-bound.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You would have to ask your vet about the cost of the fecal float and if they can do it. Not all vets will do a fecal float on chicken poop.

 

[77horses]

You would have to ask your vet about the cost of the fecal float and if they can do it. Not all vets will do a fecal float on chicken poop.

Gotcha, that’s what I figured. I’ll give them a call tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[77horses]

You would have to ask your vet about the cost of the fecal float and if they can do it. Not all vets will do a fecal float on chicken poop.

So I called this morning and found a nearby vet that could either do just a fecal float or they said I could bring her in for an exam. Do you think it’s necessary to bring her in to get checked over or should I just do the fecal float?
EDIT: I decided to bring her in for an examination tomorrow. Whatever is wrong, I want to get on top of and get treated asap.

 

[theoldchick]

Let us know what the vet finds. As a side note, more and more vets are now updating their skills to include backyard flock health care. I've seen a lot of interest at veterinary seminars when it comes to a lecture on care of backyard poultry.

 

[77horses]

Let us know what the vet finds. As a side note, more and more vets are now updating their skills to include backyard flock health care. I've seen a lot of interest at veterinary seminars when it comes to a lecture on care of backyard poultry.

That’s good to hear, there’s only a couple of vets around here who will see poultry patients. I called at least 5 different places. Most either don’t treat chickens or were totally booked/not accepting new patients. Our usual vet wasn’t available until Nov. 1st, so I got lucky with this new one being able to fit us in for tomorrow.
I’ll share what I find out from the vet tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Let us know how it goes!

 

[77horses]

Update: Just got back from the vet. After feeling her over, the vet said her crop felt hard and she felt very thin. So her main concern was whether or not her crop is emptying efficiently. She has hardly any body fat on her (breastbone is very prominent). Another concern was reproductive issues. So we did an X-ray to get a better look. X-ray confirmed that there’s no reproductive issues (she’s not egg bound) and confirmed that her crop looks like it might be impacted. This would explain the weight loss and lack of egg production; if she’s not efficiently digesting food, then she’s not getting the nutrients she needs to keep weight on and lay eggs. The X-ray also showed a couple odd, worm-shaped things in her GI tract (the vet said she has never seen round worms on an X-ray before so she’s not sure if that’s what they are). She took a stool sample to do a fecal float, so that will tell us if she has any internal parasites. Also she doesn’t appear to have any lice or mites.
Before I left, the vet administered some fluids to her and gave me 5 syringe doses of Meloxicam to give her x1 per day orally (in case she’s in any pain). She also put in an order for some antibiotics for me to pick up from the pharmacy.
So the plan is to wait for the fecal float results, give her antibiotics, keep her quarantined to monitor her crop/make sure it’s really emptying overnight, and we’ll go from there.

 

[77horses]

She seems to be doing okay today. Very lethargic this morning before the appointment, but seems to have perked up a little. Maybe the fluids helped. She still has a pretty good appetite and is drinking water on her own. I chopped up some baby spinach leaves and strawberries (something fibrous and easy to digest), and she loved those (see video:

I’m going to keep her inside where she can stay warm, have easy access to food/water, and won’t be bothered by the other flock members.