Another sick chicken? Floppy comb, lack of energy seems a bit worse

[LoneCowboy]

I have what might be a sick buff Orp. Her comb is flopped over, she seems to have lack of energy. She'll get up scurry to get scratch but then she goes back to sitting on the ground and just pecking at the ground around her. She's not up on her feet much. Does this sound weird to anybody else?

Now, my meat chickens have cocci and I caught myself doing something really stupid by picking the poo out of their feeders and tossing it. Where? yep close to the other run. How stupid can I get!

Well, I've seperated her and I have her in a cage in the house and I'm putting her on antibiotics. Do you think it's cocci? Am I over reacting? Thoughts please.

 

[jjthink]

I don't think you're over reacting at all - it does sound like she is ill...
JJ

 

[LoneCowboy]

She seems to be worse today. Besides being really angry that she's in a cage in the house,

her comb is even more floppy and very pale. She's eating ok, drinking ok, her poo is a bit runny. She laid an egg this evening. So that's all working. I gave her a few drops for VetRX and added vit and eletrolytes to her water. Any other suggestions?

 

[jjthink]

Hmmmm.........these feathered kids can be so mysterious.

Has she been wormed?

Hen Ellie became very lethargic in early September and I brought her to the vet the day she began exhibiting symptoms (figures it was Labor Day, making it a feat to find someone who would see her!). Blood work revealed results consistent with infection and/or inflammation. She was treated immediately with antibiotic (even before results came back) because she was in such bad shape (eyes closed, head drooping - happened very suddenly - appeared fine in the a.m. and by afternoon she couldn't hold her head up). She was also hydrated and tube fed. Later when results came back an anti-inflammatory was added. Parasite tests were clean. Happily she appears to have made a full recovery but we never knew what hit her.

It is possible your hen has a bacterial issue needing antibiotic. If viral, that won't help.

It's so hard to sort this stuff out when the symptoms can mean several different things......
You may want to treat her as tho it's bacterial (and/or worm if she hasn't been wormed), all the while providing supportive care (warmth, quiet, fluids etc.) If she's really ticked at you re: the cage, would she do better with just one buddy whom she really likes? Downside of course is that it wouyld be more difficult to monitor eating, pooping and egg laying.

Hoping she will get well!

JJ