Bantam cochin hen off balance

SJFougere

Chirping
Apr 22, 2024
33
36
59
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
I noticed yesterday that one of my bantam cochin hens isn't doing too well. She's a year ish old. She's off balance and not moving around a lot but alert and not making any in pain noises. We just got rid of her bumble foot, so I've been up close with her for the last few weeks. She seemed fine up until yesterday. Her crop feels squishy but grainy. She doesn't seem to want to eat or drink much when I hold her. I've got her isolated now. She's always been a problem with keeping her rear clean, and when I was checking her out yesterday, it was dirty, so I washed her off. I dont feel anything egg like in her, and she doesn't seem to be straining to lay. Her poop today seems normal to me. I will attach a picture. I've given her some Greek yogurt and water with chicken vitamins in it. I lost one of the other Bantam cochins a few weeks after I got them last year to something similar. I discovered they were infested with mites or fleas and got that all taken care of, and the other 3 have been doing well since. I'm wondering if this could be scaly leg mites? And if that could cause her issues? She doesn't have any lice or fleas that I can see. There is no blood in her stool. One of my young roosters took a liking to her, and I'm wondering if she's been overbread? Her vent was a little prolapsed looking yesterday, but it went away with some lubrication. Im attaching pictures of her, her feet, and her last poop. Hopefully, that will help some. If anyone has some suggestions I would be greatful.
 

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Did you see any maggots on her vent or in the droppings? In the pictures there might be a faint something that looks like a maggot. Flystrike can be dangerous when there are flies out and a soiled vent. There looks to be some scaly leg mites. Castor oil, Vicks, petroleum jelly, or some sulfur powder mixed with one of those 2-3 times a week for a month or more will treat it. Check her crop early in the morning before she eats or drinks to make sure the crop is empty and flat.
Check her again for mites on her body. Has she laid eggs recently? What is she eating? I would give her some electrolytes and vitamins, or a dose of Poultry NutriDrench 1 ml orally. Some wet chicken feed and scrambled egg might also be taken.
 
Did you see any maggots on her vent or in the droppings? In the pictures there might be a faint something that looks like a maggot. Flystrike can be dangerous when there are flies out and a soiled vent. There looks to be some scaly leg mites. Castor oil, Vicks, petroleum jelly, or some sulfur powder mixed with one of those 2-3 times a week for a month or more will treat it. Check her crop early in the morning before she eats or drinks to make sure the crop is empty and flat.
Check her again for mites on her body. Has she laid eggs recently? What is she eating? I would give her some electrolytes and vitamins, or a dose of Poultry NutriDrench 1 ml orally. Some wet chicken feed and scrambled egg might also be taken.
I haven't seen maggots anywhere so far. But the flies are fairly minimal so far this year. Her vent it self was fairly clean it. The poop was more down her feathers but ill be keeping her clean and inside for the forseeable future. I can't be sure if she has laid recently, but I am collecting less eggs than I normally do so she may have not laid in the last few days. I have some elector psp I can treat her with for leg mites. They free range so mostly they're eating whatever they find but I have a whole flock feed with oyester shells out for them. I give them scratch grain too and they've had strawberries and cherries that drop off the tree.
 
The Elector PSP is more for body mites and lice. Scaly leg mites are better treated with an oil to smother them 2-3 times a week, and ivermectin pour on. Here is some info on methods:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/
I'll do some Vaseline for now. I may be able to get ivermectin from the farm supply but I dont know if they only sell to registered farms here in Ontario. I will read through the link and see what I can do.
 

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