Can't figure out what's wrong with my Araucana, Advice?

[heidibeidi]

Hi there,
Last fall I was in the mood to add a couple chickens to my small flock and found two Araucana hens from a woman who was getting rid of her flock. They were quarantined for 5 weeks and have been a great addition to the flock. Just three days ago, my meek little Peaches started acting different. She is the bottom of the pecking order, but still travels the yard with the other girls and forages all day. So now she is staying in the coop or finding a quiet corner of the yard and laying there all day. Her back feathers have lots of messy poop on them, but her vent is clear. She laid an egg on the first and third days of acting sick. She is moving slow and does appear to limp a touch when trying to move fast. I have added some electrolytes to the water to see if that helps, but no change. I have antibiotics from a previous chicken illness . . . should I quarantine her and try her on that? In the beginning I assumed it was an egg issue, but since she's still laying I just don't know!

I'd hate to loose her, any advice on what might be wrong and what I can do to help Peaches??

Thanks,
heidi in WI

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

She has poop on her back? sounds like shes sitting UNDER the roost and getting pooped on and getting sick from that

I would take her away, give her some TLC, and see if she gets better, if shes at the bottom of the pecking order then sleeping under the roost would make since, and they would poop on her, and then she gets sick from that

hope your sweetie feels better

 

[heidibeidi]

Oops, I guess I wasn't very clear on the poop. The feathers around her butt are full of poop, and they are usually pretty clean. So I can assume that she has some diahrea?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Oh, well our orp had the same prob, is she roosting? our orp wasnt roosting at the time

 

[heidibeidi]

She is roosting, and eating a little. She doesn't seem as interested in scraps and treats though.