Chicken Acting Sluggish - Closing Eyes Often

[tealadyanela]

Hello BYC Tenders!

First time chicken mom, and my sweet Henrietta is acting strange. Let me go over what's up with my girl:


1) What type of bird , age and weight: Black Australorp, 16 weeks, and one of my near laying ladies

2) What is the behavior: She is acting sluggish, fluffing up her feathers, closes one eye often and will sometimes stand on one leg. She sang the egg song a couple times this morning, because she can hear her flock. She has not laid any eggs yet.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Yesterday morning I noticed she was not at the door to greet me, and I noticed her acting unlike her affectionate self.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Not yet

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma: None that I can see

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation: Sorry, I don't know what could have caused this.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all: I gave her some treats yesterday afternoon, and she ate them in a slow way.

8) How does the poop look? Looks watery (see pic below)

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? So far I quarantined her, and in fear of sour crop, removed food and water.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? I will try to treat her myself, but will try to find a vet if I can.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Please see below

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Her run is mixed with wood chips and pine bark, the coop has pine shavings. She is currently kenneled in a dog crate with pine shavings.

 

[Eggcessive]

How does her crop feel? She needs water at all times. I would not take away food unless her crop is not emptying overnight. If her crop is full and puffy first thing in the morning, that could be sour crop. It would have a bad odor. How does her crop feel now? It doesn’t appear full in her picture. Can you offer some electrolytes, Gatorade or Pedialyte up to her beak. What do you normally feed her? There is some pinkish or coral material in her dropping that could be intestinal shed. Has she ever been wormed. My australorps usually did not lay eggs until after 20-22 weeks. Occasionally a hen might experience some reproductive symptoms at that age, but it is not usual. When one is acting lethargic or sickly I would check her over for any lice or mites on her body. I would consider worming her with either Valbazen 1/2 ml orally and repeated in 10 days, or with SafeGuard 10% Liquid Goat Wormer 1/4 ml per pound given daily for 5 days. Has she been eating much? Wet water chicken feed and a little scrambled egg would be food to offer her if she is taking fluids. In hot weather they may have some watery droppings from increased thirst. I would let her be with her flock, since they are more comfortable.

 

[tealadyanela]

When I felt her crop yesterday, it seemed lumpy; however I checked her just now and it didn't appear to be lumpy anymore.

I fed her some fermented food, but she only took a couple bites. I provided her a water dish and she only drank a bit. She keeps her left eye closed almost always now. I normally free feed my flock 20% chicken starter/grower food, and morning/night fermented feed.

I have never wormed her; in all my research, I didn't find a tutorial on worming my flock sorry! I checked for lice/mites/ticks just now, and nothing to report. However, I did notice more pin feathers coming in around her body, and some white flakes coming off of her?

We have experienced some high heat and humidity the past couple of days. It sounds like I should put her back with her flock and start everyone on a deworming process?

I appreciate your help.