Chicken laying down and tail feathers downward

[gregula girls]

When I let the girls out this morning, I noticed an egg with soft shell below the roost area. Maybe she expelled it while roosting? Anyone had a similar occurance?

 

[ochochicas]

Yes, that could be the problem. I have had hens that lay soft shelled eggs and they will act sick. I think it is painful for them to lay the soft eggs. A lot of times you won't see them because the eggs will break or the other hens will eat them before you find them. I would give your hen(s) extra calcium and see if the problem goes away. Sometimes it is a nutritional problem, but other times it is just something that happens for no reason.

 

[5lovelyhens]

Is she acting like she's feeling better? we mix oyster shells with their food and that helps to give them hard-shelled eggs.

 

[umarson]

I'll advice you to put some glucose in her drinker, 1 table full spoon per 4 liters of water to keep her strngth. you can mix it with any medication in the water. I had a kind of experience last week. I lost 51 chicks out of 75, from a severe cocci, i was able to help 24 recover with glucose, virocidal, antibiotics and some vitamins mixed in water cos they cant eat and are extremely depressed. they're jumping around this morning, so happy! African experience.

 

[Charlene W]

I have a 2 1/2 year old Buff Orphington that did this a few weeks ago. I put her on antibiotics, and other meds for what could be affecting her. She is still not eating well, but I am syringe feeding her several times a day hoping she will start doing more than pecking around. Her feathers are back up and she is walking around again. Yesterday my little 9 year old bantam stopped eating. I am worried about them. May have to take Buffy to the vet, but have already spent 400 there on a 7 year old hen who seems to have had an underlying condition and had to be put down after treating for bacterial and yeast in mouth. Then I spent about 300 there for tapeworm treatment. That is when I found this site and discovered I could have treated it without the expensive vet bills. Trying to do this myself if possible this time since the vet has been my favorite charity this last year. Do chickens get coccidiosis or trich? I am a rehabber for Project Wildlife and have some meds for the illnesses wild birds get. They are normally happy and healthy, but this summer had been a bad one. Still have 4 with no problems, but don't want it to spread.

 

[umarson]

charlene,

chickens do get coccidiosis but i don't know trich. so i cant say anything about it. Amprolium can treat it or vinegar, applecidal or virocidal with antibiotics and some vitamins also treat cocci. vinegar 1 table spoon per liter or virocidal is 10 ml per 4 liters, antibiotics and vitamins have their dosage on th package. best of luck.

 

[ochochicas]

Trichomonas mostly affects pigeons, but chickens can get it. You can treat it with metronidazole or other drugs that treats protozoans.

 

[Charlene W]

I have been putting Albon in their water, and today Chickie Little had a solid poop, but it was still bright green. I volunteer for Project Wildlife so have access to the drugs here for my wild birds. I am syringe feeding Buffy and she is looking better too. After 8 years of no problems, we really got slammed this summer. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Charlene W]

The green poop seems to indicate Cocc but not eating made me think maybe she had the sore throat of trich. Chickie Little had solid poop this morning and is still green, so at least I think she is eating. She looks better too. I started putting Albon in their water a couple days ago. Sure hope this works. Love this forum- don't need to go to a vet for tapeworms. Halleluja! Thanks for your help.

 

[casportpony]

When I let the girls out this morning, I noticed an egg with soft shell below the roost area. Maybe she expelled it while roosting? Anyone had a similar occurance?

What does this are of her belly feel like?



-Kathy