Chicken not doing well?

[adnil530]

Hi my name is Linda and I have 14 chickens. 8 of them are 6 months old and laying. The other 6 are 4 months old.

One of our 4 month old Barred Plymouth Rock is behaving a little strangely. She is drinking just fine but not eating. This has been yesterday and today. She separates herself from the other hens, I found her hanging out in the hen house yesterday afternoon. They only free range an hour or so a day if I can be out there with them so she's not eating on the sly. I have tried bread, grapes (she did poke at it), wet crumble. Last night at free range time, she walked around, did very little scratching. I held her and did a once over with my hands and I don't think she is egg bound or anything but I don't really know what to look for. I tipped her up and looked at her vent, no sign of anything wrong there. When I tipped her, water did come out of her mouth. I don't see any lice or mites.

I'm concerned about her. Any suggestions?

Thank you. This is the first time I've ever had hens and they truly are our loved pets.

Linda

I posted in the wrong place at first. Someone there told me water coming out of the mouth doesn't sound good. I have isolated this chicken from the rest. I put warm water in crumble along with some cut up grapes. Ate a little. I also put milk in there along with water, she had no problem drinking. I can now examine her stools. Her stools are the correct color but with a lot of white and very very runny. No solid substance to them at all. I had to pick her up to isolate her and again water came out of her mouth and down my arm. It was clear and odorless.

Any ideas?

Thank you.

 

[Kittymomma]

I'm not sure what is going on, though a sour or impacted crop sounds like a possibility. I would suggest trying some scrambled eggs to see if she'll eat that (only if the crop doesn't seem to be the problem) and removing the milk. If after looking at/smelling her crop you think that the promblem may be there you can soak small pieces of bread in olive oil for her. If it's a mild case of impacted crop the olive oil/bread may be enough to lube things up and get them moving, if it's more severe you'll probably have to do crop surgery. Best of luck with her.

Oh, it would also be helpful if you would copy and paste the questions from the sticky at the top of the emergencies section, the more info. you give the more likely people are to be able to help.

ETA:

 

[adnil530]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. She is a 4 month old Plymouth rock
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Drinking but not eating well, I did get her to nibble earlier today. Not even treats. Shunning the rest of the flock, going off on her own. Hanging out in the hen house.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? This is day 2.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. I do not know if anything happened.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.Yes, she has been drinking very well. She has not been eating well.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Her poop is very very runny. The correct color except for a lot of white.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? No treatment thus far.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? If she doesn't get better, then I will need to take her to the vet.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use She is kept in a fully enclosed pen with 13 other chickens.

The milk has been taken out. I don't think it is the crop. It doesn't feel like it is impacted. I think the only thing in there is water and this is why water came from her mouth 2 times now when I was holding her. She has pooped at least 6 times in the past 4 or 5 hours, since I isolated her. I will try some scrambled egg.

Thank you.

 

[adnil530]

I scrambled an egg. She seemed interested, but just pecked at it. It was warm but not hot. She didn't gobble it down and I don't think you can measure the amount, if any that she digested. I felt her crop without picking her up and it is soft and squishy.

Drinks but doesn't eat.

Any ideas?