Chicken sick, away on vacation

[Chicken❤️er]

Hi,

So our pet sitter has noticed one of our hens, Summer (2-year old Welsummer) looking lethargic, with a floppy comb and lack of appetite - very general symptoms. She looked somewhat iffy once or twice over the past few weeks, but she seemed fine the next day each time. We are away and will be out of town for over a week more. I told our sitter to check her crop tomorrow morning for impacted/sour crop, but what other common possible illnesses which are fairly easy to test for should I ask her to check for? I can't ask her to stick a finger up the chicken's butt to check for egg-binding obviously. Any easy general treatment I can ask her to do? (Something along the lines of ACV in water, I can't ask her to do something like an epsom salt bath).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would have her check the crop and report back to you.

Since it's a sitter, then there's probably not a lot of treatments she will be willing/able to do.

 

[Chicken❤️er]

We are back from vacation now; the last few days before we left I got a text from the sitter saying Summer appeared to be recovering. Came back and she is still off, but relatively better from what I saw from the photos the sitter sent me when she was looking really sick. I picked her up first thing this morning to feel her crop- fortunately it was empty, but her breastbone felt so sharp with no “cushioning”, so she’s pretty underweight. Thing is, she’s been fairly perky, comb red, was digging around yesterday. When she eats, she eats with vigor. She doesn’t eat slowly/weakly like your typical sick chicken. But whenever I throw treats of any kind (shredded cheese, grass, scratch, mealworms, etc) she takes a few bites and then walks off. I haven’t seen her eating her normal feed either. She seems not to have interest in food after one or two bites but for a sick chicken has pretty high energy. Any illness that would do this? Should I syringe liquid nutrients/egg down her throat (I have a lot of experience with syringing and preventing aspiration)? I’m just afraid once I stop force-feeding her she’ll go back to not eating anything voluntarily.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you ever wormed her?

 

[Chicken❤️er]

Have you ever wormed her?

I have not- that was something I’ve been thinking about, as it would explain her being underweight. But would worms affect her appetite? If anything, I would think it would increase. But it’s worth a try, what medicine do you recommend?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Another thing to consider is how hot has it been there? Some chickens do great in the heat while others do not handle it well at all. I also agree especially if you have never wormed your flock that should be done.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have not- that was something I’ve been thinking about, as it would explain her being underweight. But would worms affect her appetite? If anything, I would think it would increase. But it’s worth a try, what medicine do you recommend?

Wasting and weight loss can be caused by a number of things, Marek's, Reproductive Cancer, worms, etc. etc. SO Many things.
But yes, worms could cause weight loss since they rob the bird of essential nutrients.

Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer (Fenbendazole) is usually easy to find at stores like TSC. Dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Chicken❤️er]

Another thing to consider is how hot has it been there? Some chickens do great in the heat while others do not handle it well at all. I also agree especially if you have never wormed your flock that should be done.

It has been unseasonably warm where we are. Yesterday it was 100 degrees F, something we start to have in August, and it’s not even summer yet. Our setup is quite well-shaded though. She is a Welsummer, do they have a reputation for doing poor in the heat?

 

[Chicken❤️er]

Wasting and weight loss can be caused by a number of things, Marek's, Reproductive Cancer, worms, etc. etc. SO Many things.
But yes, worms could cause weight loss since they rob the bird of essential nutrients.

Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer (Fenbendazole) is usually easy to find at stores like TSC. Dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Okay, sounds good! Should I, in the meantime, try to give her some liquid nutrients via syringe? If so, what sort of substance/medium should I use for that?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It has been unseasonably warm where we are. Yesterday it was 100 degrees F, something we start to have in August, and it’s not even summer yet. Our setup is quite well-shaded though. She is a Welsummer, do they have a reputation for doing poor in the heat?

They can do well, but at 100 degrees most chickens will be suffering from the heat to an extent and is definitely hot enough to cause changes in behavior. Heat can also cause a lack of appetite. When an animal (or even human) digests food it creates heat inside the body. When an animal is overheated the body will start to limit bodily functions that create heat (like digestion) in an attempt to remain cool.