Diarrhea and lethargic

[Peep Peep Baby]

This is my 1 1/2 year old EE. Yesterday afternoon I noticed she was lethargic and just sitting with her eyes closed and back hunched up. I noticed she had a dirty bottom so I gave her a warm bath and cleaned her off. Took time to examine her abdomen and crop and did not feel anything hard in either. The attached pictures are her droppings from this morning. Same behavior today. Not eating snacks with other hens. Cantaloupe and oatmeal and hulled sunflower seeds. So I assume she isn't eating her layer feed either. Gave them all some apple cider vinegar in their water this morning. Also notice there are a lot of feathers on the poop board which could be hers or another EE that roosts next to her. Would molting cause these symptoms. Should I bring her in the house. If so what do you recommend I do for here. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[annaBsChick]

I think it would be a good idea to take her to see a vet. Once chickens start to act obviously sick, it is usually in the advanced stages, and require immediate medical attention...here is a link to a directory of vets who see chickens.

 

[littlepip]

definitely see a vet. You should get help before it gets worse. it could be parasites. Coccidiosis is also very common in chickens. it lives in the intestines and could be deadly if not treated. Signs could include diarrhea, bloody stools, or tiredness. if you can treat her with the first few signs, it should go away.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she been laying eggs up till now? Molting tends to be a time that illnesses will show up. Mine usually act a bit more distant and have a decreased appetite, although they will still come for an occasional treat.

Her droppings look like there is a lot of fluid and mucus, and resemble some that I see with reproductive disorders in hens who haven’t laid in awhile. But it might be good to take in a sample to look for worms and coccidiosis.

Does her lower belly seem enlarged, or has she lost weight? How is her crop feeling, especially in the early morning? If it feels full and firm or puffy in the morning, there may be a crop problem. It is good to look her over for any mites or lice, especially under vent when you part the feathers. Clean her vent area of poop, so flies don’t lay maggot eggs.

 

[rebrascora]

That lower back hunched posture is common with reproductive disorders. It could be a shell less egg in the pipe which is really hard for them to pass and makes them feel very out of sorts or it could be something more sinister like salpingitis or internal laying or cancer or ovarian cysts. I appreciate that you say there is no appreciable swelling but have you compared her to other hens, cupping your hand between their legs to feel their abdomen and then hers to make a direct comparison..... roost time is good for this as you can just feel them as they stand on the roost bar. You are assessing the area between their legs and just below their vent. A bird that is soiling her butt feathers often has some abdominal swelling because the swelling prevents the poop from dropping clear and instead it snags on the feathers below and cakes then. A sick or swollen bird is also much less likely to be able to preen herself clean so she will be less likely to clean up these soiled feathers and also more prone to lice, so that would be something else to check for but I am certain external parasites are not the cause of her illness but could be a consequence of it.
It would be useful to know roughly when she last laid and egg if you have any idea?
You might want to give her a calcium supplement like calcium citrate or calcium gluconate or a Tums indigestion tablet at a push in case it is a shell less egg. At this time of year as they get to the end of their reproductive cycle and approach/start to moult, their bodies can become depleted of those vital minerals needed to make a hard shell. Calcium is also I believed, utilised by the muscles to strengthen contractions and help them push a soft shelled egg out if that is the problem. She might benefit from being placed on a heat pad in the dark, unless your climate is very hot, to help her relax those vent muscles and try to pass it. Getting fluids into her is also important.