Drinking lots of water and pooping but not eating much

[Mayochick]

My 5 month old Sussex hen has been slow for a day now. She’s been sleeping a lot as well. She usually has lot of energy and talks a lot. She’s drinking lots of water and pooping normal as well (slimy green with some yellow) shes not really eating much either. Any suggestions on what I could do to help her feel better?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Is she laying? Can you post pics of the poo? If it's a bright green she may be starving herself.

 

[Mayochick]

Is she laying? Can you post pics of the poo? If it's a bright green she may be starving herself.

Not sure if she laid an egg. I have 2 other 5 month old hens so I’m not sure who it was. They haven’t laid another since. Yes it is like a bright green. I’m not sure why she would be starving herself out of no where. Yesterday morning she was completely fine then around 2pm that’s when I noticed she slowed down.

 

[azygous]

Your description of your hen's symptoms exactly match those of a hen of mine who came down very sick three days ago. Normally, I'm on the ball to notice when a hen is having reproductive issues, and I am able to step right in with treatment, making short work of the crisis. But this time, I was fooled into thinking it was something else going on, namely an infection, which did turn out to be part of her problem.

This hen was so sick, I was thinking seriously of euthanizing her yesterday when she passed a collapsed egg membrane. Her poop all along has been runny laced with copious amounts of yellow mucous, she wasn't eating but drinking a lot of water - signs of an obstruction, also infection.

I had assumed she only had egg yolk peritonitis (EYP), but she was actually suffering from an egg obstruction, too, and should have been given a calcium supplement at the very first symptom. In my defense, this hen narrowly escaped succumbing to lymphoid leucosis when she was just a pullet as her three mates did, so she has a habit of sitting and lying around a lot, so I didn't recognize her behavior as lethargic.

Getting back to your hen, is she currently laying? If so, it's very possible she is struggling to get an egg out or even collapsed egg material. Give her a calcium tablet immediately. This is what I prefer

as it works fastest, but if a Tums is all you have at the moment, that will do. Just pop two halves into her beak.

Due to the yellow mucous, I also suggest starting your hen on an oral antibiotic since yellow can indicate the start of EYP and the sooner it's treated the better the chances of actually curing it, avoiding early death. I recommend amoxicillin for this. Tractor Supply may carry it. Sometimes Petsmart does in their tropical fish section.

 

[SmiYa0126]

100 with azygous!!

 

[Mayochick]

Your description of your hen's symptoms exactly match those of a hen of mine who came down very sick three days ago. Normally, I'm on the ball to notice when a hen is having reproductive issues, and I am able to step right in with treatment, making short work of the crisis. But this time, I was fooled into thinking it was something else going on, namely an infection, which did turn out to be part of her problem.

This hen was so sick, I was thinking seriously of euthanizing her yesterday when she passed a collapsed egg membrane. Her poop all along has been runny laced with copious amounts of yellow mucous, she wasn't eating but drinking a lot of water - signs of an obstruction, also infection.

I had assumed she only had egg yolk peritonitis (EYP), but she was actually suffering from an egg obstruction, too, and should have been given a calcium supplement at the very first symptom. In my defense, this hen narrowly escaped succumbing to lymphoid leucosis when she was just a pullet as her three mates did, so she has a habit of sitting and lying around a lot, so I didn't recognize her behavior as lethargic.

Getting back to your hen, is she currently laying? If so, it's very possible she is struggling to get an egg out or even collapsed egg material. Give her a calcium tablet immediately. This is what I prefer View attachment 3220900as it works fastest, but if a Tums is all you have at the moment, that will do. Just pop two halves into her beak.

Due to the yellow mucous, I also suggest starting your hen on an oral antibiotic since yellow can indicate the start of EYP and the sooner it's treated the better the chances of actually curing it, avoiding early death. I recommend amoxicillin for this. Tractor Supply may carry it. Sometimes Petsmart does in their tropical fish section.

Wow thank you so much for helping! I’m just so worried for her. I just bought the calcium citrate so maybe I’ll try to smoosh the two halves in water for her to drink. I’m really hoping that she feeling better soon afterwards. For the amoxicillin are you talking about the drops for them? If she gets worse? And is your hen feeling better or she still feeling sick

 

[Mayochick]

Your description of your hen's symptoms exactly match those of a hen of mine who came down very sick three days ago. Normally, I'm on the ball to notice when a hen is having reproductive issues, and I am able to step right in with treatment, making short work of the crisis. But this time, I was fooled into thinking it was something else going on, namely an infection, which did turn out to be part of her problem.

This hen was so sick, I was thinking seriously of euthanizing her yesterday when she passed a collapsed egg membrane. Her poop all along has been runny laced with copious amounts of yellow mucous, she wasn't eating but drinking a lot of water - signs of an obstruction, also infection.

I had assumed she only had egg yolk peritonitis (EYP), but she was actually suffering from an egg obstruction, too, and should have been given a calcium supplement at the very first symptom. In my defense, this hen narrowly escaped succumbing to lymphoid leucosis when she was just a pullet as her three mates did, so she has a habit of sitting and lying around a lot, so I didn't recognize her behavior as lethargic.

Getting back to your hen, is she currently laying? If so, it's very possible she is struggling to get an egg out or even collapsed egg material. Give her a calcium tablet immediately. This is what I prefer View attachment 3220900as it works fastest, but if a Tums is all you have at the moment, that will do. Just pop two halves into her beak.

Due to the yellow mucous, I also suggest starting your hen on an oral antibiotic since yellow can indicate the start of EYP and the sooner it's treated the better the chances of actually curing it, avoiding early death. I recommend amoxicillin for this. Tractor Supply may carry it. Sometimes Petsmart does in their tropical fish section.

This is my hen penny, I wanted to separate her from the others just for tonight to monitor her, and I put the calcium that you recommended me in the water for her to make it easier for her.

 

[azygous]

My hen is almost back to normal, appetite not entirely normal, but getting there. She will get a full ten days of the amoxicillin, though, to get rid of the infection.

Amoxicillin is sold in stores that also deal with aquarium fish. It's sold without a prescription for fish, but it's for other animals as well. If you can't find it in town, you can order it here. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/ The dose is 250mg per day for ten days. You just pop the capsule into the beak. Chickens have no trouble swallowing pills as humans do. In fact, you can push the calcium tablet into her beak and she will immediately have the full dose which she may not get in the water.

Calcium will stimulate contractions to get the obstruction cleared. If it turns out to be a shell-less or thin shell egg, a tablet a day is recommended until she lays normal eggs.

 

[Mayochick]

My hen is almost back to normal, appetite not entirely normal, but getting there. She will get a full ten days of the amoxicillin, though, to get rid of the infection.

Amoxicillin is sold in stores that also deal with aquarium fish. It's sold without a prescription for fish, but it's for other animals as well. If you can't find it in town, you can order it here. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/ The dose is 250mg per day for ten days. You just pop the capsule into the beak. Chickens have no trouble swallowing pills as humans do. In fact, you can push the calcium tablet into her beak and she will immediately have the full dose which she may not get in the water.

Calcium will stimulate contractions to get the obstruction cleared. If it turns out to be a shell-less or thin shell egg, a tablet a day is recommended until she lays normal eggs.

So I think she has sour crop. I tried to put the pills in her mouth but a lot of liquids came out. Should I still give her the calcium pills?

 

[azygous]

Had she just been eating and drinking? Or is this before she had anything to eat and drink? If it's the latter, then she has sour crop. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/