EMERGENCY HELP PLEASE?!

[Mammasloth]

I have a golden comet that was fine for the longest time then out of nowhere stopped eating,barely drinks water,is loosing weight, and not laying. This is the second gc I have had this happen to. The first one refused everything this lil girl will eat grass, tries to eat feed but isn't getting better and I don't want to loose her. The rest of the flock is fine and not acting this way. Any ideas on what I should do and what it could be?

 

[Mammasloth]

So at that age, and with her dropping ha loose enough to stick to her butt feathers my first thought would be coccidiosis. Do you have corrid? If not I would get that, first thing tomorrow, isolate her, and treat. I would start by using a dropper to get her to drink some of the water with medicine it it, over the first day. So she starts feeling better and will drink more on her own.

I do not have corrid. She seemed to perk up a bit after I added some vitamin mix to their water but looks rough today. I will have to get some though

 

[Mammasloth]

Tuna fish is good, as long as it is the kind that is just in water.

Ok and water is the best lol

 

[Shezadandy]

Not a criticism, I’m just curious as I’ve has younger pullets get coccidiosis, more often than older, and never really seen reproductive issues like that in pre laying pullets. So I’m interested to find out if this is something that is common.

I didn't read it as pre-laying pullet, I read it as "not laying now" as "isn't a year yet" should mean they've all started laying, usually by 5-6mo of age, with golden comets and other high-production breeds often starting much younger. That is why I consider a the potential for reproductive issue at the top of the list. If I've mis-read OP's info that this is a chicken who has never laid an egg, then that is a different situation.

Possible crop issues are in the picture any which way- did she eat a bunch of long grass and get impacted ...

Treating with Corid at any point is just fine, and it should always be used to treat the entire flock if you suspect a problem. Coccidia are ALWAYS present. The highest risk times are in the brooder and the first time the chicks' feet (and almost instantaneously, beaks) hit actual ground. Especially if there are adult chickens (and their feces) - especially if the ground has been WET when they're first introduced. But I personally haven't ever had a problem with coccidiosis over 4-6 weeks of age. And it's almost always either in the brooder - or when they first go outside, within the first 3 days their feet are on actual dirt, unless a coop is especially poorly ventilated and not regularly cleaned (like the awful mass production pictures of hundreds of young birds dying from coccidiois kept in horrible conditions).

If these were young chicks with lethargy and any sign of blood in the poop and there's no Corid on hand, I'm the first to say be at your nearest farm store the moment they open, get the Corid and get home to dose them, directly dosing the sickest one(s) first, don't even stop for coffee.

Probiotics are also perfectly fine. It's Vitamin B (thiamin) that could be lowered by treating with Corid, so if you're going to supplement post-Corid that's what you're trying to do. But no harm will come from Corid, vitamin supplemented water (for a short time) or probiotics.

 

[Opiumbrella]

I didn't read it as pre-laying pullet, I read it as "not laying now" as "isn't a year yet" should mean they've all started laying, usually by 5-6mo of age, with golden comets and other high-production breeds often starting much younger. That is why I consider a the potential for reproductive issue at the top of the list. If I've mis-read OP's info that this is a chicken who has never laid an egg, then that is a different situation.

Possible crop issues are in the picture any which way- did she eat a bunch of long grass and get impacted ...

Treating with Corid at any point is just fine, and it should always be used to treat the entire flock if you suspect a problem. Coccidia are ALWAYS present. The highest risk times are in the brooder and the first time the chicks' feet (and almost instantaneously, beaks) hit actual ground. Especially if there are adult chickens (and their feces) - especially if the ground has been WET when they're first introduced. But I personally haven't ever had a problem with coccidiosis over 4-6 weeks of age. And it's almost always either in the brooder - or when they first go outside, within the first 3 days their feet are on actual dirt, unless a coop is especially poorly ventilated and not regularly cleaned (like the awful mass production pictures of hundreds of young birds dying from coccidiois kept in horrible conditions).

If these were young chicks with lethargy and any sign of blood in the poop and there's no Corid on hand, I'm the first to say be at your nearest farm store the moment they open, get the Corid and get home to dose them, directly dosing the sickest one(s) first, don't even stop for coffee.

Probiotics are also perfectly fine. It's Vitamin B (thiamin) that could be lowered by treating with Corid, so if you're going to supplement post-Corid that's what you're trying to do. But no harm will come from Corid, vitamin supplemented water (for a short time) or probiotics.

Oh I agree. That’s why I asked the age. Because of the breed, had they been older, and laying that would have been my first thought. Thanks for the clarification. I was just curious.

 

[Mammasloth]

Unfortunately I went outside to check on the hens and she had passed away sometime this morning. I am very frustrated that I could not figure out what she had and possibly cure her symptoms and bounce her back to a better state.

 

[Opiumbrella]

I have a golden comet that was fine for the longest time then out of nowhere stopped eating,barely drinks water,is loosing weight, and not laying. This is the second gc I have had this happen to. The first one refused everything this lil girl will eat grass, tries to eat feed but isn't getting better and I don't want to loose her. The rest of the flock is fine and not acting this way. Any ideas on what I should do and what it could be?

What do her droppings look like? How old is she?

 

[Mammasloth]

My whole flock isn't a yr yet will be soon though and her droppings are dark with white in it and think I have to actually clean her tomorrow because it's all stuck to her rear end but no abnormal colors

 

[Opiumbrella]

What do her droppings look like? How old is she?

My whole flock isn't a yr yet will be soon though and her droppings are dark with white in it and think I have to actually clean her tomorrow because it's all stuck to her rear end but no abnormal colors

So at that age, and with her dropping ha loose enough to stick to her butt feathers my first thought would be coccidiosis. Do you have corrid? If not I would get that, first thing tomorrow, isolate her, and treat. I would start by using a dropper to get her to drink some of the water with medicine it it, over the first day. So she starts feeling better and will drink more on her own.

 

[Opiumbrella]

My whole flock isn't a yr yet will be soon though and her droppings are dark with white in it and think I have to actually clean her tomorrow because it's all stuck to her rear end but no abnormal colors

I would also get nutradrench, start with an emergency dose. And even things like canned cat food or the refrigerated dog food made from rice/pumpkin/chicken (yes I know, but it works) are great too boost the appetite and health of hens who are losing weight, and not eating due to coccidiosis.