EMERGENCY HELP PLEASE?!

[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 say, it’s not a bad idea to treat the water of the whole flock with the low dose of liquid corrid as they likely all have been exposed as well.
I would do 1tsp per gallon of the liquid corrid for the flock members not showing symptoms. And 2tsp per gallon for the one who is sick.
After you finish treatment I would use poultry probiotics for them all, to boost their digestive health. And durastat, an oregano water supplement is also great for regular use to help boost immunity.
I would also clean and disinfect the roosts and remove as much of their droppings from the coop as possible. So they don’t re-infect themselves.

 

[Opiumbrella]

It's most likely an issue related to laying. Golden Comets are bred for high production. She may be egg bound,- but if she hasn't been laying at all lately -- then she may have experienced internal laying, which can in turn lead to a nasty infection, which is how many laying hens sadly come to an end, some stage/version of EYP which is egg yolk peritonitis.. Is there anything abnormal about her abdomen, i.e. is it hard/swollen/distended?

Corid won't hurt anything but given her age and everyone else being fine, coccidiosis is not high on my list of suspects.

How does her crop feel? Is it full? Flat? watery/squishy? Hard as a rock? Sour crop and/or slow crop could be at issue too. Many times though the digestive clues they give us are secondary to the real problem, it just happens to be the first thing we notice.

Whatever you can get her to eat and drink, great- scrambled egg works for a lot of my chickens, meal worms. Unless her crop is full - in which case no food until you get things moving- otherwise it's like shoving food down a clogged sink.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

Really, less than a year old and haven’t started laying yet? That seems to be when they are most prone to coccidiosis. You really think it’s internal laying, or egg bound? Plus with the other one having had similar issues previously, it seemed likely infectious to me. Some will get past Coccidiosis infections without treatment. Which is another thing that made me think that.

She is right, I forgot to ask about the crop. And making sure it is not full and squishy or full and hardened. One of the first things to always check.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Really, less than a year old and haven’t started laying yet? That seems to be when they are most prone to coccidiosis. You really think it’s internal laying, or egg bound?

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.

 

[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.

 

[Shezadandy]

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.

Thanks for asking!

 

[Mammasloth]

It's most likely an issue related to laying. Golden Comets are bred for high production. She may be egg bound,- but if she hasn't been laying at all lately -- then she may have experienced internal laying, which can in turn lead to a nasty infection, which is how many laying hens sadly come to an end, some stage/version of EYP which is egg yolk peritonitis.. Is there anything abnormal about her abdomen, i.e. is it hard/swollen/distended?

Corid won't hurt anything but given her age and everyone else being fine, coccidiosis is not high on my list of suspects.

How does her crop feel? Is it full? Flat? watery/squishy? Hard as a rock? Sour crop and/or slow crop could be at issue too. Many times though the digestive clues they give us are secondary to the real problem, it just happens to be the first thing we notice.

Whatever you can get her to eat and drink, great- scrambled egg works for a lot of my chickens, meal worms. Unless her crop is full - in which case no food until you get things moving- otherwise it's like shoving food down a clogged sink.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

There is nothing in her crop and she was laying eggs fine then I noticed that her tail was down,she stopped eating and was drinking very little, and when she would lay there shake her head a.lot

 

[Mammasloth]

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.

All my hens for some reason laid throughout the winter. But I live in the south so we don't get very cold winters. But as soon as warm weather started I lost one gc and im fighting to keep this one alive since she was showing signs of rebounding unlike her sister

 

[Shezadandy]

All my hens for some reason laid throughout the winter. But I live in the south so we don't get very cold winters. But as soon as warm weather started I lost one gc and im fighting to keep this one alive since she was showing signs of rebounding unlike her sister

Usually the first year pullets will lay throughout the winter and spring and fall and then take their first molt. Not always.

Another possibility going based on the hen shaking her head is mites. Look her over carefully around her vent, under her wings, and yes, by her head. Maybe put down some white paper towels to make them easier to see.

I've used kitten flea and tick shampoos to give them immediate relief - in my case the permethrin powders don't work. Elector PSP does a great job, but it is expensive because a little goes a realllllly long way. Not sure if your local store will stock it. But Valley Vet usually has the best price.

Also -
Have you felt around her abdomen, between her legs? Compare that to one of your healthy hens to see if she has ascities. (waterbelly).

Ascities is a symptom that goes hand in hand with reproductive issues as well as organ failure. What happens is their own fluid fills their abdominal cavity, taking all the room that they would usually use for digestion (so their appetite goes down) and breathing, of course they do not feel well.

You can drain ascities using a 16 or 14 gauge needle from a farm store, usually found in the cattle vaccinations area. Any smaller than that and the fluid takes much, much longer to drain. Even if it does not apply to this particular hen, it's a good thing to be prepared for and learn how to do. I stopped using the syringe to drain my hens to eliminate the potential for drawing fluid off too fast, and also because I usually do it without help.

I find that as the breathe in and out the fluid will vary in how fast it comes out. Breathing in, it will trickle. Breathing out, it will come out faster. Once they're drained either they perk back up and are hungry - sometimes it takes a day to get back to normal. If she goes on to die, she was going to die anyhow- and you've made her last hours much more comfortable.

And yes draining ascities is not a risk free thing to do- it will not cure her of the ailment, but she will feel better. If it is ascities, if you do nothing, she basically drowns in her own fluid as it goes forward.

Here is an excellent how-to video. Towards the end she shows how the fluid will come right out of the needle without the syringe,

 

[Mammasloth]

Usually the first year pullets will lay throughout the winter and spring and fall and then take their first molt. Not always.

Another possibility going based on the hen shaking her head is mites. Look her over carefully around her vent, under her wings, and yes, by her head. Maybe put down some white paper towels to make them easier to see.

I've used kitten flea and tick shampoos to give them immediate relief - in my case the permethrin powders don't work. Elector PSP does a great job, but it is expensive because a little goes a realllllly long way. Not sure if your local store will stock it. But Valley Vet usually has the best price.

Also -
Have you felt around her abdomen, between her legs? Compare that to one of your healthy hens to see if she has ascities. (waterbelly).

Ascities is a symptom that goes hand in hand with reproductive issues as well as organ failure. What happens is their own fluid fills their abdominal cavity, taking all the room that they would usually use for digestion (so their appetite goes down) and breathing, of course they do not feel well.

You can drain ascities using a 16 or 14 gauge needle from a farm store, usually found in the cattle vaccinations area. Any smaller than that and the fluid takes much, much longer to drain. Even if it does not apply to this particular hen, it's a good thing to be prepared for and learn how to do. I stopped using the syringe to drain my hens to eliminate the potential for drawing fluid off too fast, and also because I usually do it without help.

I find that as the breathe in and out the fluid will vary in how fast it comes out. Breathing in, it will trickle. Breathing out, it will come out faster. Once they're drained either they perk back up and are hungry - sometimes it takes a day to get back to normal. If she goes on to die, she was going to die anyhow- and you've made her last hours much more comfortable.

And yes draining ascities is not a risk free thing to do- it will not cure her of the ailment, but she will feel better. If it is ascities, if you do nothing, she basically drowns in her own fluid as it goes forward.

Here is an excellent how-to video. Towards the end she shows how the fluid will come right out of the needle without the syringe,

No fluid feeling in her chest nor abnormal breathing. I have checked for mites and saw no sign and the head shaking is weird when she is feeling well on her good days she doesn't do it but the bad days she does it a lot I also thought of mites at the time. I gave the flock powder vitamins and minerals that you mix with water and she seemed better for a week or two then yesterday went south again. We have it down to bare dirt and limed to kill any bacteria and mold from rain wet hay. And we are still getting rain so we want them to have hay when it starts to go to our dry season. Feed smelled normal for feed that is. And none of the other birds are acting this way. This really has me stumped