Eyes closed, lethargic, tail down, falling asleep standing? Crop empty, just dewormed. Need advice please!

[Cinnaminute]

Hi, I need some help on what my first step should be to help my hen. I don't know if I should give her aqua mox or flush for toxins or what. Edit: Just gave her a calcium tablet just in case, since I know 3/6 of the EEs did return to laying after their molt and perhaps she's having some trouble getting started?

I found my 1yr 7mo old Easter Egger hen laying in the coop this morning around 11:50am. She doesn't want to open her eyes but has a couple times. She talks to me when I handle her. When I brought her in, she turns her head like she's looking around but won't open her eyes or she'll open just the right eye. One time she opened her left and I see no damage or cloudiness. Both eyes look bright.

When standing up after I brought her in, she looks like she's falling asleep. Her head will slowly drift down to her chest. Her poop was a bit green and icky but I think that's because she hasn't eaten or drank since sometimes late yesterday. She was fine at 10:30pm when I last checked on everyone. They did free range yesterday around 3pm - later than usual since I had a busy day and couldn't supervise.

I saw her this morning around 9am and she seemed fine but everyone stayed in the coop because of the storms so she likely already was unwell. I went out to check on everyone just about 10 minutes ago and found her like this.

I'm getting some Nutridrench down her. She willingly drinks some if I dip her beak. Turns her head around while she hears me typing this (have her on my lap, she's standing so she has some strength.

She was just dewormed. Finished her last dose of Safeguard on January 7th (I gave them the 5 day in a row treatment along with 4 others of her same age/breed flockmates and they're all fine). Has 3 days left of Corid prevention. She just molted in November/December and has not started laying again yet.

I have aqua mox on hand and electrolytes. Don't know what all I can administer to her at once (during the same day) Just trying to get food and water down her right now. Thank you for any help. I'm leaning on getting some aqua mox down her personally.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Same hen as THIS THREAD? Looks like you received good suggestions there.

If so, she's been having some problems for a while now right?
When was her last egg?

At 7years of age, she may be starting to have some reproductive issues.

You can try giving her the antibiotic to see if makes a difference. Glancing at the details in the other thread, you have treated for Coccidiosis (Corid) and given Fenbendazole (Safeguard) to treat worms.

How many days of safeguard did you give?

She may benefit from extra Calcium for a few days as well. 1 Calcium Citrate with D3 tablet daily for 3-5days in case she's having trouble expelling an egg.

Work on hydration, then offer food. Check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

Her stance and the closing of the eyes says she's not feeling well, hopefully she will bounce back once again, but sometimes they don't.

If you lose her and want to know why she was in decline, send the body to your state lab for testing or if you are up to it, perform your own informal investigation to see if you can see anything obvious.

 

[Cinnaminute]

@Wyorp Rock Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it. No, this is a different hen. The other hen from that thread is completely better now thanks to the advice I got! Seems parasites and starting a molt were to blame for that other hen.

This hen I gave 5 days of Safeguard .23ml per lb of body weight (she got about 1ml per day). Did the same with my others. Final dose was on the 7th.

I've gotten some electrolytes, nutridrench, and plain water down her. Also gave a calcium tablet and about to give the antibiotic just in case that'll help.

She refuses to open her eyes. She stands or lays. She did groom a bit, laying down now taking a nap with all her feathers on her hind fluffed up and head drawn to her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is she pooping?
What's that like?

Good job getting electrolytes into her.

Poor thing is not doing well is she

 

[KayisforKale]

@Wyorp Rock Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it. No, this is a different hen. The other hen from that thread is completely better now thanks to the advice I got! Seems parasites and starting a molt were to blame for that other hen.

This hen I gave 5 days of Safeguard .23ml per lb of body weight (she got about 1ml per day). Did the same with my others. Final dose was on the 7th.

I've gotten some electrolytes, nutridrench, and plain water down her. Also gave a calcium tablet and about to give the antibiotic just in case that'll help.

She refuses to open her eyes. She stands or lays. She did groom a bit, laying down now taking a nap with all her feathers on her hind fluffed up and head drawn to her.

View attachment 3722516

Try a nice, warm bath and a belly massage. Just in case she is eggbound.

I hope she feels well very soon!

 

[Cinnaminute]

Yes, her system is definitely moving. She's pooped 3 times since I brought her in, but it's just mostly urates with a bit of green. Pretty sure she hasn't eaten since yesterday night though. It's gotten less thick and more watery since I've been getting fluids down her.

This happened so suddenly. This is her first time being dewormed and nearly 2 years old so I'm really suspicious about the timing of that.

I feel so bad for her, but I'm glad when she bawwws at me every time I pester her. Let's me know she's alert. But she refuses to open her eyes. I did give her the antibiotic, made it into a pill with coconut oil as I read about on here. She definitely had the energy to fight me opening her beak and did open her right eye so that's good at least. Don't want to tire her out too much of course, but it's some relief. She walked, eyes closed, into the carrier I have to get out of the light so seems the light is bothering her.

Most recent poop:


Update: I was able to get a little raw egg yolk down her. When she tasted the egg she perked up for just a moment and actually opened her eyes to see what was so yummy. But she closed them again. Is this signs of photosensitivity? She is definitely avoiding the light as much as possible. I'm starting to get suspicious that she ate something toxic yesterday when out foraging. I might attempt a flush later this evening but I want to research it first and see if it's a good idea or not. I'm hesitant since all I have on hand is epsom salt and she already isn't eating/drinking on her own.

 

[KayisforKale]

Yes, her system is definitely moving. She's pooped 3 times since I brought her in, but it's just mostly urates with a bit of green. Pretty sure she hasn't eaten since yesterday night though. It's gotten less thick and more watery since I've been getting fluids down her.

This happened so suddenly. This is her first time being dewormed and nearly 2 years old so I'm really suspicious about the timing of that.

I feel so bad for her, but I'm glad when she bawwws at me every time I pester her. Let's me know she's alert. But she refuses to open her eyes. I did give her the antibiotic, made it into a pill with coconut oil as I read about on here. She definitely had the energy to fight me opening her beak and did open her right eye so that's good at least. Don't want to tire her out too much of course, but it's some relief. She walked, eyes closed, into the carrier I have to get out of the light so seems the light is bothering her.

Most recent poop:
View attachment 3722527

Try offering some yummy foods that may pique her appetite, like scrambled eggs. I am sorry. I am by no means an expert. I can only offer a suggestion here or there, and I know even sick/hurt birds like scrambled eggs. It will at least give her some nutrition.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's avoiding light?

Can you get photos of her eyes?

I'd work on getting her hydrated. If you think she ate something toxic (do you have something in mind like what she ate?) then giving her a flush may be an appropriate step to take.

Her poop is mostly urates, so try to get fluids into her. The egg was good to give.

Let us know how she's doing.

 

[Cinnaminute]

About her eyes: Yeah, all day she wouldn't open her eyes at all. And when dipping her beak in fluids, she'd start to walk with her eyes closed for the nearest dark place. Kept the living room light off and kept the dog carrier covered. I figured if the light was bothering her, I'd give her some reprieve from it. The few times she opened her eyes, they looked as they always do and I saw no signs of cloudiness or bubbles. But finally she's got her eyes open like normal!

Her eyes this morning (very hard to get a picture since she actually doesn't want to sit still now - and I accidentally used flash which didn't seem to bother her in the slightest):



As for toxic ingestion: I don't have any immediate suspicions of what she could've ate. They've free ranged the yard for almost a year now. I try to take time to remove any mushrooms or trash I find. We have some toxic plants like an azalea bush she and the others love to hang around underneath. But no one eats it. And they love to scratch through my compost pile of old straw and chicken poop. Usually they just eat bugs they find or leftover seed in the straw that they missed. Sometimes they've gotten into the dog's food... I'll have to see what my family fed him the other day. He gets table scraps and she might've eaten something that made her ill. I had to chase her and several others away the day before yesterday. My family didn't realize I had the chickens out and I didn't realize they put the dog's food out since I was busy working in the yard.

Definitely kept up her fluids! I harassed her all day yesterday, every 15-20 minutes dipping her beak into plain water, electrolytes, nutridrench, and raw egg yolk. She'd let some get in her beak and swallow. I got her a second dose of amoxicillin down her before bed. I could tell she wanted the food and water when I'd first offer it to her. She'd perk up and lean her beak towards it like she wanted to have a go. But then she'd quickly lose interest and I was basically getting drops in her. But I'd spend a good 10 minutes with her, getting as much as I could down her.

Around midnight she finally opened her eyes for the first time all day! She looked at me with such annoyance, turned away from the fluids, and walked herself back into the dog carrier to go to sleep! She was so aggravated with me, grumbling as she went, haha. But that was a very good sign!

Then at 2am I checked on her again. Her eyes were wide open and she started guzzling the water I offered on her own! Drank 1/4 cup of water (been giving her water in measuring cups to monitor her intake).

This morning around 8am I found her awake, eyes open, and she had already been drinking the water I left in the carrier with her! She didn't want her feed, dry or moist, so I cooked her some scrambled egg and she about half of the egg on her own.

Further treatment: So she definitely is on the up! I'm not sure if the amoxicillin is what helped or if whatever toxin entered her body is getting flushed out. I'll see what all food I can entice her with today, give her more amoxicillin, and keep giving her the fluids I was yesterday. I don't know how long I should give her the antibiotic. I'm giving 250mg twice daily as per this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/amoxicillin-dosage-clarification.1595226/

This morning's poop (starting to see some actual normal in all that green!):


Her posture looks good and she's inquisitive (not 100% normal but huge improvement over yesterday!):

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad she's improving.

Seems the Amoxicillin and you're working on hydration has made a difference.
Amoxicillin is given for 7-10 days.

It's great she's opening her eyes now and grumbling at you - good signs