Favorite Hen is Sick - Please Help!!

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

My 25 week old Red Star hen has not been acting normal the past few days. She started laying at 19 weeks, and has probably only missed laying 3 times since this past week. I have not gotten any eggs for sure from her since a week ago. I had 2 unknown eggs that were the right shape for her, but much lighter than her usual color.

Presently, I have her in the house in a box to be watched. I started giving her vitamin/electrolytes in her water yesterday. Symptoms are as follows:

Lethargic, perfers to sit
Weak left leg, will use it, but reluctantly; no visible swelling
Left wing droop when trying to balance with weak left leg
No eggs
Cannot feel anything obvious in her rear, but don't know what I'm feeling for
Panting, though not hot here
Drinking ok
Eating less than normal
Poop - green, w/ yellow (instead of white); also, some clear and watery
Tail drooping
Seems to have lost weight

Also, I have just completed an entire treatment for coccidia in my chickens, diagnosised by fecal float, and treated with Corid.

I had another chicken die today from unknown causes. She was fairly new to my flock. Started acting puffed up and listless a few days ago. Gave her vitamins, meds, but she died this afternoon.

Please, any help would be greatly appreciated. Our whole family is very attached to this hen and I would hate to lose her.

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

Please, anyone? I don't want to wake up to another dead hen in the morning. She is my best egg layer.

More details. She is fed Start and Grow with oyster shell free choice. Some scratch as a treat in the evenings. Free range 2-4 hours a day. Access to the compost heap.

She is not wheezing. There is no drainage from eyes, nose, ears.

 

[jenni2142]

access to compost is not good. check this link i think it sounds a lot like what you have posted.
there are some links in it for info on botulism and things like that. good luck.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=91691

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

Thanks for the link. Yes, that does sound somewhat similar. I will has to restrict access to the compost from now on.

I am still concerned that she could be egg bound, or have a broken egg in her. How do I tell this? I have antibiotics, both injectable, and water kind, should I start her on some? I am getting Tums and yogurt and aspirin at the store tonight.

She ate all of the cooked egg yolk I gave her. I put a heating sock under her rear to sit on, but she doesn't like it too much and keeps moving off of it. She can still stand if she wants to, and doesn't appear to have any balance issues, except for favoring her left leg some. Her crop feels normal, but not full. Her comb is red and normal floppiness.

Right now, I am most concerned about the panting. I know it can mean she is hot, but it is in the 50s here, so I don't think she is hot. Could it mean she is in pain? How do I tell what is causing all this?

 

[jenni2142]

i think panting can indicate stress but not sure about pain. i would add a powdered vitamin/electrolyte mix to the water. won't hurt, might help. hopefully others with more experience/knowledge of this will see this and help.

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

She died this morning. Thanks for everyones help.

 

[Redfeathers]

I'm so sorry. :aww

 

[jenni2142]

i am sorry. it is so hard to loose your favorite. i wish i could have helped more.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

So sorry, I missed this post earlier. Tiny Tim got tossed by bigger roo and is trying to recover. Say a prayer for him. Offending roo is incarcerated...indefinitely !!!