Found Chicken very lethargic this morning

[CityChickenns]

Nothing out of the ordinary, everything looks and feels like normal. If they had something stuck would it stop them from eating?

Yeah she's not doing any of that just opens her beak a little.
Is there anything I can do for a respiratory issue?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Nothing out of the ordinary, everything looks and feels like normal. If they had something stuck would it stop them from eating?

Yeah she's not doing any of that just opens her beak a little.
Is there anything I can do for a respiratory issue?

Hi CityChickens, I would worm her ASAP. An overload of worms can cause these symptoms , when was the last time you wormed her and what did you use ?

 

[gilcamp4]

I need help with my chickens i was told they have egg yolk peritonitis and round worm infestation, how do i treat them and do you know what it comes from. i have lost 3 chickens and looks like another one is dieing today, help please,

 

[Anniebee]

@ City Chickenns, Teila and sjturner79

Sorry, I don't know how to gather together all the comments for reposting.

But here is my two penny worth, and I can only hope it is of some help.

First, I agree with all Teila's questions, which you have subsequently answered. However ----

Are you certain that she has feathered up again ? .... one of my chickens feels like a porcupine when in a heavy moult, and that is a couple of weeks before the feathers begin to appear properly. But it needs gentle palpation to find the spikey pins, that lie close to the skin. Not always easy to detect - surprising as that might be.

Meantime ( as an example ) my poor wee Mindy, sits as comfortably as she can, as it must be ultra uncomfortable for her to sit on pins and needles - literally. During those pin feather times, she squats half standing, on her roost, rather than comfortably roosting on her feet with whole body down. It's awful for her. She also remains in corners during the start of a moult, and at the start of pin feathering. She barely moves, but I must admit she is not wobbly on her legs. She is however, ultra ultra slow, and has no desire to vacate her coop. ( She is feathering up slowly now, and is a bit more interested in being outside than in - which is the normal process for her during her heavy moults ). Mash treats spark her up, and she is given them 3 - 5 times a week. Protein filled ( meat, scrambled egg, rice, raw oats, bran, greens cut up finely, cooked white rice, scratch mix, sardines, etc. - any and all, at any time ).

Some chickens do it the really ultra hard way ( like my Mindy ). Others, do it in dribs and drabs ( or as I have learned recently here, in 'suspended' moults ).

So - If your girl, City Chickenns, is looking uncomfortable at all in moving around, sitting etc, it might well be the spikey pin feathers, she is trying to deal with.

If you pick her up, ( and you have ) and can feel any pin feathers ( they are like ru-ddy needles ) AT ALL ... then she is possibly very very uncomfortable. You have to dig in gently to feel them, but once you do - there is no doubt.

Panting ( opening the beak ) is not necessarily a good sign .... but can also simply indicate stress. Chickens pant when hot on summer days, beaks open - catching cool air to breathe in ( they think ). that usually abates when the sun goes down, and some cool air might waft. However, that is NOT the situation here in Australia at this time. It is more likely to be cool to cold - wherever you are. ( gosh, even Queensland has had colder temps. than Victoria recently - ? ). Chooks most certainly do pant when stressed.

I have now researched a little, respiratory illnesses in chickens. I am no expert by any means, but from what I have read, your chicken would have signs of discharge from the nose / beak, gasping for air, and some mucous that would be noticeable. This ( to date ) has not occurred with your chicken, Betty. And I hope, as I post this - it has not come to that.

Admittedly this is a 'dummies' site, but from : http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/respiratory-illness-in-chickens.html " Typical signs of respiratory illness in chickens include sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and runny nose and eyes. The miserable patient also suffers fatigue and loss of appetite."

So far, you have not noted any of this, except the wobbles and what looks like fatigue ( lying down ).

The blue spot on her wattle ?. ... If in Australia, and it has been ultra-cold ( minus temps ) that could be a sign of frost-bite. If in the U.S. ( I cannot find anywhere, where you reside ) ... then it's coming into summer there, and it should not be a factor. I'm sorry I cannot be of any more help on that, but Teila has made some very useful comments - which could be proved, or not, by an avian veterinarian.

My advice would be to keep her warm, give her plenty of attention and cuddles ( if she likes that, perhaps indoors ), make sure she gets plenty of sun, isolate her from other chickens if possible for a few hours a day, and give her a diet that will perk her up. Particularly with protein in it ( meat, scrambled egg, sardines, etc. ). .... Her poop I cannot comment on, as I have seen the most extraordinary range of woopsies from my chickens over 3 years, .. ... but from your description, I don't think there is tooo much to worry about there.

While I loathe ending on a negative note, I cannot be untruthful. ...

Isa Browns do not have longevity to their breed - they are hybrids. However, some people would dispute the longevity bit - caged Isa Browns certainly don't live a long and happy life ( 2-3 years max ) ... but the Isa's free ranging, happy in their coops and runs with friends and protective owners, can and do live quite a bit longer. A few Isa brown hens will accept a rooster and lay fertile eggs, but as they tend not to be broody ( therefore not good Mums ) ... their hatchings are not too successful. ... I have read that it is unwise to try to breed Isa's to other birds at all. They ideally should come from the pure breds Rhode Island Reds/Whites x New Hampshire Red. They are bred specifically for laying, and are beautiful productive pets - for as long as they lay. After that, they become just pets.

And let's face it - to most of us ... they are precious pets - eggs or not.

I hope this has helped somewhat.

Cheers,
Anniebee.

 

[Anniebee]

Teila .... do you think I should repost my mini-book here ( re City Chickenns problems ) ... on the Aussie site ?

.............

Fancy Chook Lady .... worming - yes for sure. Worms can knock them over big time.

Trick is to get the right worming mixture that the little blighters will actually drink. !!

I use Aristopet Levamisole hydrochloride ( after many trials of other product ) .... and they seem to have coped
with that ok. ??

Difficult in the wintry months when they don't drink as much water though. But that's my problem ...

LOL.

.......

City Chickenns ... oops, sorry, having returned to your first post, and I see you are in Australia. My mistake. Apologies.

.........

gilcamp4 ... I am so sorry to hear of your current problems with your chickens. From what I understand ( and that isn't always too much )
egg peritonitis is not contagious. Who told you ( I don't want names or details ) ... that it was egg peritonitis. ?

You have lost 3 chickens, so I suspect ( but cannot of course, be certain ) that it is a bacterial infection of some kind - perhaps e-coli ?

It could also be worm infestation, but others here would be able to provide more info. on that, than I can.

In any case, you need to get vet. advice about this situation, and if he/she recommends worming - then do so, and if it is a
bacterial infection that has passed from one to other chickens, then anti-biotics from the vet. would help.

I am very sorry I cannot be of more assistance than that. But I am sure someone else here on this site, could be.

Chickens can worry the sole case out of us at times ... how well do I / we know that. !!

Would suggest you repost your chickens' conditions and worries on the "Australia - Six States and that Funny Little Island" thread. It is a very comprehensive thread, and I have no doubt someone there will be able to assist you.

But - good luck with this ... and I hope your remaining chickens become well, hale and healthy again.

Cheers,
Anniebee.

 

[CityChickenns]

I am going to get a wormer tomorrow, any recommendations?
I had a look at Betty and she does have spikey pins, definitely not easy to find. So if that's the case causing her lethargy how long would this last? I'll make sure to give her some high protein foods tomorrow. I'll keep her inside and warm until she's acting somewhat normal again. She's been getting lots of cuddles all day

I did Google their lifespan before, she'd be nearly 3 years now. I'm not sure if it's the end for her, I'm still hopeful. She is a great chook, such an interesting personality.

In regards to the egg yolk peritonitis, my ex battery hen came down with that and was euthanised , there is no way of preventing it or curing it i believe?

Thank you to all for your help though!

 

[Anniebee]

I am going to get a wormer tomorrow, any recommendations?
I had a look at Betty and she does have spikey pins, definitely not easy to find. So if that's the case causing her lethargy how long would this last? I'll make sure to give her some high protein foods tomorrow. I'll keep her inside and warm until she's acting somewhat normal again. She's been getting lots of cuddles all day

I did Google their lifespan before, she'd be nearly 3 years now. I'm not sure if it's the end for her, I'm still hopeful. She is a great chook, such an interesting personality.

In regards to the egg yolk peritonitis, my ex battery hen came down with that and was euthanised , there is no way of preventing it or curing it i believe?

Thank you to all for your help though!

IF it is the pin feathers making her ultra miserable, it is difficult to know - but my guess would be up to 2-3 weeks more ??? .... not knowing how long she has been in pin-feather stage, it is not possible to tell. I can only go by my own chooks ... and that is about 3 weeks total from the time they produce those needles - ( they even hurt me when I palpate to feel them ) ....

But then again - some chooks might be faster in growing their new feathers out of those pins. This is where the extra protein comes in so handy ( so I believe and follow ) ... it helps them metabolically, to produce their feathers easily and more quickly.

Your girl has not been a caged bird, so the 3 year span hopefully does not apply. I sincerely hope you have many more years of fun with your lovely girl. They are precious loving chickens, aren't they - but can be bossy in a flock --- LOL ...

As for worming ? .... there are so many products available. As I said, I use Aristropet Levamisole hydrochloride, but that is not everybody's choice. I am only going with it because my girls seems to have drunk the water with it in, without any problems. Some Vets advise sheep drench / dip ( but eggs cannot be consumed for 2 weeks after ) .... I don't think I would go down that track ... that's personal - some people swear by it. However, I still have a bottle of it, given to me by my Vet, in the bathroom medicine cupboard ????? !! - most likely to be tipped out very shortly. !!

Be guided by your Vet, or others with more experience about worming, on this entire website.

Cheers,
AB.

 

[TheRambler]

Use valbazen if abailable for worming, otherwise safeguard is good too.

 

[gilcamp4]

JUST CAME FROM THE CHICKEN LAB, THEY SAID, IT IS ROUND WORMS AND TO TAKE ALL WATER AWAY AT NIGHT AND ONLY GIVE THE MEDS IN WATER IN THE MORNING PUT NOT TO LEAVE ANY OVER NIGHT IN COOP, JUST THE ONE WITH WAZINE IN IT, HOPE THIS WORKS THEY CALLED ME JUST AWHILE AGO TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
thanks for your help

 

[TheRambler]

Wazine will work, but only kills round worms. A more complete wormer that address other types which your bird may also have is valbazen or safeguard