Help!: chicken eating very little, inconsistent poo, soft crop, slight lethargy.

[Zud]

Our loner but *very food motivated* hen has been uninterested in treats and laging behind more than usual for the past 2 days. Last night when she wasn't interested in some fruit scraps I became concerned and checked her crop, which was very soft. I checked in on them after dark and she had some clear mucus poop from the roost. I've isolated her today, to observe. She's eaten and drank a little bit she's looking sleepy while standing up. The tiny bit she has pooped (like two droppings the size of a pistachio) was very thick with a few small off white specs (see photos).

The only thing I've given her so far is ACV, garlic and honey in her water, waiting to see if the poop would help me figure out what's up. I'm also going to give her an Epsom salt bath just in case she's egg bound. I'm not sure when her last egg was laid - she sometimes hides them, but none today. Her abdomen does not seem swollen.

I have some corrid, safe guard and vetRX here. I put an order in for Baytril and probiotics but that will take a few days to arrive. A chicken keeper near-ish by has a 10-day supply of amoxicillin that she has offered.

Any suggestions on where to start? Thoughts appreciated!

 

[Zud]

I should add, though I don't think it's related, that we are amidst an extended heat wave in NYC, Birdadette is a RIR and does really well in the heat, much better than our EE who is managing just fine. Also she's just over 2 years old.

 

[Eggcessive]

She might be having a reproductive disorder or infection, as seen by her lowered tail position., lack of appetite, and lethargy. Heat also can affect hens, and in mid to late summer, they can be dealing with molting. Check her crop first thing tomorrow morning to see if it is emptying overnight. Offer some cooked egg, and mushy wet feed, in addition to water.

 

[nuthatched]

Have you ever wormed?

 

[Zud]

Have you ever wormed?

We have not this year. I have some safe-guard somewhere. I guess it's no harm to start her on that while I wait and continue to evaluate her symptoms?

She's eaten almost nothing today, but has drank water. Has only pooped the once, still.

 

[Eggcessive]

When something unknown is happening, worming and checking them for lice and mites on the bodies certainly is not harmful. Dosage of SafeGuard liquid goat wormer or horse paste is 1/4 ml per pound given orally once and again in 10 days for roundworms. Give it for 5 days to treat capillary and gapeworms as well. Amoxicillin dosage is 250 mg twice a day given orally for 7-10 days. If using enrofloxacin 10%, dosage is 0.1 ml per kg (2.2 pounds) twice daily for 5 days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our loner but *very food motivated* hen has been uninterested in treats and laging behind more than usual for the past 2 days. Last night when she wasn't interested in some fruit scraps I became concerned and checked her crop, which was very soft. I checked in on them after dark and she had some clear mucus poop from the roost. I've isolated her today, to observe. She's eaten and drank a little bit she's looking sleepy while standing up. The tiny bit she has pooped (like two droppings the size of a pistachio) was very thick with a few small off white specs (see photos).

The only thing I've given her so far is ACV, garlic and honey in her water, waiting to see if the poop would help me figure out what's up. I'm also going to give her an Epsom salt bath just in case she's egg bound. I'm not sure when her last egg was laid - she sometimes hides them, but none today. Her abdomen does not seem swollen.

I have some corrid, safe guard and vetRX here. I put an order in for Baytril and probiotics but that will take a few days to arrive. A chicken keeper near-ish by has a 10-day supply of amoxicillin that she has offered.

Any suggestions on where to start? Thoughts appreciated!


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She might be having a reproductive disorder or infection, as seen by her lowered tail position., lack of appetite, and lethargy. Heat also can affect hens, and in mid to late summer, they can be dealing with molting. Check her crop first thing tomorrow morning to see if it is emptying overnight. Offer some cooked egg, and mushy wet feed, in addition to water.

When something unknown is happening, worming and checking them for lice and mites on the bodies certainly is not harmful. Dosage of SafeGuard liquid goat wormer or horse paste is 1/4 ml per pound given orally once and again in 10 days for roundworms. Give it for 5 days to treat capillary and gapeworms as well. Amoxicillin dosage is 250 mg twice a day given orally for 7-10 days. If using enrofloxacin 10%, dosage is 0.1 ml per kg (2.2 pounds) twice daily for 5 days.

In addition to the good instructions and suggestions made above, I would start her on Calcium Citrate+D3 once daily for a week. Just pop the tablet right into the beak and let her swallow.

 

[Zud]

In addition to the good instructions and suggestions made above, I would start her on Calcium Citrate+D3 once daily for a week. Just pop the tablet right into the beak and let her swallow.

That's not something I have in my chicken aid kit. Google suggests I can get that at maybe a CVS. Is there a specific dosage I should be looking for? Would some oyster shells in addition to that be helpful? I am discovering, I think, in our few issues that we've had, that when something goes wrong throwing all the spaghetti at the wall is usually a good way to keep chickens alive. I just want to be sure I'm not doing anything harmful.

 

[Zud]

So she's seeming to be feeling much better today. We had some good poops and she's eating. Would I be mistaken to think that there might be tapeworm segments in her poop?

I've given her one dose of safe guard (I added it on to of some moist food because I get very nervous to administer by syringe - she ate it all).

I think I'm going to return her to the flock and keep an eye because she's much more alert today than yesterday.

No egg today or yesterday.

If worms, I should probably go ahead and treat the whole flock, correct?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad she's doing a little better.

Hard to tell if those are Tapeworm segments or not. Hopefully @Eggcessive will be chiming back in.

IF they are Tapeworm, then you will want to use Praziquantel to treat her instead of Safeguard (Fenbendazole).
Equimax Horse paste to treat Tapeworms, you can find it at TSC. Dose is 0.033 ml per pound of weight given once then repeated in 10-14 days.

Since you did start the Safeguard, I would finish the course. I'd give at a rate of 0.23ml per pound of weight once daily for 5 days in a row, this will take care of most worms poultry can have except for Tapeworms.

I've found even if they are feeling the best, they are happiest being with their flock. I leave mine with their flock unless they are getting picked on.