Help! Diarrhea and acting odd

[Kelli Michele]

I have an 8 month old Barred Rock hen that has had diarrhea for about 2 days now. She seems to be drinking but is eating only a little. I have 2 other Barred Rock hens and they seem fine. Peep (the "sick" one) doesn't look thin and has all her color, but she has been acting a little off, nothing major just kind of standing around and pecking the ground a little bit. This is my first year for chickens and I'm not really sure if she'll just clear up or there is something I should be doing. Its getting cold and rainy, so I'm not sure if that's part of the problem either. I'm unsure because she isn't acting SICK just a little off, which is why I'm worried. I do let them free range during the day, so maybe she ate something because the others are acting normal. I don't know if I'm overreacting (which I tend to do with my animals) or if I should be really worried.

 

[chickincrazy]

It's possible she got into some sort of poison. If she did, there's really nothing you can do. Sorry I couldn't help you. I will pray for your sweet chicken.

 

[kristine21]

sorry to hear about your hen, I would check for flees ticks or lice, I help my hens by adding diatomaceous earth (better to get it from pool supply, as they carry it in bulk) to their dust baths or applie it under their feathers once in a while. they also have medicated powder that can be added to their dust bath spot or apply by hand on them. also check and see if the symptoms could indicate
Coccidiosis. my hens are just recovering from that. its a bacteria that can be passed on to humans, that results in humans having diarrhea. the medicine is available in powder or liquid. good luck with her

 

[Kelli Michele]

I'm not really sure how she would have gotten into any of that. There's none in my yard that I know of, we always make sure everything is safe for them and "chicken proof". Unless there is some plant or something that could be toxic that I don't know about. Also, when their free ranging we always go check on them consistently.

 

[Kelli Michele]

I'll look into that, thank you. I don't think its Coccidiosis, her poop is normal colored but watery, Isn't a symptom blood in her stool?

 

[kristine21]

Coccidiosis can be easily transmitted from other bird droppings or cats, dogs etc...the bacteria in the animals poo could have been transmitted and contaminated the food or water supply or just on the ground. Its easily treated and within first 24h the chickens recover. I treated all the hens at the same time even though only one was ill.

 

[Kelli Michele]

What exactly are the symptoms? I'm not really sure where they would have gotten that. Also if that was the case wouldn't all of my chickens be sick

 

[kristine21]

this is a good place to start with the research http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616

I hen didn't have ny blood in her stools, however every case is different depending on how far the bacteria has advanced in the hens body.
it can start with one hen or all depending on who ate the the contaminated item (food,water,seed.other birds poo...etc...) it is very easy to get , I hope its noting serious and your hen gets better,however if it is this and its easy to treat

 

[Kelli Michele]

Thanks for the helping me out I'm still not sure this is it though. Only one out of the three isn't acting totally normal. She's eating some, just not the normal, she pretty much isn't acting as energetic as usual and is eating less with diarrhea. I've read a bunch of forums but none of them have the same symptoms as mine. It's frustrating that I'm not sure how to help.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just wanted to clear up a couple of things posted above (not trying to be a smarty pants or to offend anyone, but just to be accurate.) Coccidiosis is specific to each animal, chicken cocci is not infectious to humans, and dogs, cats, ducks, turkeys and chickens all get a separate kind of eimeria strain. That said, coccidiosis could be a problem with the wet conditions if she is standing around puffed up, having diarrhea, and not eating. Blood in droppings is only present in some of the 9 strains that chickens have. Corid or amprollium is the best treatment in the water for 5 days, and harmless if the chicken does not have cocci. Worming would be something I would also recommend, with Valbazen 1/2 ml orally, then repeat in 10 days. As Kristine21 said, check her for lice and mites. Permethrin dust will treat mites and lice along with cleaning out coop.