HELP! Faverolles hen is lethargic and has diarrhea

[OffBeatBetty]

Hello! I am in need of help! My favorite little faverolles hen, Lilah, woke up yesterday very lethargic with her head pulled close to her body and tail a bit wilted. She did not run up for her morning treats and just walked slowly out of the coop and sat on the grass (not like her usual energetic, inquisitive self at all). She was perfectly normal the day before. She pooped and I noticed it was extremely watery... no blood or foam. Just looks like a lot of water mixed with regular poo.
I quarantined her and began feeding her yogurt mash, and added electrolytes and Epsom salt to her feed/water. She has been drinking a lot but not eating as much as usual.

I de-worm my flock regularly, but started another treatment for all (Lilah included) just in case.I did notice some mites on her. I've been battling them with natural methods but decided to switch to permethrin today. So, all my chickens got a permethrin / DE dust bath and the coop was cleaned out completely and dusted.

Today (2 days later) Lilah is still acting the same way... sluggish.. head pulled in... watery poo. I went out and got some tetracycline antibiotics to try on her.
So now I have treated her for mites, worms, and tried to get more probiotics in her gut with yogurt and ACV. She will eat but barely.. mostly just very thirsty. Should i just wait for the worming medication and antibiotics to run their course? Or try something else?

NOTE: she only recently became of laying age, so I don't think she is egg-bound unless she couldn't pass her first egg or something.

THANK YOU ALL!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

The epsom salt should be discontinued--it is a cathartic, and she will keep having more diarrhea. With her having diarrhea, poor appetite, lethargy, and eing puffed up, I would think she might have coccidiosis. This can be treated with Corid or amprollium 1 tsp powder/2tspliquid per gallon of water for 5 days. After treatment give probiotics and vitamins for several days. To check for egg binding you can put on a rubber glove with some lubricant, and insert a finger into the vent to check for an egg, but also feel for anything unusual like a tumor. Internal laying/egg yolk peritonitis can also start at this age.

 

[OffBeatBetty]

Thank you for your input! I only did the Epsom salt on the first morning and have not done it at all today. Just have her eating yogurt, egg, and fruit mash with ACV. I added the wormer to her water today as well. I was wondering about coccidiosis but thought it mainly occurred in chicks and that they would have bloody / foamy stools? Is this something that happens in adults as well?

 

[Eggcessive]

Coccidiois has about 9 strains that affect chickens, and only 2 or 3 cause blood in the stool. Any age chicken can get a new strain if they are exposed to it through a new flock member, moving to a new yard, or back it being brought in on shoes or tires to the ground. It may not be coccidiosis, but Corid won't harm the chickens. You can always discontinue treatment if you discover another cause.

 

[OffBeatBetty]

Good to know.... I've had the same 6 chickens for a year now and haven't added any new ones or moved them to a new place. None of the others have any symptoms *knock on wood,* so crossing fingers that it's not coccidiosis since it seems very contagious. I will give Corid a try just in case! Do you think I should do it right away, or give the other things I've been trying a chance to work? Do you need to act as quickly with adult chickens as you do with chicks? I seem to remember chicks would die in a day or two after symptoms... now I'm worried...

 

[cafarmgirl]

Agree with Eggcessive and I would treat with a course of Corid asap, even if just to rule out that possibility. I would not wait. Coccidiosis is less common in older birds but it can and does happen. If a birds immune system is compromised for any other reason they can brew a nice case of coccidiosis. It's always wise to rule it out if you even suspect it might be present since it is so lethal. Treatment certainly does no harm even if it's not coccidiosis.

 

[OffBeatBetty]

Well, after 3 days of "bed" rest and successfully getting good doses of antibiotics and Corid into her system throughout the day with a syringe, she has begun to show an appetite again and is no longer fluffed up with her head tucked close. I let her wander in a patch of grass by herself a bit because she really liked eating the grass. She is not out of the woods yet... still had a watery stool (but not as watery as it had been) and moving a bit slower than normal, but MUCH better than she was a few days ago! Thank you for your help and cross fingers that she continues to improve with the rest of the Corid and antibiotic doses over the next week. I have begun treatment of my entire flock with Corid just in case.