Help! My chicken isnt looking too well!

[ALJhappychicken]

Hello. I have a hen that isn't doing too well. She isn't making much movement. She will run for treats, occasionally, and can get up and down the roosting poles, but she doesn't move unless she needs to. I saw a bit go after her the other day, but otherwise, she's been getting along with my other 14 hens. Buffy, my semi-stationary bird, is also pooping this whitish, clearish, stuff. She has had trouble laying eggs in the recent past and I'm concerned that an egg broke inside of her or something like that. Thanks in advance for any help or thoughts that can help me.

 

[ALJhappychicken]

I just noticed a little nub on her back right above her tail feathers. She's been trying to peck at it. I have a picture if you need to see it.

 

[Eggcessive]

The nub on her back may be her oil gland for preening. She possibly could have egg yolk peritonitis from her history. I would worm her and the other chickens will SafeGuard or Valbazen 1/2 ml by mouth, and repeat in 10 days to see if that perks her up. Probiotics and vitamins may also help. There are many threads on BYC to look up about internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis, and here is some info: http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx

 

[ALJhappychicken]

Is it safe to eat eggs if the birds have been treated with SafeGuard and valbazen? I think that poor Buffy does have egg yolk peritonitis. She is a big Golden Sex Link. Does her breed matter?

 

[Eggcessive]

Throw out all eggs for 14 days after the last treatment--or total of 24 days. Egg yolk peritonitis are very common with chickens bred by hatcheries to be high producers of huge eggs every day. They can suffer from a damaged cloaca caused by laying too large of eggs, being egg bound, and from prolapsed vents due to the other two. A damaged cloaca can cause eggs to go the wrong way back into the abdomen, and bacteria such as E.coli can set up inside the abdomen. Any soft shell eggs can burst indie the vent, and set up infection. Here are some good threads and links to read:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/79443/tell-me-about-your-internal-layers
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...and-other-egg-issues-will-this-never-end-long
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/853726/ascites-in-desperate-need-of-some-help-and-guidance

 

[ALJhappychicken]

Well, my little girl died.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry to hear that.