Help Our Chicken Seems To be Sick?

[WildThang]

Hugga Chicken is normally very friendly, runs around plays. Does all the chicken things the others do. But here lately this past week, Hugga chicken has gotten more and more Immobile, Almost like she's exhausted, First few times i thought i just walked out when she was taking a nap. But today, Hugga chicken has been standing in the same spot sense i got up this morning. In the corner of the coop. Almost like she put herself in time out. Her head is low, eyes open and close like she's taking a nap but standing up. She sways back and forth. When i went to pet her earlier she just tumbled over.

I took a video so you might be able to see all aspects. Of Her face, nostrils, feet.

 

[Eggcessive]

First check her all over her skin especially near her vent for lice and mites, or the eggs and dirt they leave behind. Then I would worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Goat Wormer, and treat for possible coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium) for 5 days. How old is she?

 

[WildThang]

She is 6 months i believe five to six, they just started laying eggs. I saw her brooding a egg about a week ago. But i haven't seen her lay anymore for a few days. I thought she might be egg bound or something. I will check her first thing in the morning for lice or mites.

 

[Eggcessive]

She has the typical stance of puffing up that many chickens with cocci have. You can check her for an egg with a rubber glove-- insert a finger 1-2 inches aimed upward gently. New layers can be fairly irregular in laying. If an egg is found, a calcium tablet or Tums given orally, along with a warm shallow bath and a massage of her lower abdomen toward the vent may help pass a stuck egg. Here are some links to read about coccidiosis and egg binding:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html
http://beautyofbirds.com/eggbinding.html

 

[Michael Apple]

First check her all over her skin especially near her vent for lice and mites, or the eggs and dirt they leave behind. Then I would worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Goat Wormer, and treat for possible coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium) for 5 days.

X2. Since the bird is 6 months old, I prefer preventative doses of Corid until they are at least 9 months of age. External parasites like mites/lice, protozoa like cocci and histomonas, can all cause enteral problems or lack of red blood cell production which causes anemia.

 

[Michael Apple]

Also, Immune systems are compromised when a bird is going through moult in fall, and they are lacking nutrients. Premolt 100, Ferti-Cal, or Avio-moult are good remedies for tough moults. Most of those can be found at pigeon supply houses.

 

[SilksterTN]

First check her all over her skin especially near her vent for lice and mites, or the eggs and dirt they leave behind. Then I would worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Goat Wormer, and treat for possible coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium) for 5 days. How old is she?

She is 5 months old. We don't have any corid but will check with Tractor Supply tomorrow as we are going there anyway. What is the dosage and how do you administer it? Thanks to all who responded about Hug-A-Chicken. We'll just dust, worm and treat for everything in the morning.

 

[Michael Apple]

She is 5 months old. We don't have any corid but will check with Tractor Supply tomorrow as we are going there anyway. What is the dosage and how do you administer it? Thanks to all who responded about Hug-A-Chicken. We'll just dust, worm and treat for everything in the morning.

Corid 9.6% liquid is 2 tsp (10ml) per gallon of water for 7 days. Corid 20% powder is 1.5 tsp per gallon of water for 7 days. Make a fresh drinking solution each morning and don't let them have access to any other water source besides the water with Corid in it. Get some poultry vitamin-mineral-electrolyte powder and probiotic powder since you will need to supplement for 3 days after the last treatment with Corid. Don't dust unless you see mites or lice. If you worm, use Safe-guard liquid suspension (labled for goats) at .5 cc orally each day, with a 1 ml syringe (no needle), for three days. Then do it again 10 days after. Syringes should be available at TS. Make sure you are feeding them a good quality feed. Avoid Dumor feeds. They have been on the FDA recall list numerous times for inadequate vitamin content. Make sure the sick birds are eating and drinking on their own.

 

[SilksterTN]

Thanks but thats terribad news as I have auto waterers throughout the entire backyard that are supplied by a 55 gallon rain barrel. Maybe Hug-A-Chicken needs to become crate chicken for a while since none of the other birds seem ill. I will go ahead and use safe-guard for her tomorrow. I do have some vitamin powder for the water which I can also give her. Would dusting her with wood ash be a bad thing even if I don't see mites?

 

[Eggcessive]

Most people want to treat all chickens at the same time with Corid to prevent having sick birds coming down with symptoms at different times. Wood ash is good to add to a dust bath with dirt and sand for prevention, but it's kind of irritating to the lungs used straight. The problem with wood ash is that it won't kill mites right away for an infestation as permethrin liquid or dust and sevin dust will. I know a lady who had to use it every day for weeks to get rid of mites. If you don't see mites, try checking at night with a flashlight.