Help sick chicken!!! Please

[cwilliams10]

I've got 6 golden comets, had them for one week today. I've got one with green yellow liquid diarrhea very lethargic won't move only Drinks if I use a eye dropper pecks at food does not pick it up unless it's Itty bitty or sometimes drops it back, can feel food in her crop, removed from flock cause they wouldn't stop pecking at her and sometimes I can hear a raspy sound in her breathing. Her eyes look fine and comb looks fine not molting she's 6-7 months old. Been like this since Tuesday. She did get rained on Monday so initially I thought it was a cold cause of her being raspy but now I think it's intestinal or maybe egg bound. Not sure what to do any advice would be very appreciated I rubbed some vet rx on her today.

 

[cwilliams10]

She has not started laying yet as far as we know, she does move when we get close to her but when I leave her alone and come back she is in the same place we left her. We feed layer pellets don't do much treats usually just strawberrys and Bananas sometimes. We can not free range yet cause we live in the woods and have to many predators we do have a complete fenced in run. I'm in eastern Tennessee. Her crop has been empty in the morning but did feel food in it tonight. Yeah I've been doing pro biotic in water and today I did a little apple cider vinegar, I think we're gonna try an Epson salt bath tomorrow and agree will continue to watch her symptoms thank you so much for your advice

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Can we get a picture of the hen? Do you know if she is laying yet/has she given you any eggs? You say she won't move... are you sure she still can (ie no paralysis or anything)? What have you been feeding, do they free range, and where are you located?

Does her crop feel impacted or does the food you can feel move around when you massage it? I would make sure her crop is working normally by checking it first thing in the morning when it should be empty and flat. If it's not look here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Raspy breathing could be a respiratory infection as chickens do have tendency to fall sick under stressful conditions like being relocated. I would definitely keep an eye out both with her and the others for worsening breathing, facial swelling, discharge, etc.

Hopefully this girl can kick whatever she's got with a little extra tlc. Try to keep her hydrated and once you're sure her crop is okay I'd try to entice her to eat with a wet mash (moistened chicken feed with or without a little plain yogurt). Apple cider vinegar water (one tablespoon acv in a gallon of water, in a plastic waterer cleaned out daily) is a good natural remedy to give chickens a boost and help with gut health. I'd give it to both the sick hen and the others for about a week.

 

[cwilliams10]

This is from two days ago its a little better today but still same colors

 

[cwilliams10]

I'm not sure what an epsom salt bath would help with in this case and it will likely add to her stress, which is not what you want (I don't think it's coincidence that she became ill days after a stressful move). But that's just my two cents... Do let us know if she gets worse or develops any new symptoms.

No worries I appreciate everyone's input, we tried it because we know she's having bathroom issues and thought it would help. We looked up egg bound and she had so many of the symptoms and thought maybe that's her issue but it's hard cause there's so many things it could be. I will keep the page updated thanks for all the advice

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I also think she's depressed in her cage. On pretty days I let her free range and she loves it. She will walk and pick up bugs and eat grass you wouldn't know anything was wrong with her. But I've seen her do the penguin stance trying to use the bathroom. She does go every day it's alway yellow and green like this picture and it doesn't look good

You're right that poop really doesn't look good. I'm sorry. You're doing your best though and I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is something she can overcome.

 

[azygous]

Of course, this could be any of the many chicken diseases that are possible, but I'd say the most likely is coccidiosis, given the time line.

Chickens imported from elsewhere have not been conditioned to be resistant to the local coccidia, and since she's been on your local soil, and the incubation period is 5 to 7 days, I would guess there's a good chance this is coccidiosis.

Get some Corid, the liquid kind. It treats coccidia in all animals. Give the sick chicken a drench dose of undiluted Corid immediately, directly into her beak once a day for three days at .1ml per pound of body weight.

In addition, mix Corid at two teaspoons to one gallon of water for all to drink for the next five days, mixing fresh each day. All must have this water, including the sick one. Wait a week after the fifth day, and then start them on a new five day round to catch any eggs that have hatched. This blocks thiamine (B-1) so do not give vitamins with thiamine during treatment.

Coccidia are parasites found in all soil all over the world, hundreds of strains that target specific animals. There are nine strains alone that target just chickens, and they vary from place to place. Normally, animals raised on a local soil become resistant, but animals moved to a new locale won't be resistant to those coccidia. Rain and wetness encourages population explosions, so it's even more likely this is what's making your chicken sick, and others may be getting sick at this moment.

 

[azygous]

If you do not know how to syringe liquid into a chicken safely without risking aspiration, do it the way this photo demonstrates.

 

[cwilliams10]

Update: we gave her an epsom bath last night just to see if it would help immediately after she was pushing like crazy and she pooped 4 times last night. And I'll post a pic of her today and her poop today. I'm hoping she's doing better she did eat this morning on her own but then this afternoon she seems to be not wanting anything just left alone, does anyone have an idea on best foods I've been doing a lot of eggs and probiotic water and water with apple cider vinegar I wish I had plain yogurt but I only have flavored.

 

[cwilliams10]

I also think she's depressed in her cage. On pretty days I let her free range and she loves it. She will walk and pick up bugs and eat grass you wouldn't know anything was wrong with her. But I've seen her do the penguin stance trying to use the bathroom. She does go every day it's alway yellow and green like this picture and it doesn't look good