Help! Sleepy and lethargic chicken

[Megaguirus]

A few months ago my mom and I decided that it was time to have chickens again, so we bought and installed a coop and bought three beautiful 11 week old Easter eggers. That was in June or July, and things have been going well since then. Our three girls have yet to lay their first eggs, so they're still young, but now we've encountered a problem. One of the ladies has been acting very sleepy and lethargic since Tuesday. Now, instead of running around and joining in the chicken games of her friends, she's just been sitting down looking sleepy and miserable. Her appetite seems to be okay, its just her activity. She's also had some runny droppings.

I've been reading articles on chicken illnesses, and she doesn't seem to match most of the symptoms. She doesn't seem sneezy, there is no discharge from her beak, eyes or nose, her comb is just as red as ever and her breathing doesn't sound horrible. I'm at a complete loss of what to do. I've been putting probiotics in their water to help her immunity, but she only seems to be slowly getting better. The temp has dropped rather dramatically over the past week, going from the low eighties and high seventies to low sixties, so I'm not sure if that's what made her get sick. Part of me wants to buy a coop heater to help her, but then I started reading pages and articles speaking against heating the coop.

I know the best bet is to take her to the vet, but Mom is reluctant to spend the seventy dollars right now, and I don't want to stress her out with a half-hour car ride unless I absolutely have to. I was just wondering if any experienced chicken owners knew what was wrong with her, and if there are any home remedies that I can try. These girls aren't livestock, they're outdoor pets, just as precious as the ones we have indoors and I can't imagine what we would do if we lost one. We've had chickens before, both house (4 silkie chickens that lived in the house, and before that one sizzle rooster) and outdoor chickens and have never encountered this behavior before.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of the ladies has been acting very sleepy and lethargic since Tuesday

ust been sitting down looking sleepy and miserable. Her appetite seems to be okay, its just her activity. She's also had some runny droppings.

Welcome To BYC

Where are you located (country/state)?

I'm sorry your pullet is not feeling well. If you can post some photos of her and her poop, that would be good.

Check her crop first thing in the morning to make sure it's empty. Look her over for any external parasites (lice/mites).
If at all possible, see if you vet would be willing to perform a fecal float on some poop samples. Ask them. Sometimes they need to see the bird too, but it's worth seeing if they can just do the test.

Being sleepy, a couple of things come to mind. Coccidiosis and possibly she is having trouble with an egg. EE's from what I hear don't usually lay at her age, but that would be something to consider. Look at her vent here's a good way to tell if she is getting ready to lay https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[coach723]

Will your vet do a fecal float test for you without seeing the bird? That would check for internal parasites - worms and coccidia. With young birds coccidiosis is a concern, common symptoms are lethargy, sitting fluffed up, going off food or water, runny, mucousy, or bloody droppings. If you can't get a fecal done, then I would go ahead and treat for coccidiosis and see if she gets better. Treatment is safe even if that's not what it is. Treatment is Corid, available at most feed stores and Tractor Supplies in the livestock section, it can be powder or liquid form, either will work. Will cost about $20 for the medication.

 

[Megaguirus]

@Wyorp Rock Thanks so much for the reply. I live in southern Maine. My vet does do fecal tests for my lizard, so he can probably do one for my chicken. I'll give him a call tomorrow to see if he can do it without needing to see her. I forgot to check her crop this morning, but I will try to remember to do it tomorrow. However, I do keep their food in with them overnight, so it might be full because of that. Should I not put it in tonight? Impaction or getting ready to lay come in mind, but she does seem a little bit too young to start. I'll do a butt check tomorrow too. I'm at work right now, so that's why I can't do it now, lol. When I held her to give her some probiotics Tuesday and Wednesday, I did not see any sign of mites.

@coach723 Thank you for the reply. There's a Blue Seal feedstore that's only a thre minute drive away, I will check if they have any Corid tomorrow. That does sound like her, except the droppings are just runny and she's fluffed up and sleepy.

As for pictures, I will post those tonight when I can get on the computer.

 

[Megaguirus]

Okay, so I hope this was worth giving Frosty a rude awakening. I didn't put their food in with them last night and when I checked Frosty's crop this morning it was empty. As for the butt check, her pelvic bones could only fit one of my fingers, so I guess she isn't getting ready to lay. And then, after all the torture, she did a nice steamy poop, so I'm able to have a pic of that.

She's the white one with the droopy demeanor (notice her head tucked down compared to the others). The pic of her drinking shows her pink and healthy comb.

 

[lilmillefleur]

She is a beautiful pullet! I hope she gets better soon.

 

[coach723]

Hard to tell in the picture, but it does look like there may be some intestinal lining in that dropping. I would get the fecal done, or alternately start treating for coccidiosis. Coccidiosis does not always show with blood, it depends on the strain of coccidia, just runny or mucousy is also a symptom. Combined with the lethargy, I would treat. The fecal can still be done to see if there are any other parasites(worms) present also.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are all so pretty!

I agree with @coach723 get a fecal float, if that's not possible, then I would go ahead and treat for Coccidiosis. You can find Corid at most feed stores.

It's good that you were able to check her crop first thing and that it was empty. That's good news.

No judgment here - this is an observation. I have circled a portion of one of your photos. Is that feed that has been spilled/smushed into the ground? I will suggest that you clean that up. You don't mention your location, but if you have warm wet weather like I do, spilled feed on the ground can mold very quickly or become rancid. That can make your girls sick if not careful. (I keep a close eye myself on any food spills to see that my flock cleans it up, if it's still there, I shovel it up. I don't use large feeders here since my food will mold in just a few days if left out because of the heat/humidity).
You may also want to raise your water and feed stations, do you have a block of wood or some bricks you can put them on?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Corid dosage is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder or
2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon of water.
Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

 

[Megaguirus]

Thanks for the compliments on the chickens! I'll be sure to tell them that you all think they're very pretty. Okay, I will be calling the vet in a little bit, and we will be stopping by the feed store later today to pick up Corid. You're right, even if they can't get a fecal done, it's still good to treat them. Yes, that is spilled food, and yes, I have seen it mold and cleaned it up then. I didn't realize that there was a chance that they would eat it, I'll clean it up immediately. And yes, there are some bricks, so I'll be sure to raise the feeding dishes. Silly me, that would probably prevent them from being knocked over so much. This is the first time I've been fully active in the care of outdoor chickens, so I understand there is a lot more to learn.

Hmm, I thought I did give my location in an older reply. Anyway, I live in southern Maine.

Thanks so much for all the help! I will keep you posted on her condition.