Help With Sick Chicken in Subzero Temps

[ChickensoftheHill]

This is Pompeii. She is 8 months old (Barred Rock) and was the top of the pecking order, a great layer and all around good chicken. The last few days she's been lethargic, not showing any interest in treats, and fairly solitary. I thought maybe she just didn't appreciate the -5 degree weather, but today I noticed smelly green poo from her and she has some light yellowish poo on her feathers below her vent. When I go down she just wants to sit on my lap and sleep. She's been sleeping a lot and not moving much, just standing in place.

I'm preparing a dog kennel to bring her into the garage. Any ideas on how I should move forward? I plan to start with some mash and monitor her food and water intake. I added a pic of her compared to my other rock and wanted to note the difference in tails. Hers is not standing up like it should.

 

[FunClucks]

Have you done a full body health check yet? (mites/lice, ascites, any injuries or possible bruises, crop emptying/obstruction/sour crop, signs of respiratory illness, bumblefoot, etc.)

You could give her some electrolytes and probiotics. Also raw egg/egg yolk or cooked scrambled egg is super healthy in nutrients and usually well received and can tempt them to eat. Make sure your garage temperature is not too much hotter than the outdoor temperature so she doesn't get heat sickness.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Check her abdomen between her legs and vent for any bloating or lumps. When was her last egg? Any change of egg binding?

When you have her isolated you can check the functioning of her crop by making sure it's full at night and empty in the morning before she's had a chance to eat or drink. Green poop could be from not eating much due to sour or impacted crop and that bale of straw/grass in the picture has the chicken danger siren going off in my head... If her breath smells bad I'd start treating for sour crop right away.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[ChickensoftheHill]

Check her abdomen between her legs and vent for any bloating or lumps. When was her last egg? Any change of egg binding?

When you have her isolated you can check the functioning of her crop by making sure it's full at night and empty in the morning before she's had a chance to eat or drink. Green poop could be from not eating much due to sour or impacted crop and that bale of straw/grass in the picture has the chicken danger siren going off in my head... If her breath smells bad I'd start treating for sour crop right away.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I had my reservations about the alfalfa hay bales for this very reason. I'm thinking sour crop. I felt it at 3 today and it was mooshy, not hard, so no impacted crop. I felt for egg binding and didn't notice anything, but I'm very new at this. I don't think she's laid for a few days. I didn't notice any foul smell from her breath, but I will check more carefully in the morning when I check her crop again.

 

[kauana]

My barred plymouth rock, Margo, is behaving very similarly and I actually came here to post about it so I will be watching this thread as well

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I had my reservations about the alfalfa hay bales for this very reason. I'm thinking sour crop. I felt it at 3 today and it was mooshy, not hard, so no impacted crop. I felt for egg binding and didn't notice anything, but I'm very new at this. I don't think she's laid for a few days. I didn't notice any foul smell from her breath, but I will check more carefully in the morning when I check her crop again.

I think a crop issue is more likely than egg binding as hens usually slow down or stop laying in the winter. That being said if you're unsure and have a some exam gloves and vaseline it wouldn't hurt to check for an egg by inserting a finger about two inches up her vent. Also let us know how her poop looks in the morning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I had my reservations about the alfalfa hay bales for this very reason. I'm thinking sour crop. I felt it at 3 today and it was mooshy, not hard, so no impacted crop. I felt for egg binding and didn't notice anything, but I'm very new at this. I don't think she's laid for a few days. I didn't notice any foul smell from her breath, but I will check more carefully in the morning when I check her crop again.

Recheck her crop first thing in the morning to see if it's emptied.

Do you provide crushed granite (Grit) for your pullets?

 

[ChickensoftheHill]

Recheck her crop first thing in the morning to see if it's emptied.

Do you provide crushed granite (Grit) for your pullets?

Yes, they always have access to grit and oyster shells. I checked her crop this morning and couldn't feel anything. She's been inside the garage now for about 5 hours and no poo. I syringe fed her garlic water cuz she won't eat or drink and I'm suspecting sour crop, but would that affect her this badly? I've checked for everything I can think of: mites, lice, crop, vent, belly. Her tail is low. Poor thing. I feel so inept.

 

[ChickensoftheHill]

Recheck her crop first thing in the morning to see if it's emptied.

Do you provide crushed granite (Grit) for your pullets?

I just offered very lightly scrambled egg and she was excited and wanted to eat it, but acts like she can't. She did the same think with half a kernel of cooked corn this morning, like it is too big for her to put in her mouth.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Sounds like she definitely has some sort of obstruction. I'd check up her vent to be sure you can't feel an egg and also see if any poop comes out when you do. At this point I'd probably try an epsom salt flush (one teaspoon epsom salt in 1/2 cup water) and see what comes out. Flushes should give her diarrhea and will dehydrate her a bit so be sure to give some electrolyte water throughout the day.