Hen acting lethargic

[ksbmom]

I'd appreciate any help - I have a 2-1/2 year old RIR who is acting strangely. When I opened the coop this morning to let the girls out to range, this one just stayed in the coop, laying down. She eventually did go out, but has stayed near the coop, either laying down or just standing in one spot, which is unusual. I went out a little while ago and she was standing with her head down. When she walks or stands, it looks like her legs are farther apart than normal. Her poo is liquid-y (not really watery), yellow and white. Don't know how much she is eating and drinking since she is out in the yard, but she did eagerly eat some watermelon I gave her. Now she is lying by the porch pecking at the screen. She almost looks confused, if that makes sense. She has been normal until this morning. Oh, she has been scratching at her face, but maybe that's due to the no-see-ums (I don't notice the other 9 birds doing that, though). Any ideas of what this could be?

 

[Lesa]

Does her poop look a little foamy- like egg whites? I would recommend letting her soak in a warm tub of water. She may be an internal layer...

 

[ksbmom]

Hmmm, didn't really notice if it was foamy. I'll try to catch her in the act later. By internal layer, do you mean eggbound? Forgot to mention in my OP that there is no discharge, no respiratory issues - her comb seems a little droopy, though.

 

[Lesa]

Yes, eggbound.

 

[ksbmom]

Thanks Lesa. After observing her today and doing some more research, I think she may well be eggbound. She has been a good layer for the last two years. I gave her the warm bath and used Vaseline on her vent, but nothing so far. Her stomach feels really full, and her poo is pretty watery at this point. Not foamy, but more clear with white streaks. She really looks like she's straining periodically. I'll do another warm bath - anything else I should be doing?

 

[TeacupsMomma]

This is exactly what mine is doing too!

I have an 8-ish month old Buff Orpington who has been displaying the same loner/lethargic behaviors for about 2-3 days now. I have also noticed an increased aggression in the other chickens (another BO, and 2 Barred Rocks). I do not believe she is egg bound because she is just laid a normal looking egg last night/evening. We have separated her from the rest of them, but since I don't know what she has, it is hard to know what to do.

One of the BR's has soft stool, light brown in color, and the BO in question has runny, white and green stool (no blood). I checked her crop, and all seems normal.

We had something almost identical happen about 2 months ago to our Americauna pullet... eventually she had what appeared to be a seizure and died. I am concerned that they are connected.

Last night when we separated the sick hen, we cleaned all of the bedding out of the coop, and sprayed it down with a hydrogen peroxide solution to sterilize it, prior to putting in totally new bedding.

The local feed store has suggested antibiotics as the only course of action.

Basic Info:
1) What type of bird , age and weight: Buff Orpington, 7-8 months, more than a pound?
2) What is the behavior, exactly: lethargic, keeping head down & neck in, not socializing, rarely leaving the coop- but still mobile.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms: 2-3 days
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma: NO
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation: Nothing known, other than previous hen doing the same thing several months ago, resulting in death.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking: Layer Crumble, and some scratch.
7) How does the poop look: watery, white and green. (Other birds normal, and 1 with soft/brown stool... almost but not quite diarrhea)
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far: about to start Antibiotics
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment: treat myself
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it: N/A
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Homemade pine coop with pine shavings... 4-6" of shavings.

 

[Lesa]

How is your bird, ksb?