Hen looking sick at certain times of day, stopped laying - Antibiotics?

[Hellomylittleladies]

Hi, I was going to give my hen over the counter antiobiotics, but feeling her crop today, I'm not sure. Hope I can have some advice from the experienced ppl here.
- 10mo hen stopped laying 6 days ago.
- It is Spring here, and she was laying very well before.
- I saw her in the nesting box 6 days ago. She came out without laying and has not laid since. Last egg from her was normal, strong shelled.
- Looks sick instead only at at a certain time of the day, usually mornings. See first photo for unwell stance. She also hides when looking like this.
- Other times, she is alert, running, fighting for food and eating/drinking well.
- Very clean bum. No mites. No swollen belly.
- Crop looked normal visually.
- She had cocci twice before, so I started the flock on Cocciprol. It is the third day of treatment now but I don't think they have it, so I will be weaning them off.
- Other hens are fine.
- Poop photo also attached below.
- I also saw a wet foamy patch on the ground, but can't confirm it is from the same chicken.
- Considering she is looking unwell only at certain times, I am deducing it might be egg related, e.g. egg peritonitis.
- The over the counter medication I have is tetracycline hydrochloride, a broad spectrum antibiotic. See photo.

I isolated her today to give the antibiotics but then I felt her crop and it had a small, very hard lump. Granted she just had sunflower seeds that I used to lure her into the cage. However, I gave her coconut oil and massaged her crop until the lump somewhat dissipated.

I gave her vitamin and probiotic water (specifically for poultry) for now and will feel her crop again tomorrow morning.

Should I go ahead with the antibiotics course tomorrow? I won't be seeing a vet, so not sure if I should use the over counter antibiotics as she is not going downhill, yet not recovering.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Photo #1: Unwell stance - hen in the middle, blue colour

Photo#2: Poop as of today

Photo #3: Antibiotics

Photo #4: Isolated today, looking generally fine?

 

[nuthatched]

What's their diet?
Any sign of canker in her mouth?

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

What's their diet?
Any sign of canker in her mouth?

Laucke Showbird Breeder Micropellets.
They occasionally get a handful of freerange grain mix, grocery greens/ fruit, and whatever they find from freeranging in the garden. They particularly like the grass in the garden.

Her mouth is clear and clean.

 

[LaFleche]

Sounds as if you are doing a lot already to keep them healthy.

Maybe inspect her and the coop thoroughly for poultry mites and lice. Nest boxes also.

When did you last deworm them?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Could she be molting?

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

Sounds as if you are doing a lot already to keep them healthy.

Maybe inspect her and the coop thoroughly for poultry mites and lice. Nest boxes also.

When did you last deworm them?

Thank you, I dewormed them with 2 courses 4 months ago in May - I got her with worms in her poop then.

Could she be molting?

I don't think she's moulting, unless she's going to start soon in the wrong season. Wouldn't put it past this one

Update:
I saw the remnants of an egg white in the coop this morning. One time when she was a pullet beginning to lay, she laid 1 egg and 2 shelless eggs in a single day, so I'm leaning towards reproductive issues

Her crop is felt a little harder than the others and I massage it with oil again. She is active and going into the nesting box just now.

Should I start her on antibiotics just in case she is masking something serious or hold off as she's active?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

10mo hen stopped laying 6 days ago.
- It is Spring here, and she was laying very well before.
- I saw her in the nesting box 6 days ago. She came out without laying and has not laid since. Last egg from her was normal, strong shelled.

Looks sick instead only at at a certain time of the day, usually mornings.

Considering she is looking unwell only at certain times, I am deducing it might be egg related, e.g. egg peritonitis.

I isolated her today to give the antibiotics but then I felt her crop and it had a small, very hard lump. Granted she just had sunflower seeds that I used to lure her into the cage.

I gave her vitamin and probiotic water (specifically for poultry) for now and will feel her crop again tomorrow morning.

She had cocci twice before, so I started the flock on Cocciprol. It is the third day of treatment now but I don't think they have it, so I will be weaning them off.

I saw the remnants of an egg white in the coop this morning. One time when she was a pullet beginning to lay, she laid 1 egg and 2 shelless eggs in a single day, so I'm leaning towards reproductive issues

Her crop is felt a little harder than the others and I massage it with oil again. She is active and going into the nesting box just now.

I would give her Extra Calcium for a 3-5 days, see if that helps. Aim for 600mg Calcium Citrate with D3.

Check the crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink, see if it has emptied. Checking during the day when she's been eating/drinking is not going to give you an accurate assessment of crop function.

The Cocciprol won't hurt them, but if you are treating them with it, then omit any Extra supplements/vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) during the course of treatment.

Could be something serious reproductive going on or it may just be a glitch she's needing to work out if she's just started back laying after winter break.
With her having a hard time for short periods of time during the day, then feeling better, she may be laying internally, but since you found egg white in the coop, I'd see if the Calcium will help her with laying her eggs.

Save starting the antibiotic for a few days to see if she improves, if she starts to really go down hill, then start them up and see how it goes.

 

[SmiYa0126]

X2 with @Wyorp Rock I start with calcium citrate and then if no improvement I start on antibiotics.

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

@Wyorp Rock @SmiYa0126
Thank you, it's Day 2 now of calcium supplements. I only have calcium carbonate but I will get my hands on calcium citrate over the weekend.
Hen is very active, and I saw an egg membrane in the coop so she is def laying shell-less eggs.

Sorry for the poop pic - I've noticed these white specks every now and then. I assumed they were the hemp bedding from the coop but could they be tapeworm segments? The liquid texture is because I've given her strawberries (to hide the calcium tablet) and a lettuce ball.

 

[SmiYa0126]

It looks like grit to me tapeworm segments look like little squares.