I think my chicken is sick.... I need help

[Hoopy]

My chicken, Cinnamon, seems to not feel well all of the sudden..... She was fine earlier, but now she doesnt want to move much, her tail feathers are facing downward, her poop squirt out and was kinda clear and watery, but not too bad looking, and she was closing her eyes a bit and opening her mouth. Im fairly new to chickens.. I have 6 week old chicks that ive had for the whole 6 weeks and just a week and a half ago got cinnamon, along with 2 other hens that are now 20 weeks old. What should i do? Should i seperate her? Ive read apple cider vin is good for electrolytes.. And i was thinking a drop or 2 of my oregano oil in the water might be good too, but... I dont know about amounts for chickens tho. Poor girl. I need help. PLUS, i was wondering if you think the others could be infected since theyve all been together??

 

[chickenpatch]

Definitely separate her.

Then worm her as soon as possible. Read about "Sour Crop" and decide whether she has it or not. Feed her mashed banana with a bit of yoghurt, raw egg and other soft fruits. Try not to give her to much pellets or grain, but some is fine.
I don't think the other hens would have the same thing, but keep an eye on their behaviour and be sure that they are acting normally.

Please keep us updated on her symptoms, I hope she starts feeling better soon!

 

[Hoopy]

Ok... I just went out to check on her, and she laid an egg that had a soft shell! So weird. I thought she would feel better, but shes still standing like that. Ill def keep her seperated for awhile!

 

[nj2wv]

Welcome to BYC !!
New layers will sometimes lay soft eggs.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is Cinnamon? Does she look puffed up? She might have coccidiosis or worms, but I would feel inside her vent with a finger just to make sure that she is not egg bound. Corid (amprollium,) a cattle medicine, is the best treatment for cocci. Valbazen or SafeGuard are very good dewormers.

 

[Hoopy]

Could she be egg bound if she just layed that soft egg? She is 20 weeks old

 

[chickenpatch]

If she laid a soft shelled egg then it means she's either sick, has worms, lacking in calcium or she just started laying.
Feed her that mixture I recommended twice a day and crush up a small calcium tablet into it. She wouldn't be egg bound if she just laid an egg.

 

[Hoopy]

She did just start laying, so hopefully its that. Right after she laid that soft shelled egg, she laid another undeveloped egg thing, more like a gooey yolk... And then seemed back to normal... But for the past 4 days shes been laying normal eggs

 

[Eggcessive]

Soft eggs can be normal at the beginning of egg laying, or later, if a problem develops.