lathargic chicken

[pamonarch]

I have a red star that is about 7 months old. She is normally healthy and energetic. tonight when i let them out to free range, she lagged behind the flock and sometimes just stood there, staring. (and once she stood there with her eyes closed as if resting) She wouild walk around slowly and peck a little something off the ground, but didnt scratch around much. She pooped and it was thin and yellowy. When i let them back in the coop, she went over and got into a nesting box. She did not lay an egg. I went back out in half hour and she was up on the roost and looked fine. I felt her underbelly and it felt fine. Any ideas? im concerned for her

 

[Eggcessive]

It may be hard to know without looking her over, getting her to drink fluids, and watch her droppings and behavior. Coccidiosis can cause lethargy, runny poops sometimes eith blood, a poor appetite, and standing around hunched or puffed up. Corid treats that. If possible get her droppings checked by a local vet for a fecal float to test for coccidiosis and worms. Does she lay eggs regularly? Feel of her crop first thing in the morning to check if it is empty, full and hard or puffy. Look her skin over for lice or mites around her vent, neck and under wings. Feel inside her vent an inch or two for a stuck egg.

 

[pamonarch]

It may be hard to know without looking her over, getting her to drink fluids, and watch her droppings and behavior. Coccidiosis can cause lethargy, runny poops sometimes eith blood, a poor appetite, and standing around hunched or puffed up. Corid treats that. If possible get her droppings checked by a local vet for a fecal float to test for coccidiosis and worms. Does she lay eggs regularly? Feel of her crop first thing in the morning to check if it is empty, full and hard or puffy. Look her skin over for lice or mites around her vent, neck and under wings. Feel inside her vent an inch or two for a stuck egg.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

X2

 

[pamonarch]

ok,...ill check her in the morning. Feel inside her vent? is that possible? Wont that hurt her?

 

[pamonarch]

ok..checked my girl this morning..she had pieces of slimy soft shell sticking out of her vent..i gently pulled out three good sized pieces from her vent...she seems ok..pecking and running around...so im guessing "egg bound" was the culprit...im going to keep an eye on her to see if she tries to pass another egg..she is my one red star that lays the largest eggs..so must be one got stuck...poor gal Is there anything i can do to prevent this from happening..i feed them layer crumbles 16%...and its available 24/7...plus piles of oyster shells...and i sometimes give them back their shells...i microwave them to dry them out and crush them up...any other ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

That is what I do--save my egg shells and feed back along with oystershell free choice. Even at that some chickens will have thin or shell-less eggs due to internal problems. Viruses such as infectious bronchitis earlier in life can affect egg shells. It is good that you found the broken egg shells and got them out. Egg binding is common. Hopefully she won't have this problem again, and it won't cause infection. You may want to read some about internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis, which are problems that are common in hens. They are seen sometimes after egg binding or having eggs break inside.

 

[pamonarch]

That is what I do--save my egg shells and feed back along with oystershell free choice. Even at that some chickens will have thin or shell-less eggs due to internal problems. Viruses such as infectious bronchitis earlier in life can affect egg shells. It is good that you found the broken egg shells and got them out. Egg binding is common. Hopefully she won't have this problem again, and it won't cause infection. You may want to read some about internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis, which are problems that are common in hens. They are seen sometimes after egg binding or having eggs break inside.

ok I will look into it. she seems ok today.. hoping she stay that way. thank you for the information!