Lathargic Hen UPDATE: Good update on Page 2!

[Morgan7782]

JUST came in from checking on them. Her crop is not full, she went without food for the night, but she is still lathargic.. I cannot for the life of me figure out what is up. She doesn't have a runny nose, no vomiting, no swelling, no rattle in chest, no coughing. Just very sedate and lathargic.. I mean it's clear she does not feel good, but what or why I cannot figure out. She is the same this morning, and her crop felt empty, so I have no clue what is up.. Nobody else is showing ill signs. I gave her a vita mix in the waterer last night, and am not sure whether to let her out of the coop to free range or not.. I tried seperating the other day but that went awful, so maybe if I just keep Munk in the coop then Joon won't have a caniption fit.

Any other illness where lathargic and sedate is the only symptom?? I will be doing a search now as well. The way she is acting was so much like the crop impaction posts I thought that's what was going on, but now I have no idea.

I also smelled her beak/breath and checked for sour crop, but nothing stinks at all. She is not laying yet, has not turned red or squatted so I don't think she is eggbound.. Any other suggestions would be wonderful. I have antibiotics but am holding off a day or so before I use them and just trying to help Munk as naturally as possible.

ETA: There was poop last night from Munk as well. It has a greenish/yellowish color to it, and has some firmed stool along with liquid. I've checked the chicken poop site, and it does not look like an "abnormal" poop according to the pictures. But.. I just wish I could make her feel better. The sedateness is getting to me because she is usually my most "scaredy cat chicken" as I call her.

 

[Morgan7782]

How do chicken immune systems work? Will the immune system try and fight off any sickness BEFORE symptoms begin? Or will the immune system try to fight off any issues during the time symptoms are shown?

Munk has eaten a little bit, and drank plenty of water. She is locked in the coop with food/vita water. I am trying to let her rest as much as possible and hoping her immune system will help fight off whatever is wrong. If anybody has chicken immune system information PLEASE tell me anything. No other signs of illness (coughing, sneezing, wheezing, bloody poop). She is just very lathargic. She is eating and drinking like normal.

 

[jenni2142]

With a symptom like lethargy it is so hard to guess what might be wrong. I have had birds act lethargic and had it be cocci, respiratory infection, worms, or nothing. If she is eating and drinking okay then just keep observing poo and updating here. Is there any change to the color of her comb? Sometimes a pic of the bird can help. Once I had someone point me in the right direction with a sick bird after seeing a pic.

 

[Morgan7782]

Yep I am seeing that. Well today she has been in the coop all morning until just now. I let her out to see if she would liven up a bit. She did run a tiny bit but is now back to lethargic, though NOT as bad (seeming) as earlier.

Her comb is paler then normal, but not discolored at all. It's just a faint pink. Also, her poop is greenish, mixed with liquid and soft form. I am trying to get her to drink water more often then she is just because it makes me feel better heh. No sign whatsoever of blood in her poop, and it doesn't looking abnormal to me. The only thing is she is lathargic. Believe me, it would make it easier if there was blood in her poop, or if she was sneezing and coughing. At least then I would have something to shoot for in treatment. I am just pulling stuff right out of my behind at the moment.

Here is how her treatment has been going:

Vitamins/Electrolites added to water last night, and she did drink some of that. This morning I gave fresh water with Duramycin added (only that and water). I have kept her cooped up for the majority of today, and just now let her out to peck around a bit. I have felt her crop, and it feels normal. I have not felt a fever warmth to her. Right now she has access to clean unmedicated water, and chicken food. I have not given any treats until just now when I offered her yogurt. She doesn't like it though so I might scramble an egg and try that.. I want to get some protien into her to help her fight whatever she has.

She HAS been pooping though, so I think her digestive area is alright. My Mom said if Munk were a person she would probably be diagnosed with Mono. I will continue offering seperate waterers with Vitamins, Duramycin and Plain Water. She does perk up and try to get away when I try to catch her, so I think that is an improvement from yesterday where she would just let me pick her up.

I sure hope this clears without any real damage. She is as comfortable as she can be, and has everything she needs so hopefully we will have a good recovery. I think her immune system is fighting off whatever she has, so I am letting her rest and such.

Thank you all for the responses they have helped SO much! If anybody has any tips or advice regarding the only symptom being lathargic please do share. Or share what you did for any sick chickens that showed a similar symptom.


EDITED TO ADD: I just went outside and found Munk dustbathing with Joon! I can't help but think that is a good sign.. I haven't seen her dust bathe since she started feeling icky. If a chicken was on death row they wouldn't dust bathe right??

 

[jenni2142]

I don't think she would dustbathe if really ill. That is normally one thing I always see when they are ill, no grooming. And is normally a good sign that they are on the mend. I had one little bantam that would act ill like that for a day or two and then be fine after a little special treatment. She lived to be about 2 years old. I am glad to hear your little girl is on the mend.

 

[beachchickie]

I had a 14wk pullet with impacted crop from a tomato peel. I gave her olive oil for 5 days 2x a day about 1 tablsp at a time. She had access to no food at night and limited food during the day only egg scrambled and yogurt. Something very soft. She finally got better.

 

[Morgan7782]

Thank you both for the comments, they mean the world to me. Especially the tip about the cooked eggs, I will offer her some tonight to give some protien to her. Maybe she will like it better then yogurt lol.

I first gave her the Duramycin around 6 hours ago for the FIRST time. I am only hoping it hasn't worked yet and this is just masking the symptoms. I don't think it would work that quickly though, and she actually hasn't drank much of the medicated water. But she did love the vitamin water, and has access to clear fresh water as well. I just went out to see her now, she is still sleepy and tired, but her eyes are much more alert and interested. She even moved away from me when I went to pet her, which is a good sign to me

she is pretty shy and when I was able to handle her so easily last night it scared me.

I will offer her eggs tonight. She also HAS been eating, and acting very interested in the food like she is enjoying it again. Before she acted like a kid with plain oatmeal. Anywho, keep us in your thoughts!! I will post an update tomorrow morning until she is well. Hopefully my thread will help others!


Edited to add:

I know chickens are NOT people/humans, but I treated this much like I would a person. Extra vitamins, and lots of rest. I am guessing that her sleepiness is her immune system fighting something off, so I am giving her a small boost with vitamins and letting her rest to fight whatever she has. This seems to have helped immensely. After I had her locked in the coop for the whole morning and afternoon and let her out she seemed a LITTLE better rested. (it's not hot here thank gosh, and their coop is open air and under shade

I made sure not to add heat stroke to the equasion!)

 

[Morgan7782]

Today's update is much better. Munk is more herself, and is more lively then she has been. She is eating good, and her crop is working fine so I don't think she has an impaction like originally thought. She is also drinking lots of water. She has vitamins/electrolytes in one waterer and fresh water in the other. She is sunbathing, so I assume she doesn't feel too terrible anymore.

Thank you all for the suggestions and support, it means a lot to me.