Lethargic chicken! Need Advice!

[jillcg]

I have three supposingly Americuanas, but I think they are Easter eggers.
However one of them is being lethargic since yesterday.
It is about 7 to 8 month old and not laying yet. The crop seems completely empty (at about 3pm). I gave some of their favorite snacks earlier, some dried worms, with some yoghurt and she ate some, also drank some water this morning. I don't know if she is pooping or not, but checked the coop and none of the poop looks unusual.
Her comb is not fully developed yet, but color looks red as always, eyes are open, beak closed, doesn't seem to have trouble breathing.
She looks a bit hunched in itself, the tail feathers are down. Once in a while she twitches a little.
I was browsing the forum for the last hour. I am not sure what to do. Just start her on antibiotics? Give more yoghurt, and if so how much? Could she have worms, and if so, how would i find out?
Any advise is greatly appreciated.

 

[tjo804]

First I would quarantine her especially if you think she is ill. and at least until you can get a poo sample at the very least.
Here is a link to poo's
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/?topic=17568.0

This is a helpful page as well



https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...mergency-and-supportive-care-updated-1-3-2016

Good luck.

A lot of times it is helpful to have pictures.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are many people here and elsewhere that jump to antibiotics.
I would not. If you don't know what is ailing her, prophylactically giving antibiotics isn't prescribed. Out of the bacterial problems it could be, only a % are cured with antibiotics. Other problems it could be are viral, parasitic, protozoal, environmental, fungal, nutritional.
Others will argue with me but taking a stab at antibiotics? I don't think so.
You would find out if she has a heavy worm load by having a fecal sample read - like with all livestock and pets.

 

[jillcg]

I don't like to give antibiotics either, but I can't figure out what's wrong. Considering it started yesterday, it's getting worse real fast, and I don't see any signs of what could be wrong. Thank you for the link to the website. I isolated her and brought her inside.
Now she just sits there. Let's see if she poops.

 

[jillcg]

She died last night. I was not able to find out what was wrong with her, it took only 2 days.
Now I am hoping I don't have some kind of disease that could spread to the other 2. Is there any disease that would kill chickens that fast?
Any ideas what could have been wrong with her?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are about 20 things that can kill a chicken suddenly.
That's the reason I cautioned not to treat because you didn't know what to treat for and treating a chicken renders a necropsy result inconclusive at best and worthless at worst.
What state are you in?
Your best move to put your mind at ease and for the health of your flock is to send her to your state poultry lab. Keep her refrigerated till you can hand carry or ship her carcass.

 

[jillcg]

I didn't give her anything. I am in Texas.

 

[Eggcessive]

She died last night. I was not able to find out what was wrong with her, it took only 2 days.
Now I am hoping I don't have some kind of disease that could spread to the other 2. Is there any disease that would kill chickens that fast?
Any ideas what could have been wrong with her?

If you have saved her body (refrigerated in a plastic bag) you can either do a necropsy yourself, or have a much better professional one done by the state vet. Doing a necropsy yourself, you could open the abdomen and look at the liver, look at the gizzard and proventriculus for a blockage, open the intestines to look for worms, and check for egg peritonitis or internal laying. Since she had not started laying, was puffed up and had her tail down, I would have checked inside the vent with a finger to feel for a stuck egg. Some many things can make a chicken look sick like this. Sorry for your loss. Let us know if you have a necropsy performed since it can ease your mind about something infectious going around. Here is a link about contacting your state vet and how to send a chicken in for a necropsy:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Here are your labs

Texas

Department of Defense
Veterinary Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory
2899 Schofield Road Suite 2630
JBSA Ft Sam Houston, Texas 78234
Phone: 210-295-4604
AI
Texas

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
1 Sippel Road, Drawer 3040
College Station, Texas 77843
Phone: 979-845-3414 Fax 979-845-1794
AI, ASF, BSE, CSF, CWD*, ND, FMD, PRV, SCRAPIE, IAV-S*, VSV*
49

Texas

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory - Amarillo
6610 Amarillo Blvd West
Amarillo, Texas 79106
Phone: 806-353-7478 Fax 806-359-0636
AI, CSF, CWD*, ND, FMD, SCRAPIE, IAV-S*
50

Texas

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory - Center
635 Malone Dr
Center, Texas 75935
Phone: 936-598-4451 Fax 936-598-2741
AI, ND
51

Texas

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory - Gonzales
1162 East Sarah DeWitt Drive
Gonzales, Texas 78629
Phone: 830-672-2834 Fax 830-672-2835
AI, ND
52

Texas

Texas Animal Health Commission State-Federal Laboratory
4501 Springdale Road, Suite B
Austin, Texas 78723
Phone: 512-

v

 

[tjo804]

Sorry for your loss Jilcg