Lethargic Chicken, Yellow Diarrhea, PLUS regular droppings?

[762]

Not sure if this is a pullet or cockerel...approx 19 weeks of age, we think cockerel. Last one out of coop this morning, moved slowly, entire backside caked with yellow paste. While getting buckets ready for a bath, it pooped a brown turd surrounded by yellow liquid, then pooped a normal turd (far right, red circle). We gave it a soap bath and I worked all the nastiness away from it's feathers, rinsed in white vinegar solution and then plain water. I held it for awhile while drying it off, set it down by the food and water while we got the dog crate ready, and it did a huge yellow diarrhea (accompanied with sound effects).

It is in the dog create now with water supplemented with Hydro Hen, and I made a mash of chick starter, half an egg yolk, more hydro hen (for probiotics), purified silver and enough water to get a good consistency. Seems to be eating and drinking fine. Did another diarrhea on the towel in the dog crate, but seems to be doing ok. It has not laid down at all though.

Do we think e-coli or some intestinal parasite?

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you get a picture of him/her from the side? It does looks like pointed saddle feathers, but the comb is small. Do you have other roosters? Could he have been kept from food and water? Does he seem to be hungry? Have you wormed him recently? Have you seen any signs of coccidiosis?

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

What do you normally feed? Are there any other symptoms? Does the yellow poo have an odor? I recently found an excellent "symptom checker" on Poultry DVM that helped me get a better idea of where to start looking.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

 

[762]

Here is another picture. Normal feed is nature’s best chick starter. We also supplement with scratch grains and I also throw out about 4 cups of all flock for them to start transitioning on. There are (we suspect) a LOT of roosters. Of the 18 straight run, we think we only have 3 hens (Orpingtons). We have Wyandottes too, two roosters and six hens. Have not noticed this one getting shafted for food. We free range and there’s always plenty of feed left at the end of the day. And there’s plenty of times where the feeder is unoccupied. This one is on the smaller side of the Orpingtons, tho.

The diarrhea does not have much of an odor at all. I went to tractor supply and they did not have any dewormer suitable for chickens in stock. They suggested I use DE. I read up on DE and gave this bird a bit of a dust bath and he also ate some. He did not want to get off my lap! If he pulls through this illness may have saved its life. Gonna be hard to slaughter a roo that I nursed back to health! Slaughter day is 2/12.

 

[762]

 

[Eggcessive]

DE will not treat worms. It is useless when it is wet inside the body. Most people use either SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer 0.25 ml per pound given orally for 5 days, or Valbazen 0.5 ml orally once and again in 10 days for worming. Having multiple feeders and waterers placed in different spots is useful when you have a bunch of juvenile cockerels in a flock. You could also try treating for possible coccidiosis with Corid for 5 days. That would not hurt the others, or you can keep him separate. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water. It is tough having so many extra cockerels. No one wants or needs them, and that was a reason I stop hatching birds.

 

[762]

DE will not treat worms. It is useless when it is wet inside the body. Most people use either SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer 0.25 ml per pound given orally for 5 days, or Valbazen 0.5 ml orally once and again in 10 days for worming. Having multiple feeders and waterers placed in different spots is useful when you have a bunch of juvenile cockerels in a flock. You could also try treating for possible coccidiosis with Corid for 5 days. That would not hurt the others, or you can keep him separate. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water. It is tough having so many extra cockerels. No one wants or needs them, and that was a reason I stop hatching birds.

Would you agree this looks like a cockerel?

I actually just purchased another feeder to put out there. I’m thinking of mixing 50/50 all flock and starter.

Anyway, the Valbazen seems easier…once dose and then again in 10 days vs daily for 5 days. Do you prefer one over the other?

And you recommend the Corid in addition to a dewormer?

 

[Eggcessive]

I’m leaning toward cockerel, but it is easier to tell when they stand up and you can see hackle and saddle feathers. I use Valbazen, but it is more expensive and not all feed stores sell it. One bottle has 1000 doses. Here is a link:
https://www.jefferspet.com/valbazen...29w_RMoKAhukfdOd9ULc-w-fnIqzOwIRoClzoQAvD_BwE

If you use the SafeGuard once and again in 10 days, it will treat round worms, the most common worm. But not capillary or gapeworms.

 

[762]

I’m leaning toward cockerel, but it is easier to tell when they stand up and you can see hackle and saddle feathers. I use Valbazen, but it is more expensive and not all feed stores sell it. One bottle has 1000 doses. Here is a link:
https://www.jefferspet.com/valbazen...29w_RMoKAhukfdOd9ULc-w-fnIqzOwIRoClzoQAvD_BwE

If you use the SafeGuard once and again in 10 days, it will treat round worms, the most common worm. But not capillary or gapeworms.

Was able to get Valbazen. How should I administer? Also got Corid but should I wait to see if Valbezen helps? Plan on keeping him separated.

I went ahead and just put .5ml into a small piece of bread and he ate it. His poops were already starting to look better but I gave it to him anyway. So I guess I’ll just give him another dose in 10 days. I will keep him separate until he seems 100%.

I bought 2 more feeders for a total of 4, and a small waterer in addition to our 5 gal to put fresh electrolytes in daily. Also got a heavy rubber bowl to keep DE in for dust bathing. They like to dust bathe in their hemp but after this, thinking having DE available to them will be helpful.

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

DE is great stuff for external parasites, but please make sure you do not breathe any of it in!! It's really, really damaging to human lungs.