lethargic chicken

[zenstarling]

where do you start when diagnosing a lethargic chicken? this is my flock boss and she’s usually got quite an attitude. so far today, quiet, stationary at times, I saw a bit of roosting puffed up which I know isn’t normal. but then some regular energy foraging activity in between.

when I let them out this morning I noticed her looking a bit off and thought her crop felt a little bulgy for morning. I got her to take a bit of coconut oil, massaged the crop, and then left her be for a bit. checked in and she was back to some normal activity looking alert. felt the crop again later and it’s feeling pretty flat.

now it’s like she’s back to being a bit spacey compared to normal, but also not terrible looking either. I know they hide their issues well.

we’re supposed to be heading out today. I can separate her safely in my garage if need be, but I’m not even sure what I’m treating for! any thoughts? thank you!

 

[azygous]

"Heading out" meaning gone for a week or gone for the day? It might make a difference if this hen is coming down with something, and her behavior does indicate that.

What does her poop look like? If it's watery with streaks of mucous, she might need an antibiotic.

 

[zenstarling]

"Heading out" meaning gone for a week or gone for the day? It might make a difference if this hen is coming down with something, and her behavior does indicate that.

What does her poop look like? If it's watery with streaks of mucous, she might need an antibiotic.

thanks for the reply! yesterday she seemed alright, perked up by the end of the day. normal activity level. this morning she’s been low energy, standing by herself under the coop. not normal.

her crop is empty. we offered her a bit of yogurt and she happily ate it up. I checked with a lubed glove up her vent for egg binding and I felt nothing.

I have her isolated in the pen in my garage now with water so I’ll be able to see a poop.

she’s definitely not normal, but I can’t figure out what the signs are pointing to.

 

[azygous]

Poop holds important clues when a chicken is behaving "off". When you get a poop sample, photograph it, post it here, and describe it with words to make up for the missing dimension.

You might also contact your local vet and ask for them to run a fecal float on the poop sample. It is inexpensive, takes less than an hour to get results, and they can show if worms or other parasites are present in harmful numbers. In other words, the test can provide us with a road map. Just assure your vet that you and BYC will assume responsibility for treatment if they are hesitant to deal with a chicken.

 

[zenstarling]

Poop holds important clues when a chicken is behaving "off". When you get a poop sample, photograph it, post it here, and describe it with words to make up for the missing dimension.

You might also contact your local vet and ask for them to run a fecal float on the poop sample. It is inexpensive, takes less than an hour to get results, and they can show if worms or other parasites are present in harmful numbers. In other words, the test can provide us with a road map. Just assure your vet that you and BYC will assume responsibility for treatment if they are hesitant to deal with a chicken.

awesome, thanks so much. will return when I have a poop to share. haven’t seen one yet which seems kind of odd considering how often they go. do you suggest I keep feed in there with her or only water?

 

[azygous]

Provide food and water.

 

[zenstarling]

Poop holds important clues when a chicken is behaving "off". When you get a poop sample, photograph it, post it here, and describe it with words to make up for the missing dimension.

You might also contact your local vet and ask for them to run a fecal float on the poop sample. It is inexpensive, takes less than an hour to get results, and they can show if worms or other parasites are present in harmful numbers. In other words, the test can provide us with a road map. Just assure your vet that you and BYC will assume responsibility for treatment if they are hesitant to deal with a chicken.

here’s the two poops I found in the pen, first as is, second smashed with a stick to see better. this looks pretty typical to me…

 

[azygous]

I see nothing in that poop to indicate bacterial infection, presence of parasites or toxin exposure. You could still have a sample fecal float test run by your vet, but It's doubtful it would show pathological levels of parasites.

That leaves one of the most common causes of "off" behavior, crop issues. Check her crop now. See if it feels overly full, hard, lumpy or squishy. Then you need to take up food and water at bedtime and check her crop in the morning to see if it's emptied over night. That will confirm if she has a crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[zenstarling]

I see nothing in that poop to indicate bacterial infection, presence of parasites or toxin exposure. You could still have a sample fecal float test run by your vet, but It's doubtful it would show pathological levels of parasites.

That leaves one of the most common causes of "off" behavior, crop issues. Check her crop now. See if it feels overly full, hard, lumpy or squishy. Then you need to take up food and water at bedtime and check her crop in the morning to see if it's emptied over night. That will confirm if she has a crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

thanks for following up! while we had her in our “chicken ER” we were able to give her a bit of sav-a-chick electrolytes and probiotics in some yogurt, she ate that up, ate her feed, drank water, etc. I put her back with the flock in the evening and she was doing great. her crop has seemed perfectly normal, in the morning yesterday it felt empty. yesterday she was completely herself, acting like a normal chicken.

now this morning, she came out the chicken door last and down the ramp very slowly, and went right under the coop without eating and is now standing there still and puffed up. her crop is empty, her vent looks fine. I’m not sure if she laid yesterday, she did not the day before when we had her inside.

I will separate her again and try the electrolytes again and see what I can do, and check today’s poops, but I have no clue as to what this could be. thanks for following up with me!

 

[dawg53]

Also, closely inspect her for lice/mites, especially around her vent area where it's warm and moist. Remove feces stuck to her rear end if you see any.
It's best to get a fresh fecal sample tested for internal parasites.