lethargic chicken

[iliamna]

I have a lethargic chicken this morning. she has a lot of runny poop on all her feathers below her vent. There is also an egg-size swelling there that looks almost like an egg that couldn't be laid. I brought her inside, washed her bottom really well; she seemed to like the warm water because she didn't struggle at all. I took her back outside, fenced off a corner inside the house, put in new straw, gave her food & water and am just hoping she'll be o.k. because I don't know what else to do. The runny poop just keeps running out! Any ideas of what I should try? Thanks much. Iliamna

 

[chookchick]

Bring her back inside, keep her in a warm, dark, quiet place to stop the laying cycle and give her rest. I'll get some info for you on egg-binding and egg-yolk peritonitis.

 

[iliamna]

I have an update on my sick chickie. I brought her in this morning determined to give her whatever help I could. I washed her bottom really good with a rag and warm water which she seemed to like. Then I took my gloved hand with vegetable oil on my fingers and inserted my index finger into her vent. Sure enough, there was egg shell material there so I carefully took little pieces out, then I was able to bring up a large piece of old egg that didn't have the hard shell on it. After I got that out she seemed to feel very relieved! I was able to get out a little more black poop and white liquid before I decided she had had enough trauma like that. She was able to contract her vent enough to bring out a little more. I have her in a box with newspaper lining a small dish of water & food and have cleaned her 3 times today each time getting out more liquid. She's been able to expel liquid onto the newspapers too so that's good. I did call the vet here who cares for birds and she suspects egg yolk peritonitis is going on now after I told her what happened. She doesn't have any antibiotics to prescribe because most don't work and told me just to keep caring for her and maybe she would pull through this and maybe not. I have one more person to call tomorrow who raises lots of chickens and she might have a new idea for me. The vet did tell me to give her and the other chickens a lot of oyster shell calcium! Very important to keep those eggs having good shells. I'll keep you posted as to how she does. Thanks for your help...

 

[chookchick]

Duh, I just now see that I never got that thread posted! Something went wrong....okay here I go again...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=281575
Hopefully there's some info to help you.

 

[iliamna]

The chicken went back outside to her sisters today. She seems better and I think she needed to get back out to eat and drink with them and get some exercise. I've checked her often and will hope she does o.k. Thanks for your help.