Lethargic, droopy head 3 month old pullet- can’t figure out what is wrong!! Help!

[Lauralav]

I got 4 pullets a little over a month ago. My blue copper maran has seemed sick- very lethargic, falling asleep constantly with her head dropping. This began a couple weeks ago. I consulted a local chicken group here in Seattle and they told me to treat with corid. I isolated her, watched her, and the next day she seemed a bit better so I put her back in the coop and treated the whole flock with corid for 5 days. I thought she was improving but then all of the lethargic symptoms began again. I isolated her again and have tried a bit of ACV in her water. Gave her scrambled eggs, yogurt. She eats a bit, and is drinking water.... but no real improvement. She also not getting worse, per say. I’ve felt her crop and don’t feel anything alarming. She doesn’t seem to have nits or mites.... I’ve called a thousand people, visited a few feed stores and tried 3 vets. All who are booked out until next week.
I’m at a loss at what this could be or how to treat her. My other 3 chickens are doing great and growing quickly. HELP!!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Do you think she may have worms, or possibly a respiratory illness?

 

[Lauralav]

I’m brand new to owning chickens. How would tell if she might have worms? I’ve seen no evidence. And she’s not wheezing or coughing or anything like that.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I’m brand new to owning chickens. How would tell if she might have worms? I’ve seen no evidence. And she’s not wheezing or coughing or anything like that.

Sometimes worm overloads will make a bird really sick feeling, & weak.
Sometimes you can spot a dead, or dying worm in the poop.

So you don't hear any crackling in her lungs? You'll have to hold her up against your ear to hear it.


Do you have a vet that will check out chickens?

 

[piminuse]

Re: crop

Sometimes they can have impacted/sour crop without the crop actually feeling too off. Open her beak and see if you can smell anything kind of funky, like sauerkraut, or of you hear any "fizzing" from inside her mouth.

Also def check for worms as mentioned above. Isolate her again and put down papertwoels to better check the poo for any flat segments that look like linguine or ramen noodles or any wriggling.

Best of luck!

 

[Lauralav]

Sometimes worm overloads will make a bird really sick feeling, & weak.
Sometimes you can spot a dead, or dying worm in the poop.

So you don't hear any crackling in her lungs? You'll have to hold her up against your ear to hear it.


Do you have a vet that will check out chickens?

I called a bunch of vets today and they’re all booked out until next week. If I were to try a de-wormer, what would you recommend? She’s young and I just am out of ideas to try...

 

[MysteryChicken]

I called a bunch of vets today and they’re all booked out until next week. If I were to try a de-wormer, what would you recommend? She’s young and I just am out of ideas to try...

I'm not an expert on deworming chickens. I'm also cautious about what residual ingredients of the dewormers will leave in the egg yolks, since we're trying to sell an over abundance of eggs.

 

[piminuse]

I called a bunch of vets today and they’re all booked out until next week. If I were to try a de-wormer, what would you recommend? She’s young and I just am out of ideas to try...

Praziquantelis the active ingredient in Equimax and helps clear up worms.

 

[piminuse]

Praziquantelis the active ingredient in Equimax and helps clear up worms.

praziquantel

Praziquantelis the active ingredient in Equimax and helps clear up worms.

https://www.chickenforum.com/thread...3/#:~:text=1 pound bird - 1 / 2.2,Give orally. Here ya go!

 

[Lauralav]

I'm not an expert on deworming chickens. I'm also cautious about what residual ingredients of the dewormers will leave in the egg yolks, since we're trying to sell an over abundance of eggs.

Ok thanks. My hens are only 3 months and not yet laying....