I have a hen that is very lethargic right now. Her comb is hanging to the side, and she has green diarrhea. She eats a little and is still drinking. Is it worms or something more serious? I thought she maybe has vent gleet, but her vent area doesn't stink the way they say vent gleet should. Help please! I also have a hen who has developed a weird head shake, like a tic. She gives her head a shake every few seconds. She also has diarrhea, but hers is really watery with a little bit of solid stool inside of it. I don't see any evidence of worms in her stool.
Green diarrhea is usually caused by a chicken not eating much, though it can sometimes be a sign of disease. Check your hen's crop in the morning. At that time of day, it should be flat and empty. If it is hard, or looks/feels large and balloon like, you are dealing with impacted or sour crop.
If her crop is normal, I would worm her. Some wormer choices include Valbazen, Wazine (however, this is only effective on roundworms, not other types of worms that chickens can get), SafeGuard, Ivermectin, or the Worminator (I use it). The Worminator can be purchased online from here:
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=584. You can probably find the other wormers online or at a livestock supply store.
I would also check her for mites and lice. Check around the vent, under the wings, and beneath the hackles and feathers near the tail. Mites and lice can cause a chicken to not feel well.
Coccidiosis is another, less likely problem. It can cause diarrhea, but usually also causes symptoms like droopiness, ruffled feathers, lack of appetite, and blood in the droppings. If this was the problem, you would want to treat her with Corid (Amprolium).
But most importantly, get your hen eating! Entice her to each by giving her scrambled eggs, applesauce, mealworms, or anything else that she will eat. Give her vitamins in her water, and, if possible, probiotics. If she does not eat on her own, you may have to tube feed her or otherwise find a way to get her to eat. Making sure that she is drinking is important, too.
Hope I've helped!
