Lethargic Hen, Overdrinking and Weird Smell

[Rachel504]

This morning she is again acting somewhat lethargic. Her crop was full (not very big, though) and has not gone down. I am massaging it and still giving her Monistat. She was doing fine until I fed her some watermelon yesterday evening (it was the only thing she would eat). Could fruit worsen her condition? I have taken away her food right now and am putting her back on yogurt.

This whole situation has made me lose a whole week and is taking a toll on me and my family. I am planning to release her back with the other hens today or tomorrow, but will still keep her on the Monistat, yogurt, and probiotics in their waterer. If this continues for too long, I am considering putting her down as much as I don't want to. Next semester I will not have time to care for her if this pops up again, and I really can't stand to see her suffer like this. She's one of my favorite hens, but sadly she's always been very prone to illness

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Sorry to hear she is still having trouble. Wish I knew how to help, but I think you have been getting good advice and doing what you can. If she is prone to having problems, that may be the larger issue. She is very pretty. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Rachel504]

So today one of my other hens just fell ill with some respiratory illness. I remember we took all of the hens to a public shelter last year during hurricane harvey, during which they caught some respiratory illness from the other chickens there. This other hen is already showing signs of swelling on her face, so I have started her on Tylan. I did not think the illness would come back after so long, but I heard MG or Coryza can recur and is chronic.

I'm starting to think my sour crop hen might have developed this and it led to sour crop (I heard it can be caused by other illnesses). Her eyes were actually droopy when I first noticed her sour crop, but it went away so soon I didn't think much of it. Right now I am keeping her in the house away from the other hens until I'm certain nobody else is gonna start showing symptoms. She is doing fine, her crop is very small now and she is actively walking around the yard. There are no more burping sounds either, but I am keeping her on a diet of yogurt and mashed up layer feed.

I am contacting a vet now to see if I can get the sick hen tested for MG or Coryza. If it turns out positive, I am going to have someone cull the flock. This is all too much x_x

 

[Wishing4Wings]

What bad news. I hope it doesn't come to culling. I guess biosecurity for poultry is low on the list of priorities during a hurricane.
We had to evacuate for the fires in N.Calif last October. My flock spent a week in the back of the pickup camper shell (nights) and days in my sister's small backyard.

 

[Rachel504]

Yeah, there was one rooster staying behind their pen who seemed sick, and the hay the shelter kept for everyone to use was right next to him :') I regret not being more careful, but I guess the situation was too overwhelming to pay attention. I'm surprised nobody else caught the sickness except mine. I was quick to get my chickens out before they spread it.

The hen with sour crop finally started having normal poop and is regaining her energy. I let her back out with the other hens who have already forgotten her. But she had the strength to fight back and now nobody is going after her. So far it looks like she's made a full recovery, but I will keep an eye on her and continue the monistat 'til it runs out.

Nobody else is showing symptoms of the respiratory illness, just that one hen who is separated for now on the other side of the yard. I'm treating her with Tylan 50 and Vet RX. I've given the hens a fan in their coop, a mister, and am putting ice in their waterer every couple hours to help with the heat. Hopefully this slows down all the sickness for a while.