Lethargic hen, watery poop, low appetite

[Winchikn]

Hello,

One of my 9 hens has had low appetite and very watery poops the last few days. She’s a 2 year old ‘production red’, combs and wattles still nice and red. She’s been off lay since my flock went through what I am pretty sure was infectious bronchitis over 2 months ago.

It’s been extremely hot here (90-95 F) for the last couple of weeks. I was worried about heat exhaustion so gave electrolytes to the flock in water today and brought her inside earlier this afternoon. She’s eaten a bit of egg and some yogurt but isn’t interested in canned fish or food mash. Energy levels are low but not horribly.

Could this still be IB aftermath? She was in the nesting box about 10 days ago with her wings flared so I gave a calcium in case she was struggling with an egg, but I’m pretty sure no egg came of it. Should I try that again?

If the heat is possibly an issue is there anything else to do beyond electrolytes? There is a lot of shade in their run, but this heat is really intense.

As always, thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would give her the electrolytes and extra calcium.
See that her crop is emptying.
She may be having heat exhaustion issues, but if you had IB in your flock, it could affect the reproductive system as well, so giving Calcium for a few days just in case she's having a hard time expelling an egg would be a good idea.

 

[Winchikn]

I would give her the electrolytes and extra calcium.
See that her crop is emptying.
She may be having heat exhaustion issues, but if you had IB in your flock, it could affect the reproductive system as well, so giving Calcium for a few days just in case she's having a hard time expelling an egg would be a good idea.

Thank you. I lost two hens to reproductive complications with the IB. I had hoped that this many weeks out it wouldn’t show up again but I assume issues can still emerge as her body tries to come back into lay.

Just reviewed my old threads and I had forgotten this hen was sick with similar symptoms in March. I treated with antibiotics and then dewormed with Safeguard as I found roundworms in another hens poops - and she improved then. Wondering if I should deworm her again just in case. If I gave her Safeguard in spring should I do piperazine now? No options for me to get a float done here.

I’ll still giver her some calcium tonight.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would just use the Safeguard again.

How does her poop look?

 

[Winchikn]

 

[Winchikn]

I would just use the Safeguard again.

How does her poop look?

Wyorp Rock I forgot to tag you in my reply with the poop pic last night. I'm inexperienced at these online forums. Pic above.

My hen is still quite lethargic with low appetite today and continuing watery poops. I'm hesitant to give dewormer when I have no idea what's wrong - but don't know what else to do.

I gave her another calcium this morning but don't see signs of her trying to pass an egg or any egg-like substances in her poop.

I don't think she's dealing with crop issues. She's got such watery diarrhea that I didn't want to withhold water and so her crop was full of water when I got up this morning, but no sign of sour crop and she's not impacted. Her crop is soft.

 

[Winchikn]

In the absence of other options and no apparent improvement, I think I will administer Safeguard starting today.

Given I don't know what I'm dealing with, should I do the 5 days Safeguard with one additional dose 10 days following (to catch roundworms and anything else it might be)?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would do the 5 days of Safeguard.

The poop doesn't look very good does it
I would take food/water out of her cage at night when it's time for her to go to sleep.
Check her crop first thing in the morning, to see if it's emptied or not. Be sure to put food/water back in once you check her crop.

 

[Winchikn]

I would do the 5 days of Safeguard.

The poop doesn't look very good does it
I would take food/water out of her cage at night when it's time for her to go to sleep.
Check her crop first thing in the morning, to see if it's emptied or not. Be sure to put food/water back in once you check her crop.

She's eaten very little the last couple of days and I've given 2 calcium supplements but I assume that wouldn't show white in poop. Oddly, she is heavier than when she was unwell back in Feb/March but her breastbone seems to be more protuberant.

I will withhold her food/water when I go to bed tonight, check crop in the morning, do the 5 days of Safeguard and hope for the best.

Should I repeat a single dose of Safeguard at the 10-day mark to catch roundworms as well or is that too much?

 

[Winchikn]

I withheld water last night and her crop was pretty empty this morning, but not entirely. It didn't feel like other impacted crops my chickens have had so I gave her a little massage and gave her some water and cut her loose in my garden.

About an hour later I checked on her and her crop was like a little water balloon so I've brought her back into isolation in the house and am massaging regularly. It feels like there is nothing other than water in there and she doesn't smell sour at all. Bit mysterious.

She just wants to sit with her eyes closed. Comb and wattles still bright but she's barely eaten in 2 days... She's still pooping but mostly fluids with the odd little bit of solids.