Lethargic Hen with Pink Feet, Not Eating, Red Stool

[notv]

Hi everyone. Your help is appreciated. Eleanor, our RIR is usually the most energetic of the our flock of 3 and today she is showing signs of possible worms, gout, or..?

1) Rhode Island Red, 1.5 years, bantam weight
2) She is not moving, extremely lethargic, not eating, drinking water a little bit, off on her own
3) Droopy comb (has been this way for months but thought that was normal), Pink feet, scaly feet with spherical growths on them?
4) The only major changes have been that it's Fall, it's the rainy season here in Portland, the run is a lot more wet and the ground more cold.
5) Regular 5-grain layer feed, occasionally corn
6) Relatively normal but haven't noticed. She was having matted poop on her feathers around the vent for the past week. I've trimmed them back.
7) Tried to give emergenz electrolyte water, tried to give yogurt with a little corn scratch in it, she wouldn't take either! (the other hens loved the yogurt though)
8 ) Treat myself
9) I'm working on photos right now
10) Pine shavings in the coop.

I should also note that our chickens don't like to roost or don't like the setup we have for roosting, so they sleep on the coop floor. They've done this for the 9 months we've had them. We've had chicken lice before and treated it, no signs of lice at present time.

thank you so much for your help!

 

[notv]

I'm also curious, if emergen-z is a good treatment, how do you get the hen to ingest it?? thank you!

 

[notv]

Photos of Feet:
http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeei...hkey=Gv1sRgCM2U-8bhleuxBw#5408880527046287586
http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeei...hkey=Gv1sRgCM2U-8bhleuxBw#5408880542435404082
http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeei...hkey=Gv1sRgCM2U-8bhleuxBw#5408880546420207394

Photo of her Comb:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...?authkey=Gv1sRgCM2U-8bhleuxBw&feat=directlink

Here is a video of her not moving, even with her favorite corn scratch snack within inches.
http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeei...hkey=Gv1sRgCM2U-8bhleuxBw#5408880520518617938

Thank you for your help taking care of Eleanor during this holiday.

 

[Kittymomma]

I haven't had it around here, at least not yet, but it looks like it could be mites. Try a search on scaly leg mites and see if that matches up and treat accordingly.

I would up her protien content regardless, it will help give her more strength. I have had good luck with scrambled eggs for emergency cases and have switched my entire flock to a 22% gamebird crumble for the winter because I have several 18 month old girls goin thru molt. If you go to a gamebird feed be sure to offer oyster shell free choice for the layers calcium needs.

If she won't eat the eggs you can try canned cat food. It has a lot of protein in it, but also a lot of sodium so it shouldn't be used for long. I use it to jump start mine and after a day or so they'll usually have enough energy to be intersted in a scrambled egg, yougurt, and crumble mash.

 

[notv]

Thanks for the suggestion to feed egg, we've managed to convince her to put down some scrambled eggs and have a little yogurt. She is still drinking water.

Her stool looks red, almost bloody, and very liquidy. I don't think you need a photo of it, but it doesn't look normal and definitely has a red color to it.

She may have scaly leg mites, but it doesnt' seem like they are very severe at this stage. I'm concerned it may be something else, possibly intestinal. If this is the case, are there other remedies besides electrolytes and yogurt?

Any ideas are highly appreciated. Many thanks.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
The red stool sounds like cocci. If that is the case you need to treat quickly because it can kill very soon after you start to see blood in the stool. Here is a link to a "poop page" hopefully you'll be able to tell what is goin on there. A picture is always good. It may seem kind of gross, but what the stool looks like is often a very good diagnostic tool. An animal will often be prone to further illness after their system has been compromised the first time so keep a close eye on her and the rest of your flock and treat aggresivley.

http://happyhenhouse.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=poop&action=display&thread=7588

 

[BarkerChickens]

The comb I wouldn't worry about...at least not at this point. Some hens have large, floppy combs. As for the legs, I suspect mites. Cover her legs in vaseline for a few days, that should help kill off (suffocate) the mites. However, you will likely want to do a search on here for how to treat the rest of your coop since the mites are likely in the nesting boxes, etc as well. There are several methods, but I figure you can look it up to see which one you like best.

I agree that the poop doesn't sound normal if it has blood in it. Definitely check out that link to the chicken poop page and if it still seems abnormal, you may want to consider treating for worms. Threehorses has some great and informative posts on the thread listed below re: worming chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213065

 

[ilovesilkies]

Hello Everyone Since Were Talking About Sick Birds And Yukie Poop I Have A ???????? My Turkey Just Got Sick A Couple Of Days Ago. She Went From Being A Very Active Very Hunry Hen To A Droopy Not Eating And Has A Yellow Runny Poop. I Went To That Poop Site And It Looks Like Ecoli/kidney Infection But It Didnt Say How To Treat It And Sugestions? Its So Sad She Just Goes Off To Her Self. Please Help

P:s She Is The Only Turkey Who Thinks She Is A Goose And Stays Around The Pond With The Ducks And Geese And Will Eat About Anything. How Could This Of Happen To Her?

 

[Kittymomma]

Hi,

I don't know what the treatment for that would be. I do think you would get more responses if you started a new thread with your girls specific symptoms. Good luck!

 

[notv]

Thank you everyone for your help! I spoke with the folks at our feed store and they didn't have a doubt that it was cocci. Ran down there, got some sulmet, and now the entire flock is on it. Eleanor is much more active and like herself.

I agree, I think she has early signs of leg mites, we'll treat for that as well.

THANK YOU for your support!!!