Lethargic hen

[Cedargrove]

I have an approx 2 year old Plymouth Rock who came to live with us about 6 weeks ago. Yesterday she was the last out of the coop and I noticed she pretty much just stood in the yard, eyes closed. I immediately quarantined her in the tractor. She drank water with added electrolytes, vitamins, and probiotics, ate some of her feed pellets in a little yogurt. She remained there all day and kept alternating between totally normal walking around pecking the ground and then standing still, eyes closed, with her head sometimes tucked in her wing. Two of yesterdays poops looked a little watery/loose with a greenish tinge. All other poops normal. Comb is red. No respiratory issues. No wounds, masses, bugs, etc…she spent the night in a crate and slept up on a roosting stick. Today is a repeat of yesterday-one minute normal and pacing to get out, the next appears asleep. Today she ate scrambled eggs twice in addition to feed and I saw her pecking the ground, eating grass as well. She has me worried but I can’t figure out what on earth could be wrong with her. I hate to keep her separated as well because she and another hen seem like buddies and that one seems a little depressed without her. Any ideas what could be up or what else i could do to help her?

 

[dawg53]

I'm sure you already inspected her closely for lice/mites, particularly around her vent area.
Now all you have to do is worm her. Give her Valbazen, 1/2ml given orally using a syringe without a needle. Then repeat again in 10 days.

 

[Cedargrove]

Now all you have to do is worm her. Give her Valbazen, 1/2ml given orally using a syringe without a needle. Then repeat again in 10 days.

Thank you for replying!
Worm even though poop looks normal?
Whole flock or just her?
Is this easy to find at a tractor supply? I’ve never given wormer to a chicken before

 

[dawg53]

It would be best to worm the whole flock. Here's a link for you. Please read posts #2, #4, #7 & #15 and all your questions will be answered.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/worming-questions.1515680/#post-25504826
Here's where you can buy Valbazen if TSC doesnt have it:
https://www.jefferspet.com/valbazen-oral-suspension-500ml-w-cap/p

 

[Cedargrove]

It would be best to worm the whole flock. Here's a link for you. Please read posts #2, #4, #7 & #15 and all your questions will be answered.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/worming-questions.1515680/#post-25504826
Here's where you can buy Valbazen if TSC doesnt have it:
https://www.jefferspet.com/valbazen-oral-suspension-500ml-w-cap/p

Are worms usually visible or no? Everyone’s poop is normal-I see no visible worms (she had two looser poops on the first day but they were back to normal yesterday). I took two random samples to my vet 2 weeks ago just to check (since I have new chickens as well) and the float tests were negative.
Is it possible to put this wormer on something like bread and let them eat it? None of these chickens want to be handled at all.

 

[Cedargrove]

UPDATE!

-gave her valbazen last night and this is what’s in her crate this morning-clearly visible worms! I’ve treated all the others this morning. Now what? Shes still acting off but is nibbling at some fish and pecking at the grass right now.

 

[dawg53]

There you go. They are large roundworms. Make sure you worm all your birds. Then reworm them in 10 days with the Valbazen.
After worming, give your birds plain boiled white rice mixed with buttermilk to eat for a couple of days. You can add it in their feed if you wish.
The boiled rice will settle their innards and the buttermilk will coat their intestines and is a much better probiotic than yogurt.
Good job and good luck.

 

[Cedargrove]

There you go. They are large roundworms. Make sure you worm all your birds. Then reworm them in 10 days with the Valbazen.
After worming, give your birds plain boiled white rice mixed with buttermilk to eat for a couple of days. You can add it in their feed if you wish.
The boiled rice will settle their innards and the buttermilk will coat their intestines and is a much better probiotic than yogurt.
Good job and good luck.

Would you assume “this is it”? I was wondering if I should also put Corid in their waterers?? Thank you!!!!

 

[dawg53]

I dont see a reason why your birds would need Corid. Do they have diarrhea or shed intestinal lining, blood in feces? The boiled rice and buttermilk should take care of diarrhea.