Lethargic, not eating much but drinking a lot, squirted poop that was mostly clear with some green mush

NatalieP

Songster
May 3, 2020
129
119
126
South Central Kansas
Been searching online and not finding much so looking for some help here.

My chicken is pretty lethargic. She stands around in the run, not really moving much. When I let her free range, she pecks a little but mostly tries to nap.

She's at the bottom of the pecking order so I know she never really ate a lot so when I let all the ladies out, I placed her in the run alone and she mostly just drank water (solid 5 mins at the waterer) and had no interest in food. I'll see her pecking around the ground for food but not really eating much from either full feeder. She normally is running far away from her flock mates but I saw her get picked on pretty strongly since shes not moving as much.

She is several months old and not yet laying (her comb and wattle is still small and pink).

I saw her poop and it squirted out her vent almost like a water gun. It was mostly clear and had some green crumbly poop in it. I noticed some similar spots in the run too. Below is a photo from a different poster (with no resolution).

I'm in the Midwest and we had some snow this week. I know her watery poop isnt from heat.

What could be wrong? Worms? Coccidiocis? Something else? There is an exotic vet in town (no avian vet) but I have reservations going there since last time she had a respiratory infection with stridor and she concluded she was egg bound (which she absolutely wasn't and is still not laying 2 months later....). I'm thinking of treating with worms tomorrow and mashing up food with a little water to individually feed her throughout the day. Debating a crate inside the run so she can get more food without the possibility of bullies?

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Her yesterday fluffed up from the setting sun. She was napping a lot and moving but not extremely active.
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Yesterday her naps seemed cute but now I'm getting very worried.
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I saw her poop and it squirted out her vent almost like a water gun. It was mostly clear and had some green crumbly poop in it.
That could be just drinking more than eating.

When I have a bird that is acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.
 
That could be just drinking more than eating.

When I have a bird that is acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.
Thank you so much. We have a large dog crate already so we'll give it a try tomorrow morning. Do you place anything on the top to discourage the flock mates from jumping up on the crate? I'm guessing it's still critical to have her roost at night with the rest?
 
Yes, put something of top of crate to keep other birds from pooping on her.
No, keep her in the crate for at least 24 hours, 48 would be better.
Feed nothing but a good chicken ration and plain water(during the day.
Check crop at night and in morning.
Observe poops.
See my crate link to see how it's got a wire bottom with tray under the crate.
 
I have her seperated and gave her SafeGuard this morning. She does not look good and is not eating. Would really appreciate any suggestions here. I gave her some scrambled eggs and she only had a few bites. Mashed up feed with a little water did not entice her at all. She just keeps falling asleep and I'm concerned she wont make it through the day. She is drinking occasionally.

Today's poop same as yesterday. Is coccidiosis always a bloody stool?
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poor dear... I tend to give them some of the baby turkey (poult) food mixed with water into a pudding when they need a little boost. Something about that makes them want to eat. Also egg yolk (without the white) is a happy treat for energy. I am in Canada and it has gotten cold here, snow too. I see watery poop from many of the birds (Turkey, ducks too )
 
Update: took her to the vet. Nothing abnormal in her fecal test. We have an antibiotic going now. She seemed better at the vet and ate the mealworms they had. Returned home and back to being more inactive. She is drinking A LOT. Her crop is so full of water. Her poop was creamy colored at the vet and a little bit of bright green still.
 
She's still alive but acting very strange still. Her crop wasnt entirely empty this morning and did a little massage before she went up to roost. Will check tomorrow morning. Wondering if its coccidiosis even if the vet didnt see anything in the sample. Mucus / milky pools yesterday and this morning. Odd poops from today if anyone has any more insight. She's not eating her pellets but I was able to have her eat some seeds, carrots, lettuce, and blueberries. Figuring something is better than nothing.

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