Lethargic, puffed up hen in molt

[AggieKat]

Hey everyone,

My chooks are going through their molt a little later than usual fall because Texas weather is crazy. Sirius started her molt and now full into it, is acting sick. It started this last weekend with fully watery poop that had bright green spots in it.

I changed all their food out to a new bag of Layena after cleaning the feeder, gave them a new batch of water in a regular waterer, made a smaller waterer with probiotics and electrolytes, and gave her a concentrated dose of Nutridrench.

She perked back up yesterday and seemed to be eating but not as much as usual. She was drinking water as usual and enjoyed the electrolyte mix best. Today thoguh, she is puffed up, lethargic and just standing in place with her head down and eyes closed. What could be wrong?? Is it just a hard molt or is she sick?

My vet won’t do a chicken decal float test. Only dogs and cats he said. So I’m not sure if it’s Coccidiosis or worms but I have medicine for both. I thought of doing Corid first. Thoughts?



@azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What's her poop like?
Are you certain she's molting - new pin feathers coming in and all that?

I'd check her crop, see that it's emptying. While you are checking her examine for any lice/mites.
Work on hydration, the electrolytes and PND are a good idea. Once she's drinking offer a bit of wet mash or egg, see if she'll eat a little. I think I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate tablet once daily for 3 days too, just in case she's having trouble with an egg. While a lot of hens do stop laying during molt, some don't.

Molting can be hard on them, so it can sometimes be hard to know if it's just molt or something else. Her stance says she doesn't feel well that's for sure.

If her crop is not emptying, then I'd begin treating that.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

As for deworming and treating for Coccidiosis, these are things to consider. If she's in molt, then you'll want to use a dewormer like Valbazen instead of Safeguard.
Corid wouldn't hurt her, but you'll want nix any extra vitamins/supplements that contain B1(Thiamine) during the course of treatment.

 

[AggieKat]

Her poop at first was almost completely watery with white and then bright green blobs. Now, she isn’t pooping much at all.

Her crop felt empty last time I checked but I will check again. It doesn’t seem like crop issues as I went through those with my last bird but I know it can present differently with each hen. I also checked for mites and lice and didn’t see any.


I didn’t think it was egg bound just because she hasn’t laid since around Christmas. Yes, I see new pin feathers coming in already on the back of her neck so that’s why I’m thinking molt.

I had them on Flock Raiser 20% feed while the other chicken was molting. Could I have damaged her since she wasn’t in a molt?

Will start with Corid today and see if that helps. Worried about my girl.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I use a flock raiser/all flock 18-20% protein feed year-round, so the feed shouldn't have anything to do with it unless it was old, moldy or rancid, but you would likely have more than one bird not well if something is off with the food.

 

[AggieKat]

I use a flock raiser/all flock 18-20% protein feed year-round, so the feed shouldn't have anything to do with it unless it was old, moldy or rancid, but you would likely have more than one bird not well if something is off with the food.

Ok that’s good to know. I went ahead and changed out the food for both of them just to freshen it up. She has perked up now that I’m home from work and is wanting to eat sunflower seeds and corn like usual. She had this poop just happen though. Completely white.

She is also wanting to drink a LOT of water. Like she can’t get enough. I started Corid but now I’m not sure that’s the problem.

Also, thank you so much for your responses and help! I am always learning more from you here as I keep my chickens.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok that’s good to know. I went ahead and changed out the food for both of them just to freshen it up. She has perked up now that I’m home from work and is wanting to eat sunflower seeds and corn like usual. She had this poop just happen though. Completely white.
View attachment 3374630
She is also wanting to drink a LOT of water. Like she can’t get enough. I started Corid but now I’m not sure that’s the problem.

Also, thank you so much for your responses and help! I am always learning more from you here as I keep my chickens.

Drinking lots of water, I would definitely check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight.

 

[AggieKat]

Her crop is full this morning so it’s def sour crop, poor thing. I’ll start treating that first. I’ll stop Corid in their water for now until I fix her crop.

Is sour crop fairly common in chickens? Or am I doing something wrong with them? Just wanting to learn as much as I can to help my tiny flock of two. Thank you again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Crop issues can be from a number of things. Sometimes there's an underlying condition like reproductive disorders, worms, infection, etc.
A partial blockage in the digestive tract or gizzard can cause the system to slow and then in turn a crop will turn sour.

More often than not, when I've dealt with sour crop, my hens have been having some type of reproductive problem.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. Provide fresh food/water, grit, etc.

I know I linked this article previously, our own @azygous wrote it and these are the treatments/methods I use with my own flocks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[AggieKat]

Crop issues can be from a number of things. Sometimes there's an underlying condition like reproductive disorders, worms, infection, etc.
A partial blockage in the digestive tract or gizzard can cause the system to slow and then in turn a crop will turn sour.

More often than not, when I've dealt with sour crop, my hens have been having some type of reproductive problem.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. Provide fresh food/water, grit, etc.

I know I linked this article previously, our own @azygous wrote it and these are the treatments/methods I use with my own flocks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

So thankful for the article by @azygous and started the monistat this morning. She still has a super water balloon crop but ate some wet mash and I was able to get her to drink some Epsom salt/water. I tried to give her a Tums but she wasn’t having it so I’ll get the calcium tomorrow in case it’s an egg issue.

I felt under her abdomen area kind of below the vent and it seemed really sensitive to her. She did NOT like me touching or pushing on it. Could that be something egg related?

She hasn’t laid since around Christmas when our temps shot back up after sun freezing cold snap. I’m trying to be calm and patient as I treat her but all I can think of is my other hen, Henrietta, that had super stubborn sour crop and issues all summer long and I finally had to put her down. Chicken keeping is hard sometimes, y’all.

 

[azygous]

Most often you can't feel a stuck egg. Most of the time, the egg is stuck in the shell gland (uterus) since it spends about 20 hours there out of the 25 hour cycle. Only is it gets stuck between the shell gland and the cloaca will you be able to feel it. Giving calcium won't hurt, and can do a lot of good if this is her problem.