Lethargic, quiet, unmoving- please help!

[Lets Farm!]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to BYC as a member, but have found so much useful and helpful information on this site. I am joining now I regret not joining earlier with a good, funny chicken story, but I've waited until now and now is because we really need some help!

Our 1 year old Plymouth Barred Rock hen, Star, is not doing well.
Here is all the information I know I should provide:
We have 5, 1-year old hens (3 RR, 1 Australorp, 1 PBR). They have a very clean, large coop and a large yard to play in. They have free access to a laying ration, clean water, and some sand. They also get some treats, greens, and veggies.
The early spring weather has been a mix of rain and some 60 degree days.
Yesterday afternoon, Star didn't seem herself. She is the Mama Queen of the flock and she was hanging back and not showing her usual excitement and curiosity.
This morning when I let them out, she came out into the yard and slowly walked around while the other 4 ran and played.
We brought her in and tried to feed her some oatmeal mixed with yogurt and some vitamin water. We checked her for egg binding and although we felt nothing we did sit her on a heating pad for a while, massaged the abdomen, and then later in the day a warm bath.
She does not seem to have fever, runny nose or any "cold" symptoms.
She is not interested in food, she took a little hot cereal. In the afternoon after the warm bath she drank a lot of water and ate a lot of sand. The sand eating puzzled me. ???
I tried to feel her crop and, if I found it, it feels squishy, not hard.
Also, we typically get 4 to 5 eggs a day from the girls. Yesterday we got 2 and today 1. Not sure if this is useful, but perhaps it's something.

Any ideas what could be wrong with her?

I am really worried and would greatly appreciate any one's suggestions, ideas, further questions, resources, support...

Thank you so much!

 

[karen71]

I am not an expert at all
possibly worms?
any dirty butt? could be cocci
hopefully someone that knows more is awake and looking

good luck

and on a happy note

 

[Lets Farm!]

She had a little bit of poo on her butt this morning, but we cleaned that up. I forgot to mention she had one runny, yellowish poo and two others- normal looking, but small.

Thank you karen71 for taking the time to try and help. How can one be sure of worms? Is it OK to de-worm if I'm not positive its worms?Where does one get de-worming stuff? We are in an area with no real feed stores. Is there a reliable source on-line that folks are aware of?

Saying my prayers as she sleeps in her sequestered room!

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

I would withhold food and see if her crop goes down. She might have impacted or sour crop if it is not emptying properly. Just give her water with electrolytes and vitamins, and 2 tab Apple Cider Vinegar per gallon. If by the morning, you can still feel her crop and it is squishy, then start treatment for sour crop. If it is hard then try treating for impacted crop. You can do a search on here for those words and find many good posts on treatment.

Please keep us posted. I know how hard it is when one of the girls is sick.

 

[Lets Farm!]

What would the posture look like if she's having crop issues?

We tried to massage her crop and got a few burps in response and she just had a pretty normal sized poo that was a bit watery/oily. She's a little perkier and just tried to escape through the cracked-open door into the living room for a midnight adventure! Hoping this is a sign that she might be feeling slightly better?

She's set up with vitamin water with a little vinegar and no food.

Hopefully by morning we will see some improvement.

 

[Lets Farm!]

update on Star-1 yr old PBR hen-and MORE QUESTIONS!

After suspecting some crop issues, we have given her several massages with some good burps in return. We hung her updside down too and massaged the crop. She did not throw up anything, just burps.

She had a few poos during the night and this morning. I have pics if any one thinks they are necessary.

The crop seems to have deflated some. But now when I feel it, it is still a little squishy and it seems the lower portion is FILLED WITH SAND/PEBBLES!??!!! What does this mean? It is not hard at all, but there are definitely some grainy things in the lower part. What should we do for her now? I hate to see her so not herself.

THANK YOU!

 

[eggchel]

The sand/pebbles are normal.

Here is a site where you can look up her symptoms. I hope she recovers.
http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/diagext.htm

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

I would not try to make her throw up anymore. If her crop is going down, and she has normal droppings, that is a very good sign. Massage her crop gently in a downward motion to work on the sand, but don't massage up.

Is she drinking some of the water?

What is her overall posture? Head up or down, tail up or down, fluffed or normal?

How is the color of her comb & wattles, red or purplish?

I'm glad to hear she seems a bit better this morning.

 

[Lets Farm!]

Thank you all for your advice.
Is she drinking some of the water?
Not on her own. We got her to take a few sips this morning and a tiny bit of kefir.

What is her overall posture? Head up or down, tail up or down, fluffed or normal?
I have a pic of her posture at the moment, but can't figure out how to upload. I'm working on it. Her tail is higher this morning and her head is up.

How is the color of her comb & wattles, red or purplish?
Comb and wattles are still and have been red the whole time.

 

[Lets Farm!]

shes still not very active, and now it feels like her crop is full of air when we massage it she burbs and crop deflates but later it is blown up again
any ideas