Listless Chicken not eating

[Niky]

I have a speckeled sussex about 9 months old. She hasn't layed in about two weeks. Her behavior has been fine until today. She usually doesn't let us touch her but we were able to hold her and pet her to feel her body. She is ruffled and listless. She won't even eat yogurt. Isn't roosting with the other girls just sitting alone. Her face is not swollen from what I can tell. I put some apple cider vinegar in the water for all the girls tonight as a precaution. Doesn't feel like she has an egg in her and no bulge on her crop. Not sure what to do!? The other girls seem fine, I don't have a way of separating them. I can't tell if her poop is abnormal. She is pretty fuzzy on her vent so the poop I can see looks normal. Any ideas?

 

[lucky123]

I can say for me the first sign something is very wrong is when they let you pick them up without a fuss. When they stop eating and drinking they are in big trouble. Lost one a couple of weeks ago that acted the same as you decribed. One problem I have found after much research, is many things can cause the same symtoms, which makes it tougher to nail down. I think worms first, check for mites ot lice. Its also a good idea to check for molty feed. I lost one a few years ago to bad feed. I would try and get some vitimins in her. One thing for sure, if they don't eat they won't last long, so, from now on I will try a very aggressive treatment instead of waiting to see if they get better. Good luck.

 

[Niky]

I brought her in and gave her a warm bath to see if that might help. I was able to check her poop when she was in the bath and it seemed normal and gritty. She took a drink of the bath water and she nibbled on less than 1/2 a teaspoon of garlic potatoes (she really like those usually). What kind of vitamins do you recommend? Do I just pick them up at the feedstore? Also, how do you force feed a chicken? With a dropper?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Niky]

I don't really have an option for her staying in all night (no garage) and I have small kids, so if she is contagious sick I don't want to risk it on the family...

 

[nurse_turtle]

Unless you are familiar with syringe feeding a chicken, the trachea and be easily confused with the esophagus and lead to drowning and death. I have a Showgirl who was staying in the coop during the day and just not acting right. I flipped her over the check the base of her feather around the vent, I was totally grossed out to see LICE and egg clusters, which means ALL the chickens have them. I will treated her with Sevin spray and she was out free ranging with her friends the next day. I have lots more to do with the treatment but it's easier to fight it once you know what you're fighting. If your bird is free of lice and mites, I would worm her.