Molting, Losing Weight, Lethargic *pic*

[Eggcessive]

The Valbazen if you can find it would be better while she is molting. SafeGuard has been reported to sometimes affect the feathers when given during a molt, although I have never seen this in my flock.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I had to order it online because both the stores I frequent were completely out!

However, she seems to be responding to some TLC. Her crop was empty this morning, so I gave her some mash of pellets and water with some soldier fly larvae, cleaned her up, and put her back with the flock this morning so she could get some sun and fresh greens, and so she wouldn't lose her place in the pecking order. She perked up a bunch and was foraging well. Her crop was nice and full tonight.

I brought her in again tonight just so I can keep an eye on her and feed her again in the morning. I think I'll give her a little bit of tuna with her pellet mash. The Valbazen should arrive tomorrow.

Tonight, I cleaned everything thoroughly and replaced all the bedding in the coop and substrate in the run. I replaced the run substrate with wood chips left over from the "fire proofing" we had done on our property last week. Smells soooooo good and clean...

So far so good! I'm wondering now if she just wasn't eating because of her molt. Idk. I wish I could just ask her and get an answer.

 

[BugStalker]

If you have a microscope somewhere around 80x, (I've heard 60x-100x,) you can do a smear without needing to float. Just put a drop of water on a slide, smear in a bit of sample dropping, adding a cover slip helps, compare what you see under the microscope with charts.

It isn't an accurate count. You can confirm they have parasites this way, but not that they don't.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Continued good luck with her! Two of our 8-month olds are molting, an LF Brahma and Black Langshan. They've paired up and nap together most of the day. The Brahma's worse off. Her comb is pale, she stopped laying a few weeks ago, and she looks pitiful but feels nice and heavy.

In contrast, one of the non-molting Langshans didn't come off the roost Monday. Sometimes our birds sleep in, and it was the first morning under freezing, so I didn't worry until she was still there an hour later, eyes closed, above some yellow diarrhea.

TLDR is the vet confirmed roundworms in our case. Long version below.

When I checked her over that morning, she woke up and ran off to eat a little, but then stood still and closed her eyes again. I brought her to the house to warm her up and see if she was eggbound – she was penguin hunched like she was straining – but felt no egg, so I took poop to the vet. They said roundworms.

The flock was treated for roundworms 3 months ago, after I brought another weird poop to the vet to make sure they didn't have cocci. I didn't think one would get so sick after a "recent" worming, not to mention the deep cleans of their coops and yard. Rookie mistake. We're in the woods, and there's a ton of wildlife wandering by to spread issues, sigh.

Basically, the worms probably blocked our lady's intestines and just about shut down her organs before she showed signs. I'm with the flock all the time, clean coops daily, and saw no strange behavior or weird droppings the day before.

Again, she had closed eyes and diarrhea, different than your situation, but I'd get a fecal float at the vet to know if you a) need to worm and b) what to worm for. Worming medication is hard on them, especially during molt. Plus, bummer to have to throw away eggs (if they're laying, that is) while you treat for something they may not have.

12 hours after starting Panacur in her water, our pullet's eyes started to stay open, and she became more interested in life. 24 hours after, her poops firmed up but are still yellow. She has a lot more energy and is eating with gusto this morning. It's good luck that one of her favorite things in the whole world is mash because it's easy on the system. I'm not sure she's out of the woods, and she seems happy in the house right now, so she can be my coworker until she's herself again.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Continued good luck with her! Two of our 8-month olds are molting, an LF Brahma and Black Langshan. They've paired up and nap together most of the day. The Brahma's worse off. Her comb is pale, she stopped laying a few weeks ago, and she looks pitiful but feels nice and heavy.

In contrast, one of the non-molting Langshans didn't come off the roost Monday. Sometimes our birds sleep in, and it was the first morning under freezing, so I didn't worry until she was still there an hour later, eyes closed, above some yellow diarrhea.

TLDR is the vet confirmed roundworms in our case. Long version below.

When I checked her over that morning, she woke up and ran off to eat a little, but then stood still and closed her eyes again. I brought her to the house to warm her up and see if she was eggbound – she was penguin hunched like she was straining – but felt no egg, so I took poop to the vet. They said roundworms.

The flock was treated for roundworms 3 months ago, after I brought another weird poop to the vet to make sure they didn't have cocci. I didn't think one would get so sick after a "recent" worming, not to mention the deep cleans of their coops and yard. Rookie mistake. We're in the woods, and there's a ton of wildlife wandering by to spread issues, sigh.

Basically, the worms probably blocked our lady's intestines and just about shut down her organs before she showed signs. I'm with the flock all the time, clean coops daily, and saw no strange behavior or weird droppings the day before.

Again, she had closed eyes and diarrhea, different than your situation, but I'd get a fecal float at the vet to know if you a) need to worm and b) what to worm for. Worming medication is hard on them, especially during molt. Plus, bummer to have to throw away eggs (if they're laying, that is) while you treat for something they may not have.

12 hours after starting Panacur in her water, our pullet's eyes started to stay open, and she became more interested in life. 24 hours after, her poops firmed up but are still yellow. She has a lot more energy and is eating with gusto this morning. It's good luck that one of her favorite things in the whole world is mash because it's easy on the system. I'm not sure she's out of the woods, and she seems happy in the house right now, so she can be my coworker until she's herself again.

Good luck with your girl. I just happen to gave a fecal kit in my chicken first aid supplies. I have lots of her poop from keeping her in the crate. I can send it in tomorrow. Good idea.

 

[BugStalker]

Try to gather from the most recent droppings. It's harder to get results from older ones. I'm glad you're getting the test done.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I second the point about gathering the most recent droppings, even if you're not 100% on which chicken they come from. Even symptomless birds can have a big worm count. Probably try to find the most messed up looking poop you can, though.

Our Frida B. will be headed to the chicken yard shortly. She's eating, drinking, and pooping well, and this morning started to squawk when she hears the roosters through the window. I'll bring her back in if she seems tired, but she appears to be on the rebound. She was with the flock for an hour yesterday and purred and scratched the whole time with her tail all the way up (Black Langshans pop that U shape when they're happy). Hope your girls are feeling better from the molt and any other excitement!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I second the point about gathering the most recent droppings, even if you're not 100% on which chicken they come from. Even symptomless birds can have a big worm count. Probably try to find the most messed up looking poop you can, though.

Our Frida B. will be headed to the chicken yard shortly. She's eating, drinking, and pooping well, and this morning started to squawk when she hears the roosters through the window. I'll bring her back in if she seems tired, but she appears to be on the rebound. She was with the flock for an hour yesterday and purred and scratched the whole time with her tail all the way up (Black Langshans pop that U shape when they're happy). Hope your girls are feeling better from the molt and any other excitement!

I was able to get fresh poop after keeping her in a dog crate the house last night. I sent it off this afternoon.

She's back with the flock tonight. Her crop was empty this morning and full-ish tonight. I'm feeling hopeful!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just can't figure out this hen. She seemed to be doing ok the first day/night I put her outside. Tonight, her crop is empty at bedtime. I watched her for an hour or so today. She was drinking ok, but didn't seem too interested in food, and when I let them out to forage, she stayed behind. Her dang chest is concave. I can feel every rib. She's a virtual skeleton with feathers.

On the plus side, her feathers look great. They are coming in nicely. Her eyes look good as do her feet and legs.

I may bring her in yet again just to get her to eat. Goodness. She's becoming a house pet.

 

[BugStalker]

I might give vitamins, and maybe try egg or yogurt, though mine wouldn't eat it at that point. When I found something they would eat, they often went off it the next day and I had to find something else. Applesauce, aloe, a few small tender plants, wet mash, dry pellets, dry crumble... they always liked soldier fly larvae. Sometimes they ate grit, which seemed to help. They usually drank water, but sometimes only out of certain containers.