My hen is waddling, pale comb, tail down, dirty bum. Help!

[diamondie]

Hello-

We have 4 chickens and one of them all of the sudden I noticed starting waddling, her comb is pale and flopped over and she has some loose stools. She is also waddling with her tail down. I checked the best I could and did not find any eggs stuck in her bum. I didn't see any obvious marks on the feet or broken bones. I just isolated her, mixed in some DE into her food and bought Wazine in the store. I added it to water with some minerals but I have yet to see her even try the water. I can't even seem to be able to give her 1/2 aspirin. She just won't eat it. What can it be and what can I do to help? I will not pay $$ for the vet, so trying to do my best with what I can. She has never been wormed. She's a RIR about 1 year old. Please help me.

 

[Hishigata]

Hello, I am sorry to hear your girl is ill. I think you have done the right thing in isolating her and giving her vitamin water.

I recommend the following to start:

- keep an eye on her stool, if most of her poop is watery with blood in it it could be internal parasites
- check her vent and bottom, clean off any stuck on poop or dirt and check for external parasites like fly larvae or mites
- if she continues to avoid water and still has diarrhea, you may need to give her water with a syringe to keep her hydrated (adding electrolytes will help)


Also check:

Does she still have an appetite? I scrambled eggs for my sick hens since it is a good source of vitamins and protein to give them resources to fight off an illness on their own.

Does she have difficulty breathing? Any rattling sounds or discharge from the nose or mouth?

Is your chicken coop or run open so the birds have contact with wild bird species? (wild birds can spread disease and parasites)

Are there any lesions or abnormal lumps or bumps on the comb, wattles, or skin?


The difficult thing with chickens is many diseases have similar symptoms so it can de difficult to pinpoint a single culprit when they are ill. It sounds like you are taking the right steps.

 

[diamondie]

Thank you. I am going crazy researching. Her poor is green and some frothiness. I also noticed when she bent over a cloudy liquid poured out of her beak. I am starting to lose hope.


Does she still have an appetite? pecks here and there but not the appetite that she used to have

Does she have difficulty breathing? no Any rattling sounds or discharge from the nose or mouth? no

Is your chicken coop or run open so the birds have contact with wild bird species? they are free to run but a relatively small area

Are there any lesions or abnormal lumps or bumps on the comb, wattles, or skin? no

 

[Hishigata]

How is your hen?

It sounds like parasites but could also be an infection. One of my girls had similar symptoms, green runny poop and a lethargic attitude. It turned out to be an infection which she successfully fought off on her own. Lots of water with electrolytes and frequent treats (scramled eggs, oatmeal, etc). It took a week but she got better and is back to being sassy and laying eggs.

Here is some info on what different types of poop mean: (lots of poop pictures for comparison)
www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/03/all-about-chicken-poop-brown-black-and.html


The liquid from the mouth could indicate digestive problems or a crop related issue. Does she have bad breath (a sour smell from her beak?).
It could be sour crop.

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/02/sour-crop.html

 

[diamondie]

Thank you so much for your response and caring. I am very sad to report that we ended up euthanizing her. I broke down and took her to the ER vet. They told me that it seemed like something chronic as she seemed thin in the breasts, full crop and a dropped wing (couldn't find anything broken). They told me I could try Meloxicam but really didn't have much hope, so I just put her out of her misery. Very sad and still upset that I don't know for sure what it was.

 

[Hishigata]

I am sorry to hear she did not make it. I know it is hard to loose a bird, especially when you put so much love and effort into trying to get her better. It sounds like you did everything you could to keep her comfortable and happy. She was a lucky hen to have such a caring owner.