My Hen isn't Doing Well?

[ChickenChatten]

She's not acting like herself at all. Usually when I enter the coop she gets as far away from me as possible and makes a huge racket, but lately she is letting me handle her an is quiet.

She's also falling asleep standing up, which I've never seen another chicken do before, and is very off-balance, she's unable to keep her balance well enough to roost and even walking is a challenge for her without stumbling.

I haven't noticed if she's eating well, staying hydrated, or laying, so today I brought her inside to monitor her more closely.

I've done a little bit of research and found a similar case on here from 2012, which I believe resulted in death with round worms.

I've never de-wormed my chickens before but they are only one year old. I've read about using apple cider vinegar to put in their water as a de-wormer but I know nothing about the amount or duration.

I'm definitely not sure that it even is worms, but I'm pretty inexperienced and have no idea what I should be doing to help her.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[dazookeyper]

the recommended amt. is 1 Tablespoon per gallon but I don't know if that is just preventative or will take care of an infestation. Good luck

 

[ChickenChatten]

Thank you! I think I'll give that a try for now and see if it helps at all

 

[ChickenChatten]

She doesn't seem to be eating or drinking anything. She's just kind of standing in the same spot in a daze. I gave her scramble eggs to see if she would be more inclined to eat them, but she isn't touching them either.

Any more ideas to what I can do?

 

[dazookeyper]

Try water with a syringe or dropper

 

[ChickenChatten]

Well she recently pooped!

It's regular color, but really runny, does this mean anything?

 

[seminolewind]

Apple cider vinegar is not a de wormer. Buy some Safeguard -it may be packaged for goats.

 

[ChickenChatten]

Apple cider vinegar is not a de wormer.  Buy some Safeguard -it may be packaged for goats.

Thank you! What is apple cider vinegar for then? Is it just preventation or does it have anything to do with worms?

 

[seminolewind]

Apple Cider Vinegar (unfiltered) is supposed to be great for digestion.

I do expect runny poo in the summer when they drink more. I try to base things on if there are 2 symptoms, like runny poo and not eating, or runny poo and looking sick. This works for me MOST of the time. Otherwise I'd be driving myself crazy things looking like an illness.

I'm a believer in modern medicine. For me, it takes a lot of guess work out of the problem. And my goal is keeping my chickens healthy, which may include having to use medicine.

If you treat either way, wait 10 days and take a stool sample to a vet. Worms in stool can be seen by a vet whether it's a dog, chicken, or any animal.

 

[ChickenChatten]

She really isn't doing well now. Her eyes are closed all of them time and she can't walk without stumbling. She keeps running into things. She's hunched up most of the time as well. Thank you for all of your input! Any other ideas as to what she might have?