My very first chicken is sick, what should I do?

[urban dreamer]

Eva was one of my very first chickens. She has brought me much joy. I have been through alot with this chicken. Soon after I got her, she bummed her leg and had to be put on medication for a month. A few months ago, she and Zoii had to be wormed. I noticed today she wasn't being her bossy self. She had green poo caked down her fluffy feathers and was acting sluggish. She seems tired. I offered some food to them and all the other chickens went nuts. She is usually first in line. She barely pecked at it. None of my chickens let me pick them up or cuddle with them, but Eva just kinda stood there while I picked her up and examined her. She wasn't pleased about me cleaning her backside but still didn't put up a fight. What do you think could be wrong with Eva? She is a two year old barred rock. The other three hens she lives with seem fine.

 

[easttxchick]

Could she be eggbound?

 

[urban dreamer]

How can you check? She hasn't laid anything since I got her back on August 29th. She laid once, about a week after I got them but that was the day she bummed her leg and we had to put her on medication. Zoii started that day too and didn't miss a beat. She hasn't laid since. She and Zoii went through a very slow molt but Zoii has been going head strong (egg laying) for the last two weeks. Zoii also laid all the way till mid November when they started to molt. Zoii and Eva are sisters. Im worried about her. In a way, she is my fav. chicken because I have put so much time and energy into keeping her healthy.

 

[easttxchick]

Feel her abdomen to see if she is eggbound. Hopefully she doesn't have a broken egg inside and developing paratinitis(sp).
I wish I could help you-I feel pretty helpless.

 

[urban dreamer]

I felt her belly, but didn't feel anything. Then again, Im not really sure what to feel for other than something hard like an egg. I coated her vent with lube and gave her a warm bath to see if that would help if she dose have an egg up there. She liked the water and didn't thrash around like I thought she would. I got her to eat some yogurt too. Hopefully the warm water relaxed her and it gave me a chance to get the caked on poo off of her. We put her back out in the coop after she was clean and dry. I though she would throw a fit being carried around the house, but she was quiet and just sat there when we were bathing her and drying her off. My DH keeps saying mabey she is haveing an off day and will be just fine. I don't want to take any chances. Thanks for your help. Does anyone eles have any ideas?

 

[urban dreamer]

I took Eva to the vet today. She isn't egg bound but her outlook dosen't look good. She's got fluid built up in her belly and the vet said that that was a sign of heart or liver problems. The best thing I can do is put her back out with the other chickens and left her go.

 

[easttxchick]

Oh gee, I'm so sorry for you. Good for you for going the extra mile to take her to a vet. You're a great chicken keeper.