One chicken girl is sick!

[Baobeimom]

We have 10 leghorn chicken girls and they are 6 months old. This morning I found one girl looks like sick: she is not as active as others for eating, comb dropping down, lays down a lot. I fed her some crashed garlic. Just don't know what to do. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with her? Thanks a lot!

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they new to you, or have you added another chicken recently where they may have been exposed to coccidiosis? That is treated with Corid powder or liquid in the water for 5-7 days. Check her for mites and lice, and consider worming them if they haven't been wormed. Are her legs working okay, or is she weak? Is she puffing up or huddled?

 

[Baobeimom]

We have them since last September. I checked,didn't see any lice or mite. She is moving around, but obviously weak.

 

[JeanR]

Just do not doctor with drugs or remedies without diagnosis. Can do far more harm and not helpful. One bird ill without any others affected means: separate her with feed and water available, and unlikely others are going to be sick when they have been a healthy flock. Things happen to systems, and more often just one bird is involved. But DO watch for symptoms in your others--

Are your girls laying? Sometimes a soft shelled egg will cause misery, until it is passed along (a rubbery "shell") And it may take several days, then if you find it, (usually the contents are eaten by other pullets, but the rubbery "shell" will be found--under the roost or on the floor of your coop). Often the pullet will walk, Penguin-like while trying to pass a shoft shell egg, but not always. If thisis her problem, and she passes the egg, then she will feel just fine until the next one, if also without a hard shell.

Are you feeding Oyster Shell, free choice (don't mix it with their feed) and Grit, also free choice, for good gizzard griding of grain and other hard feeds?

Both young birds and old ones are the ones likely to have Soft Shell problems.
\
Not coccidiosis--would be more than one bird affected--blood in poop--and while we do not know where you live, out on fresh green grass is where the cocci would be available. (I feed Medicated.Starter feed to my chicks--a light dose of Amprolium that will develop immunity to cocci over a period of a month or 2 , and is not a "medication" that can affect eggs or Organic preference.
One bird not in good shape, means separate her until diagnosed--then there may be treatment? A "sick" bird should not be wormed (and all birds would show symptoms, if worms are a problem). And wrong medication can be miserable for the pullet and even cause death.

If you can describe more symptoms, it might be helpful. Droppings? color and texture? Good luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

Coccidiosis has at least 9 strains (some say 11) and only 2 strains cause bloody stools. Diarrhea can be a sign of coccidiosis. Chicks between the age of 11 and 20 weeks usually develop immunity to cocci on their property, but if the chicken moves to new ground, a new bird is brought in, or a new strain gets tracked in on tires or shoes, older birds can be affected.

I also would check her for being egg bound. You can insert a lubricated gloved finger into the vent 2 inches to check for an egg stuck. Only if an egg is found, give a dose of calcium (Tums or calcium tablet) and soak in a warm bath for 30 minutes to relax the muscles into passing an egg.

 

[Baobeimom]

this is our first flock and they haven't been moved or any new chickens brought in. I just noticed that the poop was liquid/green. We have had rubbery shell eggs in the past but none lately.

 

[Eggcessive]

Green poop can be a sign of not eating since it is mostly bile. I would check her crop for impaction (full and hard,) but there can also be obstruction lower down in the GI tract or gizzard. Try to feed her some scrambled chopped egg just to see if she will eat. I hope you can figure out what this is, and that she gets better soon.

 

[Baobeimom]

Thanks for all the information!

I have been doing force feeding for the past 3 days: porridge mixed with egg and water, 3 times a day.

She looks still weak, most time just stands inside the chicken run, crumb drops, doesn't show sign of eating herself. has been passing poop like green egg white.

Still cross fingers for her recovery!

 

[Baobeimom]

Today when I checked the chicken girl who has been sick, I found she had a nearly normal poop!

I think she is in the process of recovery.

Thanks for all your help!