Please advise what further treatments

[Missdeetx]

Good morning Everyone! My RR has dropped serious weight, pale droopy comb and I have tried pour on Iverm, spray on mite, salt bath, DM, deworm and corid. She hardly eats and I am giving probiotics, carrots, etc. Her condition has been going on for a while now. Also, can I trim off those cakey feathers or will that cause harm?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

See if she will eat if you wet her food so it has a gruel or oatmeal consistency, and cut out all other treats and extras.

 

[Missdeetx]

See if she will eat if you wet her food so it has a gruel or oatmeal consistency, and cut out all other treats and extras.

I will try right now!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes you can trim the sticky feathers. How old is the bird? How long has this been going on? When did she last lay an egg? When you say salt bath, do you mean regular salt or Epsom salts? What is her regular feed? Do you provide oyster shells and grit?

 

[Missdeetx]

She is about 2.5-3 yrs old. This seems to have started about 2-3 months ago (that I noticed it). She and my other RR have not laid since they molted several months ago. A few weeks ago I did Epsom salt and fed raw egg with meal worms and poultry cell. I did iver, then next did corid followed by poultry cell & nutridench. She picks a little bit of food here and there but not muc and is very thin. Thank you for letting me know I can cut those feathers off.

 

[Missdeetx]

She is about 2.5-3 yrs old. This seems to have started about 2-3 months ago (that I noticed it). She and my other RR have not laid since they molted several months ago. A few weeks ago I did Epsom salt and fed raw egg with meal worms and poultry cell. I did iver, then next did corid followed by poultry cell & nutridench. She picks a little bit of food here and there but not muc and is very thin. Thank you for letting me know I can cut those feathers off. Feed is a variety of crumbs, black seed, pellets, and a bit of scratch. Also been adding carrot, garlic and red pepper flake along with dried oregan, parsley. She picks a carrot or two… but then walks away.

 

[Jesse Lee Turner]

Your RR hen is in crisis. Putting it all together, (this from my own archives on file)

1. Bright green bile = advanced anorexia, (that is to say not eating normally), possibly liver strain or bile reflux from not eating. Probably not eating for some time because she is passing bile bright green that has not been acted on by gizzard. 2. Weight loss & pale comb, severe anemia, maybe from internal parasites, infection, or some degree of organ stress, calcium dumping or no calcium eaten. 3. Droopy, weak, not eating, systemic infection.

You need to do some triage fast. Try to diagnose, then support, then treat. You've done a lot already, but some of it may be too gentle or misfired for the stage she's got herself in.

Diagnosis?

In this state she's in, we can’t waste time, here’s what it might be:

Worm overload not cleared by ivermectin (resistant strains like Capillaria or Heterakis possible)

Histomoniasis/Blackhead (especially since green poop, from liver stress)

Coccidiosis (you used Corid, but was it dosed right? Needs full-strength course)

---

Do-NOW Action Plan (Stabilize, THEN treat)​

1. Stabilize Her Metabolism. Here we start saving her life:

Fluids: Syringe electrolyte water, small sips every 30–60 min. If not self-drinking then eyedrop or syringe dosing. Add electrolytes and energy:

-1 pinch baking soda
-1 pinch salt
-1 tsp molasses or sugar or honey

Optional: 1 drop polyvisol (no iron) or baby B-complex

Keep Warm, if not warm enough: 85–90°F brooder-like space minimum. Cold stress = higher risk of mortality.

Stimulate Appetite Gently:

*Dilute cooked egg yolk in water or electrolyte water
*Gerber chicken baby food (syringe if necessary)
*Sprinkle with Nutri-Drench or similar metabolic support

You can Shave, wash with epsom salt soak or trim caked feathers, but not too deep cuz it will cause bleed. Trim carefully. Do not pull them. Go easy. Use blunt-tip scissors, and only cut the crusty tips. Soak any hard masses first in warm water + mild soap (dish soap could cause more irritation, but if dilute will be ok for now-or Epsom salt). Be VERY gentle around vent, looks it may be inflamed or infected.

Worms: ​

Ivermectin won’t clear many intestinal worms. Use Fenbendazole (SafeGuard 10%):

*Dose: 0.23 mL per pound orally for 5 days
*Repeat after 10 days
*Make sure she drinks since dehydration + deworming can cause lots of problems even, I'm sorry to say, death.

If You Suspect Coccidiosis:​

Corid (amprolium) dosage for treatment.

*2 tsp per gallon of water for 5–7 days
*No vitamins during treatment—Corid blocks thiamine pathways.
* BUT after treatment, resume B1-rich support.

---

Check on These Signals​

*More yellow/green poop = liver or bile congestion
*Black, tarry poop = internal bleeding
*Sweet or foul breath = systemic infection
*Crop not emptying = sour crop (needs antifungal support)

 

[Missdeetx]

See if she will eat if you wet her food so it has a gruel or oatmeal consistency, and cut out all other treats and extras.

Thank you! She ate about a tablespoon of wet food! That’s more than she’s eaten in quite awhile!!

 

[Missdeetx]

Your RR hen is in crisis. Putting it all together, (this from my own archives on file)

1. Bright green bile = advanced anorexia, (that is to say not eating normally), possibly liver strain or bile reflux from not eating. Probably not eating for some time because she is passing bile bright green that has not been acted on by gizzard. 2. Weight loss & pale comb, severe anemia, maybe from internal parasites, infection, or some degree of organ stress, calcium dumping or no calcium eaten. 3. Droopy, weak, not eating, systemic infection.

You need to do some triage fast. Try to diagnose, then support, then treat. You've done a lot already, but some of it may be too gentle or misfired for the stage she's got herself in.

Diagnosis?

In this state she's in, we can’t waste time, here’s what it might be:

Worm overload not cleared by ivermectin (resistant strains like Capillaria or Heterakis possible)

Histomoniasis/Blackhead (especially since green poop, from liver stress)

Coccidiosis (you used Corid, but was it dosed right? Needs full-strength course)

---

Do-NOW Action Plan (Stabilize, THEN treat)​

1. Stabilize Her Metabolism. Here we start saving her life:

Fluids: Syringe electrolyte water, small sips every 30–60 min. If not self-drinking then eyedrop or syringe dosing. Add electrolytes and energy:

-1 pinch baking soda
-1 pinch salt
-1 tsp molasses or sugar or honey

Optional: 1 drop polyvisol (no iron) or baby B-complex

Keep Warm, if not warm enough: 85–90°F brooder-like space minimum. Cold stress = higher risk of mortality.

Stimulate Appetite Gently:

*Dilute cooked egg yolk in water or electrolyte water
*Gerber chicken baby food (syringe if necessary)
*Sprinkle with Nutri-Drench or similar metabolic support

You can Shave, wash with epsom salt soak or trim caked feathers, but not too deep cuz it will cause bleed. Trim carefully. Do not pull them. Go easy. Use blunt-tip scissors, and only cut the crusty tips. Soak any hard masses first in warm water + mild soap (dish soap could cause more irritation, but if dilute will be ok for now-or Epsom salt). Be VERY gentle around vent, looks it may be inflamed or infected.

​

Worms: ​

Ivermectin won’t clear many intestinal worms. Use Fenbendazole (SafeGuard 10%):

*Dose: 0.23 mL per pound orally for 5 days
*Repeat after 10 days
*Make sure she drinks since dehydration + deworming can cause lots of problems even, I'm sorry to say, death.

If You Suspect Coccidiosis:​

Corid (amprolium) dosage for treatment.

*2 tsp per gallon of water for 5–7 days
*No vitamins during treatment—Corid blocks thiamine pathways.
* BUT after treatment, resume B1-rich support.

---

Check on These Signals​

*More yellow/green poop = liver or bile congestion
*Black, tarry poop = internal bleeding
*Sweet or foul breath = systemic infection
*Crop not emptying = sour crop (needs antifungal support)

Omg! Thank you!!! I am on it now!!! I soooo appreciate this information!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Is her lower belly enlarged compared to your other hens? Conditions that may cause that are water belly/ascites or internal laying/salpingitis. I would soak her in some warm soapy water just on her vent and legs to get the droppings off. If she seems too weak, do not do that but instead try to wash her off with a soapy rag. Her feathers down there look like they have been broken off. Is she being feather picked? How does her crop feel? Is it emptying by morning? Feel it before she eats or drinks in early morning and let us know how it feels. Offer some wet feed, scrambled egg, or tuna and water several times throughout the day.