Please help, my chicken has been acting strange lately. Coccidiosis/mites or lice? What does she have and what can I do.

[Quinn Kiriluk]

On Christmas Eve, we found that our favorite chicken, Ferdinand, an almost 5 year old Jersey giant hen wasn’t doing to well. We brought her into our garage. Most of the day she’ll stand balled up with ruffled feathers and closed eyes. We can get her to drink a bit of water if we guide her head to the bowl. We offered her scrambled eggs which she barely ate so she hasn’t eaten much. She also is always scratching and itching herself, mite/lice? If anyone knows what it is or what we should do please let us know. Thank you so much.

in our garage

 

[nuthatched]

Check her skin for anything.
What's her age and diet?

 

[Quinn Kiriluk]

She’s about 4 years and nine months. We checked her skin and didn’t seem to find anything. She eats pellets scratch, and our dinner scraps.

 

[nuthatched]

She’s about 4 years and nine months. We checked her skin and didn’t seem to find anything. She eats pellets scratch, and our dinner scraps.

Has she laid recently? She could be struggling with an egg, especially given her age and if she gets too much scratch and scraps. Do you have any calcium tablet?

 

[Quinn Kiriluk]

No she hasn’t laid in a while. Normally none of our hens during the winter. We have her on coccidiosis medication right now. Got her some molasses drops which she drank. I’ll look into an egg problem though. Thanks!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

On Christmas Eve, we found that our favorite chicken, Ferdinand, an almost 5 year old Jersey giant hen wasn’t doing to well. We brought her into our garage. Most of the day she’ll stand balled up with ruffled feathers and closed eyes. We can get her to drink a bit of water if we guide her head to the bowl. We offered her scrambled eggs which she barely ate so she hasn’t eaten much. She also is always scratching and itching herself, mite/lice?

Welcome To BYC

Can you post some photos of Ferdinand and her poop?

She's scratching at herself a lot, it may be mites or lice. Looks through her feathers around the vent, under the wings, etc. for any signs of bugs. Go out after dark and take a white paper towel, rub it along the roosting bars, see if you get any bugs or reddish smears on the towel, this would indicate mites in the coop.

I'd work on hydration. I assume you are giving Corid (Amprolium), it won't hurt her even if Coccidiosis is not the problem.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/