Please help! Sick hen

[bgtmfsher77]

Hey everyone. I desperately need some help. This is mine and my wife's first go around with chickens so everything that happens is a learning curve for us. I have been able to find answers to everything so far from past threads on here but this one is kicking our butts. Approx 4-5 days ago I noticed one of the hens wasn't out with the others, I found her in one of the nesting boxes panting heavily and she ended up staying there all night until the door opened the next morning. She then just stood outside in one place closing her eyes alot of the time. I immediately quarantined her. At first I thought maybe sour crop but she won't vomit when I message it and she continues to have a great appetite. My new guesses are either worms or coccidiosis but there hasn't been any blood. But again I have had chixkens for like 5 months.... She has been acting somewhat normal the last day or so but her poop is fairly alarming. I have been feeding her yogurt and moistened medicated chick feed which she gobbles up. The poop is VERY wet and the solid part looks like dark spaghetti. To me they don't look like worms but I'm just not sure. Please help as my wife is already very attached. Thank you for your time

Brandon

 

[Dani G]

give the hen some grit mixed in with her mash or pellets and give her pumkin or gord seeds. they are a natural wormer for chickens

 

[bgtmfsher77]

She has been freely eating grit the whole time. I will try te pumpkin seeds. But does it look like worms?

 

[bgtmfsher77]

If it was sour crop, would she be pooping at all?

 

[MrsBachbach]

Is she of an age to lay? I'm trying to figure out what that clear stuff is in the poop? Is that egg white? If she is laying, could she be egg bound or have a broken egg up in her? That's not good news if that is the problem. If she is egg bound (having trouble passing an egg) the remedy tried is usually sitting her in warm water for 15 or 20 minutes to relax her up I guess. The closed eyes are not a good sign. Usually means hen is in pain.

 

[bgtmfsher77]

She is of laying age and no lately she has stopped laying but so have the rest of my chickens

 

[bgtmfsher77]

The clear liquid seems more like water than egg white. It's very thin

 

[Mtn Laurel]

How hot is it where you are? My girls will drink huge amounts of water in the heat and their poo will look watery. You said she was panting, which could indicate heat stress.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Go with your gut feeling, it's probably a worm overload . Worms love hot wet conditions. Is she laying yet? Could just be getting ready to lay her first egg. Btw you won't always see blood with cocci.

 

[bgtmfsher77]

She was laying for around a year first. She stopped laying about 2 weeks ago when the rest did. It's been between 80-90 during the day. I felt around her vent/abdomin and didn't feel an egg but I'm sure u don't always. She's eating so normally and her poops are looking better but still pretty wet. I just don't know what to do

This is from this morning