Please Help

[Kiki]

Sorry Kiki, we will just have to disagree.
I just have never had it happen in all my life. Once they build up an immunity to the "parasites" they are ok, unless they have a challenged immunal system. We have never had an adult cow or pig come down with it again.
As babies, they are extremely vulnerable to these nasty bugs.
The cocci are always in the soil, and if they did not build up an immunity to these bugs, then ALL birds and animals would continually be ill from these bugs.
As they grow and build up immunity, the bugs are all still there, still in their gut, cows, pigs, birds, all still there, their guts full of the bugs. but the bugs can no longer harm them as their immunity has been built.
Calves and pigs are extremely susceptible to cocci also.
If it were me, I'd worm her well, repeat in 10 days.
In fact, the whole flock should be wormed.
I worm all my birds in spring and in fall. I also use different kinds of wormer, rather than have the nasty bugs build up an immunity to the wormer used. We feed pumpkins to our farm animals and birds, and that alone has shown dead worms on the poop trays in the morning. Pumpkin seeds ! Blew my mind ! But they work !

The only other time I have seen blue combs, is with MG, where the bird just isn't getting enough Oxygen, which is called Cyanosis.
Low red blood cells, Low functioning air sac (or infected), or a bad heart, can cause this.

I have run into plenty of people right here on BYC with adult birds that have been diagnosed with Coccidiosis as adults and been very ill.

 

[Chickielady]

I have run into plenty of people right here on BYC with adult birds that have been diagnosed with Coccidiosis as adults and been very ill.

I already said we would have to agree to disagree.

 

[Kiki]

I agreed to disagree.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have to disagree.
Adult birds can get ill from Coccidiosis just as easily as chicks.
I must add that feeding medicated feed will not cure an ill bird with Coccidiosis either.

Agreed, Kiki. You are correct on this. I've never had to treat for coccidiosis in either chicks or adult birds. And I've never used medicated feed. But, adult birds can and do get coccidiosis. Usually, it's a secondary infection b/c their immune system has been beat down by some other illness/ailment. And coccidiosis does not always present with bloody diarrhea.

The bird that OP is showing appears to be anemic to me. The dark tips on her comb do not look like cyanosis. If she were cyanotic, I think her whole comb would be darkened. I'm not saying that she does not have a respiratory or cardiac issue going on. Just saying that I don't see it in the photo shown. Treating her for coccidiosis would be one way to go. If she responds, then it's evident that the call was right. She may have a foreign body which is causing internal bleeding, she may have a gut load of round worms, or it could be something entirely different.

 

[Chickielady]

Agreed, Kiki. You are correct on this. I've never had to treat for coccidiosis in either chicks or adult birds. And I've never used medicated feed. But, adult birds can and do get coccidiosis. Usually, it's a secondary infection b/c their immune system has been beat down by some other illness/ailment. And coccidiosis does not always present with bloody diarrhea.

The bird that OP is showing appears to be anemic to me. The dark tips on her comb do not look like cyanosis. If she were cyanotic, I think her whole comb would be darkened. I'm not saying that she does not have a respiratory or cardiac issue going on. Just saying that I don't see it in the photo shown. Treating her for coccidiosis would be one way to go. If she responds, then it's evident that the call was right. She may have a foreign body which is causing internal bleeding, she may have a gut load of round worms, or it could be something entirely different.

Exactly what I said ! If this bird has had her immunal system compromised (for whatever reason) than she could become ill with cocci, and she should have bloody poo. The fact that this bird has an empty crop is another issue...........that I cannot figure out. I think the best thing to do is sneek into the coop at night (red flashlight is good) and listen to her breathe, or isolate her & listen to her breathe, her air sac could be compromised, and you may hear wheezing or gurgling, and that can produce blue comb tips.
I have had an entire hatch of (shipped eggs)BCMs develope MG at about 6 months of age, which I have heard is normal, and yes, they had blue comb tips, which got worse until the comb was blue. The amount of "blue-nis is dependent on the extent of the infection, just like pnuemonia in we humans. A heart condition is rare in birds, but can happen with a heavy parasite load.
Cyanosis can present itself a little at a time. The entire comb does not have to be blue until the bird is" drowning" from MG or other air sacculitis disease.
Worming the entire flock is what I'd do, and treating with Corid (Amprolium) is not going to hurt anything. Medicated chick feed is not only medicated (with Amprolium), but is of higher protein (in most cases) and it can help.

 

[Lesvan]

Food grade DE is worthless.
Did you see these questions:

Yes. Crop feels soft and normal sized. Her usual feed is laying pellets, some black oil sunflower seeds occasionally, and scratch feed at night. Sometimes mealworms and dried crickets only twice but last time about two weeks ago. Tummy is soft but she's very thin. Her poop yesterday was gray and white formed. Today I found no blood or diarrhea in the coop or run but saw black poop today. Shes been sick for about a week and she's getting worse.

 

[Lesvan]

Blue tips on her comb have my interest, as it may be low iron in her blood, and that can be from parasites.
Same as for having little weight on her.
Worms can eat all the food she eats.
I agree she should be wormed, and if possible isolate her and give her either medicated chick feed, or grower starter & Corid in her water.
Do not give her Corid in the water AND medicated feed, or you will over medicate.

It is alot easier/cheaper to feed to cure any cocci, than it is to get a fecal test done.
That said, adult chickens are basically grown immune to cocci in the soil. As chicks, they have no immunity built up to these pests, but as adults they should. Most all birds have cocci in their intestinal tracts due to this immunal build up.
The cocci are there, but can no longer harm the adult bird, or animal.
I have been told that most all will test positive for having it in their systems. It is in the soil, they are going to get it and must build up the immunity, as do cattle, sheep, horses and pigs, they all can get scours as babies.
Still, feeding medicated chick feed to her for a while would not hurt.
And worm her, I use Eprinex. what ever you use, it should improve her Oxygen levels and her comb should turn back red.
hope this helps !

She will NOT eat or drink now. Any suggestions?

 

[Lesvan]

Shes not eating or drinking. I brought her inside and she is on a table in a dog crate. She feels safe and is lying down. I felt I had to bring her in because the other three were picking on her.

 

[Chickielady]

Here is an article on Cocci

https://www.backyardchickencoops.co...ickens-prevention-symptoms-and-treatment-tips
In the mean time, do worm all your birds, worming the one sick hen will not do.
In the case of ascarids, worm them again in 10 days.
I can think of nothing else (as she has no air sacculitis issues) more important than worming, but it still would not hurt to give Corid in their water.
Best of luck !

 

[Chickielady]

She will NOT eat or drink now. Any suggestions?

I use Eperinex to worm my birds, which is a topical solution you drop behind their neck (on the skin) like you do with dog heart worm solution. It is absorbed and kills worms.
If she is not eating or drinking, there may be no other way to treat her, which is often the case with chickens.
In that case I would do meds down her throat, but this is extremely risky for the newby as the lung opening is right there and you can easily kill the bird while you try to save it.