Pullet rapidly deteriorating, drooping head, no poop over 24 hours, not eating and only dropper feeding

[knownothinghomesteader]

3 days ago noticed 7 month old was walking sluggishly and didn't come to me for treats. 2 days ago found her sitting isolated under coop when everyone else was foraging so isolated her in garage and began dropper feeding her Recover 911 in water with a little bokashi and tiny bit of wet chick starter and B complex (pellets seemed too large).

She had no poop for 24 hours then one solid yellow one (only poop in 48 hours plus).

Crop feels empty. She feels very bony so not sure how long she didn't eat or drink. Comb and wattle normal for her. She was about at the point she should have started laying but don't feel anything like an egg just bony.

She is rapidly deteriorating becoming more lethargic, head dropping, toes curling (was standing fine earlier and last night), even looks lopsided when sitting down.

We have no poultry vets here and have lost numerous chickens in 1.5 years of keeping chickens (last one maybe 5 months ago) so am wondering whether this could be a contagious coop/run issue.

Tried to get photo of eye, also can see ruffled feather last night, worsening ones are from now.

Thank you for reading!

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

Help please! 3 days ago noticed 7 month old (forget exactly, cross between White Marans and Ameraucana likely) was walking sluggishly and didn't come to me for treats. 2 days ago found her sitting isolated under coop when everyone else was foraging so isolated her in garage and began dropper feeding her Recover 911 in water with a little bokashi and tiny bit of wet chick starter and B complex (pellets seemed too large).

She had no poop for 24 hours then one solid yellow one yesterday and nothing since (only poop in 48 hours plus).

Crop feels empty. She feels very bony so not sure how long she didn't eat or drink. Comb and wattle normal for her. She is about at the point she should have started laying

but I don't feel anything like she is egg bound, just bony.

She is rapidly deteriorating becoming more lethargic, head dropping, toes curling (was standing fine earlier and last night), even looks lopsided when sitting down.

We have no poultry vets here and have lost numerous chickens in 1.5 years of keeping chickens with similar rapid deterioration but no obvious symptoms like gaping or injury (last one died approx 7 months ago) so am wondering whether this could be a contagious coop/run issue.

Thank you for reading!

 

[Ponypoor]

Help please! 3 days ago noticed 7 month old (forget exactly, cross between White Marans and Ameraucana likely) was walking sluggishly and didn't come to me for treats. 2 days ago found her sitting isolated under coop when everyone else was foraging so isolated her in garage and began dropper feeding her Recover 911 in water with a little bokashi and tiny bit of wet chick starter and B complex (pellets seemed too large).

She had no poop for 24 hours then one solid yellow one yesterday and nothing since (only poop in 48 hours plus).

Crop feels empty. She feels very bony so not sure how long she didn't eat or drink. Comb and wattle normal for her. She is about at the point she should have started laying View attachment 4258204but I don't feel anything like she is egg bound, just bony.

She is rapidly deteriorating becoming more lethargic, head dropping, toes curling (was standing fine earlier and last night), even looks lopsided when sitting down.

We have no poultry vets here and have lost numerous chickens in 1.5 years of keeping chickens with similar rapid deterioration but no obvious symptoms like gaping or injury (last one died approx 7 months ago) so am wondering whether this could be a contagious coop/run issue.

View attachment 4258205

Thank you for reading!

If this where my chook I would tube feed her fluids. But if you cannot get access to a gastric tube and syringe that’s no use to you.

If you can get samples of poop to the vet I would do a test for worms, they can cause huge problems. If your bird passes you could send it for a necropsy to see what’s going on.

There is a lab in Texas that does this (can’t remember name).

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

If this where my chook I would tube feed her fluids. But if you cannot get access to a gastric tube and syringe that’s no use to you.

If you can get samples of poop to the vet I would do a test for worms, they can cause huge problems. If your bird passes you could send it for a necropsy to see what’s going on.

There is a lab in Texas that does this (can’t remember name).

Thank you. Nowhere to get those. She is taking fluids via dropper pretty much hourly. But worsening. I will look into necropsy, don't have it on-island where we are.

 

[Themellowyellows]

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@azygous

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you. Nowhere to get those. She is taking fluids via dropper pretty much hourly. But worsening. I will look into necropsy, don't have it on-island where we are.

Most veterinary university will do necropsy- I have sent foals for necropsy at the vet university here.

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you. Nowhere to get those. She is taking fluids via dropper pretty much hourly. But worsening. I will look into necropsy, don't have it on-island where we are.

If you are in the US you can these online. Someone likely has a link they can share with you.

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

She had a poop! First in 24 hours. The one from yesterday doesn't have the green. Head is less droopy now, hoping it stays so! Improvement? Maybe the poop will tell you something...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She had no poop for 24 hours then one solid yellow one yesterday and nothing since

She is about at the point she should have started laying

I'm sorry she's not doing well, but it does sound like she's improving slightly.

I'd continue to give her fluids like you are doing.

She's at or close to point of lay, if she were mine, I'd give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for 5 days. See if she expels an egg, material or lash material.

What do you feed, including treats?

Are you in the U.S.? If so, what state?

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

I'm sorry she's not doing well, but it does sound like she's improving slightly.

I'd continue to give her fluids like you are doing.

She's at or close to point of lay, if she were mine, I'd give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for 5 days. See if she expels an egg, material or lash material.

What do you feed, including treats?

Are you in the U.S.? If so, what state?

Thank you! Will find calcium!

She is on organic layer feed, periodic oyster shells, forage in the run, and we periodically throw in kitchen scraps including cruahed egg shells and worms and the like. I threw in some cucumbers with pickleworms that she wasnt interested in but everyone else loved, which is what tipped me off. In Hawai'i!