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

[Wyorp Rock]

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!

Diet sounds pretty good. I'd see if she improves with the Calcium.

Keep us posted.

 

[Ponypoor]

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...

Did you inspect the poops to see what was in them? Maybe she ate something she is having a hard time passing. I recently had to do crop surgery on my young hen, her crop was packed with grassy hay, green grass and grain. The grass and hay was all tangled together in her crop, I had a devil of a time clearing it out. I was worried it had left it too long she had lost way too much weight.

As another suggested, I would continue with the fluids, see if she will eat some scrambled eggs.

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

Today she isn't head drooping, still not feeding without dropper, had another poop (green liquid and large white harder urate), but is hanging in there! I can't feel anything in the crop and certainly couldn't do crop surgery, yikes!

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

She is still hanging in but no better, still dropper feeding, added calcium and tried scrambled egg and yogurt and wet feed (with vitamins and drops of ACV) but will only.take through dropper. Poop has changed and is now diarrhea with black specks. Any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is her crop emptying overnight?

I'd work on hydration and if possible get a fecal float through a vet to see if she needs deworming or treated for Coccidiosis.

 

[knownothinghomesteader]

Is her crop emptying overnight?

I'd work on hydration and if possible get a fecal float through a vet to see if she needs deworming or treated for Coccidiosis.

I felt the crop this morning and it felt empty, I *think*. Otherwise, feels a bit squishy. Haven't felt crop before so not sure if what I am feeling is correct. No vet that I know of on island that does poultry, so should I do a dewormer (she has never been dewormed, but having been adding a homeopathic dewormer to water last 3 days) and/or find amprolium?

 

[Ponypoor]

I felt the crop this morning and it felt empty, I *think*. Otherwise, feels a bit squishy. Haven't felt crop before so not sure if what I am feeling is correct. No vet that I know of on island that does poultry, so should I do a dewormer (she has never been dewormed, but having been adding a homeopathic dewormer to water last 3 days) and/or find amprolium?

It shouldn’t be squishy, there should be nothing there. Practice on the other, chooks, check a couple tonight and feel the full crop. And feel same ones in the morning. They should be empty.

Any Vet can do the fecal, just take a sample to a Veterinarian and ask for it to be done.

You can worm with a couple different wormers. I use Panacur 100 I think it’s called. Add 3ml to a gallon of water for three days. Then repeat in 14 days after that. I also use ivermectin pour-on use 1 - 2 drops on the skin (weight dependent) between the shoulder.

Here is a good article - make sure if you use ivermectin you check the strength ie: 10mg per ml or 5mg / ml as this will have the correct dosing.

https://bitchinchickens.com/2019/04/29/ivermectin-for-parasite-control/