Respitory problem, can't eat, has watery diarrhea

[olderchick]

I have a hen that recently started looking really lethargic. She was hiding under the coop ramp and avoiding the other chickens. Well this happened right after I introduced two other hens into this coop. So at first I thought it was just a pecking order issue. But then I noticed Goldie was really lethargic and on the second day of this strange behavior wouldn't even go out to free range. So I isolated her in a cage in our guest house and kept an eye on her. She would drink, but not eat the regular crumbles. And she was having green diarrhea. So at first I thought maybe she had sour crop, which she had when she was little. I fed her some mashed up pineapple, because that did the trick before. But then I noticed her breathing was really labored and if you listen closely you can actually hear a click every time she takes a breathe. She is still drinking but can't seem to eat anything solid. So today I put some Start and Grow crumbles, yogurt and some water in the blender and made her some gruel. I could get her to take some by a spoon, and left it there hoping she would eat some more. She is still drinking her water, but is still really lethargic. But that could be from lack of food.

Some thoughts I had... We have this horrible foxtail grass that makes nasty seed heads with sharp awls and they can get caught in animals mouths and throats. But I have always had that horrible grass and none of the chickens have ever touched it. Or maybe she was attacked by one of the new girls... or, some sort of respiratory disease?

Any thoughts or suggestions I would really appreciate. So far I have pulled a chicken through a bob cat attack, another with bumblefoot and the aforementioned sour crop. I would hate to lose Goldie. She has real personality.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen that recently started looking really lethargic. She was hiding under the coop ramp and avoiding the other chickens. Well this happened right after I introduced two other hens into this coop. So at first I thought it was just a pecking order issue. But then I noticed Goldie was really lethargic and on the second day of this strange behavior wouldn't even go out to free range. So I isolated her in a cage in our guest house and kept an eye on her. She would drink, but not eat the regular crumbles. And she was having green diarrhea. So at first I thought maybe she had sour crop, which she had when she was little. I fed her some mashed up pineapple, because that did the trick before. But then I noticed her breathing was really labored and if you listen closely you can actually hear a click every time she takes a breathe. She is still drinking but can't seem to eat anything solid. So today I put some Start and Grow crumbles, yogurt and some water in the blender and made her some gruel. I could get her to take some by a spoon, and left it there hoping she would eat some more. She is still drinking her water, but is still really lethargic. But that could be from lack of food.

Some thoughts I had... We have this horrible foxtail grass that makes nasty seed heads with sharp awls and they can get caught in animals mouths and throats. But I have always had that horrible grass and none of the chickens have ever touched it. Or maybe she was attacked by one of the new girls... or, some sort of respiratory disease?

Any thoughts or suggestions I would really appreciate. So far I have pulled a chicken through a bob cat attack, another with bumblefoot and the aforementioned sour crop. I would hate to lose Goldie. She has real personality.

I'm sorry she is not well.

Does she have any facial swelling?
How long has it been since the new chickens were introduced - were the new chickens quarantined?

Check inside her beak for any obstructions - it's possible she may have a foxtail stuck inside her chonal slit or throat - See this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1074036/sinus-infections

It's so hard to know what's going on - if you have vet care that would be best. It's possible that she may have contracted a respiratory illness from the new girls - some chickens can carry illness, but not show any symptoms - but it can be passed along.

Getting her to drink is good, the chick starter is also good

Offer her some poultry vitamins if you have them, give her something soft for a "treat" like chopped egg to see if she will eat that in addition to the chick starter.

Keep us posted.

 

[olderchick]

Thank you so much for your reply. Today, I gave her a little gruel again early in the morning but then had to get off to a tomato plant sale for our local garden club. So when I got home I tried feeding her again. It was messy and I have been washing off her breast after each eating. So I thought I would take her outside to dry off and hold her a bit. But she got agitated and start throwing her head around, and then she just keeled over dead.

So I thought I had better butcher her to see if there was an obstruction, or was it some disease, in case I would be worried for the other chickens. It turned out to be a very impacted crop. I don't know why the clicking sound every time she breathed. That is what through me off. Because the last time she had sour crop there wasn't any of this breathing problem. I should have just stuck with the pineapple only to try to dissolve the obstruction.

Very sad, but I am happy it wasn't a disease that might have infected the rest of the flock. And, I hate to say it, but it did give me the opportunity to butcher a chicken. Which I have never done before. I suppose after they get old and aren't productive, you can't just keep them forever.

But like I said, she had a personality, so it was sad. She would have a hissy fit any time some one else was in the coop when she wanted to lay her egg. Never mind that there are five nest boxes. It didn't matter. She wanted total privacy. So there would be this horrendous fuss around mid-morning most days. And she had this bug eye. Can't even remember when I first noticed this, but it made her rather distinctive. And she would come up and pick at my toes, (I wear flip-flops a lot), so we were kind of closer than the other chickens. I will miss her.

Thanks again for your kind thoughts and care.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for your reply. Today, I gave her a little gruel again early in the morning but then had to get off to a tomato plant sale for our local garden club. So when I got home I tried feeding her again. It was messy and I have been washing off her breast after each eating. So I thought I would take her outside to dry off and hold her a bit. But she got agitated and start throwing her head around, and then she just keeled over dead.

So I thought I had better butcher her to see if there was an obstruction, or was it some disease, in case I would be worried for the other chickens. It turned out to be a very impacted crop. I don't know why the clicking sound every time she breathed. That is what through me off. Because the last time she had sour crop there wasn't any of this breathing problem. I should have just stuck with the pineapple only to try to dissolve the obstruction.

Very sad, but I am happy it wasn't a disease that might have infected the rest of the flock. And, I hate to say it, but it did give me the opportunity to butcher a chicken. Which I have never done before. I suppose after they get old and aren't productive, you can't just keep them forever.

But like I said, she had a personality, so it was sad. She would have a hissy fit any time some one else was in the coop when she wanted to lay her egg. Never mind that there are five nest boxes. It didn't matter. She wanted total privacy. So there would be this horrendous fuss around mid-morning most days. And she had this bug eye. Can't even remember when I first noticed this, but it made her rather distinctive. And she would come up and pick at my toes, (I wear flip-flops a lot), so we were kind of closer than the other chickens. I will miss her.

Thanks again for your kind thoughts and care.

I'm sorry for your loss

I'm glad you were able to open her and find the cause.