Sick Chic

[audreyt324]

Our chicken Lola was a healthy chicken laying 1 egg a day and eating great until a week ago. When I went to feed her, she was in the back of the dog igloo that is in her pen. She was very quiet and wouldn't come out, she just stood there. She seemed traumatized. I had to pull her out and then I put her down in another spot and she just stood there. She wouldn't come out to free range. She wouldn't eat or drink and she didn't lay an egg. Just to state all the facts, she had a big helping of watermelon, cucumber peels and tomato the night before and we had just changed her food to a type she didn't like as much. Now a week later, she clucks some, will walk around and free range, but still no eggs and barely eats or drinks. We switched her food to pellets, she was eating mash before, and bought her some treats of cracked corn and meal worms. She nibbles a little, but not much. Her poop is runny and she drools sometimes. Please help! I thought she was on her way to getting better because she had improved some, but now I don't think so. TIA

 

[andreanar]

Is she your only chicken? How long have you had her?

 

[biophiliac]

Drooling and lack of appetite... I would first check for crop issues. Google sour crop, impacted crop...

 

[biophiliac]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/impacted-crop

 

[biophiliac]

and a very good post by @rebrascora
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sour-crop-advice.1188824/#post-18780687

 

[audreyt324]

Is she your only chicken? How long have you had her?

She is our only one. We've only had her for 5 mons. She came with our house. They probably had her a year or two before us.

 

[biophiliac]

How is Lola doing today?

 

[audreyt324]

I felt her crop yesterday and it was empty. So, today I took her to the vet. He said she was experiencing heat exhaustion and possibly worms. So she was wormed today and she has to stay inside except at night for a while. In the air conditioning, she is eating!