Sick chicken—any help allreciated

[Rachel_2525]

Hello—one of our Rhode Island reds appears ill. She has been increasingly lethargic for two days, and this morning did not come down from the roost. She appears to have a little drool that is slightly sticky coming from her mouth; it appears mostly clear but a little brown. She also has a goopier poo than normal that is white, light brown and dark dark brown. Not sure if she has stopped eating altogether; we just isolated her this morning to try to figure that out and protect the other girls. But she did not come out for morning treat this morning. She had sour crop a few months ago which we (I believe) successfully treated and her crop is not swollen now. Final piece of info is after my husband picked her up this morning he had an itch/pain and has several tiny bites around where he held her. Any advice/guidance is much appreciated!

Sorry, should also note this girl had pasty butt as a chick. We cleaned the poo off last night and it was back this morning. Do not feel a stuck egg but of course could have missed it.

 

[Debbie292d]

That's a horrible way to find out your chickens have mites.

I would pick up some Permethrin/garden powder and dust her and every chicken. If you can clean the coop out, haul everything out and burn it, then put fresh bedding in and dust it all again, including the nests. One method some use to dust their chicken is to put the powder in an old tube sock and pat it all over them. Pay special attention to their butt and under their wings. Gently get their head and neck too, basically, their whole body. Repeat in a week to 10 days as some mite eggs will hatch in the meantime, so this gets them as well.

Mites can take a toll on a chicken, so no telling if this is the cause or not, but they can also kill a chicken, so good to take care of this, then reevaluate.

I'd also put them on a probiotic ritual of a two to three times a week. You can put powdered probiotics in their water, give them a teaspoon or two of Greek yogurt, or ferment grains, the three best ways to give probiotics. That can help their digestive system, crop and the pasty butt.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Does she have any food in her crop now? Check and feel her crop first thing in the morning to see if her crop is empty and flat. I would hold some fluids with electrolytes up to her beak to sip. Has she been laying eggs recently? Have you seen any thin shelled eggs? Does she she any signs of starting to molt? Permethrin garden dust or the spray may be used on the chicken for mites or lice. Martins or Gordons Permethrin 10 concentrate can be mixed in water 1 tsp for each quart of water, and used on the chicken or to treat the coop, nests, and roosts. About 15 ml (1 tablespoonful) per chicken is all that is used.