Sick Chicken: Is This Worms or Something Worse?

[NCchics]

We have a 6-month old black australorp who began acting very lethargic with no desire to eat or drink today. She regularly released bright yellow and white diarrhea looking droppings - most were very runny, with the exception of one that was paired with a slightly more standard dropping. Her tail is dropped and she had almost no desire to forage with the rest of the flock today - she just stood in the same place with her feathers puffed out. We have since brought her inside and have her quarantined in the basement with a heat lamp (it's below freezing tonight). She does have a couple of black dots on top of her comb that I assumed was mild frostbite, but now I'm concerned that she may have blackhead disease. Based on the droppings photo and description, does anyone have any ideas about what may be wrong? They were on medicated feed up until a week ago, so I haven't done any deworming yet - we are new to all of this so weren't sure when you needed to begin that process. Thank you so much in advance for any help you may be able to offer!!

 

[Isaac 0]

Can you ask your local Avian vet for a fecal floation?.Yellow bright poop can mean Worms or Cocci.Keep her separated in a warm/dark place and offer her eggs and tuna often as well as giving her water via 1cc syringe or eye dropper.Water is very important and should be given often.Adding poultry vitamin's to her waterer will help too.If the vet doesn't respond I would try a dose of safeguard or vablazen.Eww poop on the pants yuck

 

[NCchics]

Oh man, poop on the pants - yep, so cringeworthy!! Thanks so much for that. This may sound silly but is just one more piece of being a newbie - how do you get her to drink without choking? Just physically open her mouth while my husband drops in the water with the syringe a couple drops at a time?

 

[NCchics]

Also, we have a vet appointment tomorrow morning - really hope she makes it through the night. Some of the stuff I've read has me braced for the worst.

 

[Kiki]

Oh man, poop on the pants - yep, so cringeworthy!! Thanks so much for that. This may sound silly but is just one more piece of being a newbie - how do you get her to drink without choking? Just physically open her mouth while my husband drops in the water with the syringe a couple drops at a time?

I have not yet had to force water on a chicken but I have read that ou have to be careful doing this..you could force the water down the wrong "pipe"

 

[Kiki]

@casportpony is an expert on poop
I don't thin she is online right now so I hope another expert will chime in soon for ya

 

[Isaac 0]

Oh man, poop on the pants - yep, so cringeworthy!! Thanks so much for that. This may sound silly but is just one more piece of being a newbie - how do you get her to drink without choking? Just physically open her mouth while my husband drops in the water with the syringe a couple drops at a time?

Everyone starts somewhere

.The easiest way to give oral fluids is to put the tip of the syringe on the tip of there beak press the syringe slowly and they will natural start drinking the water touching there beak.If she is in a very bad state she may not do that.So you will need to open her beak and put the syringe in her mouth and put a few drops at a time if you do too much she will aspirate. Here are some pictures.




The hole in the back is the Trachea there air way and no water should go in there.The hole on the side will lead down to there crop and is where the water should go.Do not apply pressure to her breast bone or her back.Its easy to do this with two people around but if that is not available a towel can be used to contain the bird.Try to do this fast as messing with the bird too much can cause stress and put her over the edge.Its easy once you get the hang of it.

Here are some videos

 

[NCchics]

You guys are amazing - what a gift to have folks so willing to help lend their experience. Thank you!! Fortunately I just woke her up and put her beak to her waterer and she readily drank up - just needed a little more prodding than I had done before. Thank you all!

 

[Eggcessive]

It's good that she is drinking well. Bright yellow material in the poop can be a sign of egg material or E.coli bacterial infection. That can be a sign of internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. In the picture it looks looks yellow, but sometimes the light may be making it look that way. A lot of white urates may be from dehydration. The vet visit for a fecal float, and even asking for a gram stain to look for bacteria would be good.

 

[Isaac 0]

Im glad she is drinking good.Keep doing what your doing.