Sick Chicken: Is This Worms or Something Worse?

[Wyorp Rock]

Has she laid any eggs yet?
At 6months old, chick starter is still fine but you may want to offer some oyster shell free choice for calcium.

I agree with @Eggcessive the poop looks yellow like egg matter. How does her abdomen feel?

Will she drink/eat on her own?

 

[Kiki]

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.

Please let us know what happens at the vet.

 

[Isaac 0]

How is she doing?

 

[NCchics]

Thanks for checking in! Quick update: she perked up a good bit the next morning after a night indoors with a heat lamp, which was a huge relief. The vet said she didn't feel any eggs inside, and thankfully didn't think that was a problem. The lab wasn't able to process the stool samples the same day, so the vet recommended deworming Lucky and the whole flock as well as starting her on antibiotics to help fight off any bacterial infection and to get ahead of cocci in case it came back positive for that. She's not quite herself yet and still has some yellow surrounding her droppings, though it's definitely less than it was. I'm just thankful she's hung on and that we didn't lose her! We lost one chick to a predator when they were much younger, but somehow that was much easier to deal with than the thought of one of our girls suffering. Thank you guys so much for the input - it was all so helpful!

 

[Isaac 0]

I wish you the best.Keep feeding her water and hopefully she will make it through this.I would worm her with Safeguard or Valbazen other wormers wont work as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for checking in! Quick update: she perked up a good bit the next morning after a night indoors with a heat lamp, which was a huge relief. The vet said she didn't feel any eggs inside, and thankfully didn't think that was a problem. The lab wasn't able to process the stool samples the same day, so the vet recommended deworming Lucky and the whole flock as well as starting her on antibiotics to help fight off any bacterial infection and to get ahead of cocci in case it came back positive for that. She's not quite herself yet and still has some yellow surrounding her droppings, though it's definitely less than it was. I'm just thankful she's hung on and that we didn't lose her! We lost one chick to a predator when they were much younger, but somehow that was much easier to deal with than the thought of one of our girls suffering. Thank you guys so much for the input - it was all so helpful!

Coccidiosis is only treated with Corid or sulfa antibiotics such as Sulfadimethoxine. Other antibiotics are not that useful. If there is a reproductive disorder such as internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis, there might not be any use in feeling for "eggs in there." But there could be some fullness in her lower belly, and the yellowish poops may be a sign. There are many good articlea to read if you Google "egg yolk peritonitis" or do a search at the top of this page on BYC and look for them many theeads to read.
Please keep us updated on her condition in case we can offer any help.

 

[NCchics]

I wish you the best.Keep feeding her water and hopefully she will make it through this.I would worm her with Safeguard or Valbazen other wormers wont work as well.

I

The vet originally recommended Wazine, which is was we used yesterday. Can I follow up with Safeguard or Valblazen in a week or so?

 

[Eggcessive]

Wazine will get roundworms, but if there are other types in the fecal float that show up, you may want to use one of the others. Valbazen is normally used once 1/2 ml and repeated in 10 days. To get more unusual worms like capillary or gapeworms, SafeGuard is used 1/4 ml per pound of weight (or 1/2 ml per Kg) for 5 days in a row. Toss out all eggs after worming for 2 weeks after the last dose.

 

[Kiki]

Wazine will get roundworms, but if there are other types in the fecal float that show up, you may want to use one of the others. Valbazen is normally used once 1/2 ml and repeated in 10 days. To get more unusual worms like capillary or gapeworms, SafeGuard is used 1/4 ml per pound of weight (or 1/2 ml per Kg) for 5 days in a row. Toss out all eggs after worming for 2 weeks after the last dose.

I have a question for you.
If one had to use this medicine on their chickens, where they should toss the eggs, would it be safe to feed said eggs back to the chickens?
just wondering

 

[Eggcessive]

Since there will be drug residue, feeding those eggs back to any animal would give them small dosages of the drug. That is thought to cause the parasites to eventually develop resistance to the drug. I'm not a vet, but this generally recommended with wormers and antibiotics. Just toss them in the garbage or disposal, or break them outside.