Sick chicken - please help

[cherrylichicken]

Hello, my 2.5 year old chicken is not well. Early spring I noticed her comb and waddle were deep dark red color. (Not the usual poppy red like the other chickens). She acted normal for the most part. She ate, drank & foraged with the other chickens. Few weeks later she was open mouth breathing a couple of times & comb was deep red purple at tips. I looked online, thought maybe gapeworm because they all free-range eat wirms and bugs. So I treated the entire flock for 4 days. She stopped the open mouth breathing and her comb & waddle improved but never went to the bright poppy red color. (She also never started laying since fall).
She was still eating but not like usual. She was slow getting around but tried to keep up with the others. Fast forward to last week.. she stopped eating, stayed in the run in corner. So I immediately took her into my garage and made a comfortable safe space for her. She would not eat. Has loose white, cream sometimes bright green poop. She was deteriorating fast. She did have a crackle or clicking sound coming from her chest when breathing. So I thought maybe it is respiratory illness. I ordered antibiotics online but takes 2 days to arrive so meantime I gave her "nutri-drench" rapid vitamins with a syringe. She's been on it for 2 days and I've seen improvement. She is eating & drinking a little on her own now. I still give her the vitamins. I notice her poo is very bright green. I looked it up online... and saw it could be bird flu or solamenella?? I'm so confused... how to treat her and what she may have. No vet options. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. She's such a good girl. One of my favorites .

 

[nuthatched]

What's her diet, including treats?
What did you treat your flock with?

 

[Debbie292d]

Sorry about your hen.

The other diseases you mention are rarer, plus, if it's just your one hen that's ill and it's been for some time, then the others would have gotten it by now.

The respiratory infection sounds to be to be the most probable. I had one I treated about a year ago with aquamox (amoxicillin) for a week and she recovered fine.

The bright green poop can be many things, but again, if this is your only one with it, then I'd lean to thinking that's from her not eating...it's like bile.

If she won't eat, try scrambled eggs or making a mash out of some crumbles.

If she still won't eat, you may have to tube feed her for a couple of days as she needs to eat to heal. Here is an article about it with videos. Be sure to read the comments below the post for more tips. Here's a good one about tube feeding a duck. (Same principle.)

You're doing a great job treating her, and I hope she improves fast!

Be sure to follow up with probiotics when the antibiotics are done.

 

[cherrylichicken]

Thank you so much for your reply. It is hard to know what to do with all the information available on line.
No one else in the flock seems effected.
I did order amoxicillin & a probiotic w/vitamins. It will arrive today. I will try to feed her the scrambled egg again. She did eat a bit of raw egg white last night. She ate a little crumble too. Plus the vitamins.
She sits with her tail fanned upward and once in a while shakes her head. Her comb is a bit less deep red-purple and back to deep red But def not her normal red. Thank you again for your help & encouragment. I'm happy to find this community.

 

[cherrylichicken]

Sorry about your hen.

The other diseases you mention are rarer, plus, if it's just your one hen that's ill and it's been for some time, then the others would have gotten it by now.

The respiratory infection sounds to be to be the most probable. I had one I treated about a year ago with aquamox (amoxicillin) for a week and she recovered fine.

The bright green poop can be many things, but again, if this is your only one with it, then I'd lean to thinking that's from her not eating...it's like bile.

If she won't eat, try scrambled eggs or making a mash out of some crumbles.

If she still won't eat, you may have to tube feed her for a couple of days as she needs to eat to heal. Here is an article about it with videos. Be sure to read the comments below the post for more tips. Here's a good one about tube feeding a duck. (Same principle.)

You're doing a great job treating her, and I hope she improves fast!

Be sure to follow up with probiotics when the antibiotics are done.

Hi, I just want to give an update in case someone is an a similar situation. My chicken is doing really well now! Her color in the comb & waddle are back to normal, no more clicking sounds while breathing and she is eating better... and most importantly she is out free-ranging with her crew again!
@Debbie292d was correct that it must have been a respiratory illness.
I think removing her and giving her a safe, clean & dry place to rest was important. The nutri-drench liquid vitamins (directly administered to her in her mouth with syringe) helped her get some energy & strength to continue until I received the amoxicillin powder. I added the powder to her water daily as directed. I also gave some of the water/antibiotic solution throughout the day by syringe orally to ensure she got it. I was very careful to administer all liquid from the side of her beak, as i read it is very easy to drown them if not careful.
She is doing well. I'm so relieved and happy!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, I just want to give an update in case someone is an a similar situation. My chicken is doing really well now! Her color in the comb & waddle are back to normal, no more clicking sounds while breathing and she is eating better... and most importantly she is out free-ranging with her crew again!
@Debbie292d was correct that it must have been a respiratory illness.
I think removing her and giving her a safe, clean & dry place to rest was important. The nutri-drench liquid vitamins (directly administered to her in her mouth with syringe) helped her get some energy & strength to continue until I received the amoxicillin powder. I added the powder to her water daily as directed. I also gave some of the water/antibiotic solution throughout the day by syringe orally to ensure she got it. I was very careful to administer all liquid from the side of her beak, as i read it is very easy to drown them if not careful.
She is doing well. I'm so relieved and happy!

This is such good news! Thank you for letting us know!!