Sick Chicken?

[Rese70]

One of our hens is not feeling well. She is a sextlink. She was completely fine and interacting with the rest of our flock and then she wasn't.

She's docile and looks like a football. Very puffed up and tail down.
Her eyes are clear.
No discharge. no runny nose,
Very clean bottom/pink vent.
A few mites but not infested and none around her vent.
Her crop was feeling fine when we first brought her in but without eating much naturally its fairly small/empty
No sores or lumps.
Legs look fine, feet look healthy

She is not eating very much and not drinking at all. We brought her in and set her up in a dog crate. Made it very cozy. We mostly leave the door to the crate open and allow her to do what she needs. We have seen her peck at food but I have been administering water. After she receives the water it's not long until she poops. It look pretty normal dark with white. some is runny but some is normal. some is hard. all different sizes.

We had her in for 3 nights but have taken her back to the flock to see how she fares. She kept standing next to the door like she wants to go back to her sisters so...

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[azygous]

Are you certain she has mites? It might be a good idea to remove one and look at it under a strong magnifying lens. Lice have six legs. Mites have eight. Mites are more serious as they cause anemia from sucking the chicken's blood. Lice don't feed on blood, just dead skin and dander.

Have you checked her crop? When was the last time she laid? Has she had soft shell eggs recently?

 

[Rese70]

Are you certain she has mites? It might be a good idea to remove one and look at it under a strong magnifying lens. Lice have six legs. Mites have eight. Mites are more serious as they cause anemia from sucking the chicken's blood. Lice don't feed on blood, just dead skin and dander.

Have you checked her crop? When was the last time she laid? Has she had soft shell eggs recently?

I havent done a leg count on the mite/lice. but they are a yellow/orange color and topical.at the base of feathers. She has not laid for about a week and when she did, the eggs were fine.

 

[azygous]

Sound like lice. Annoying but not life threatening. Poultry dusting powder containing permethrin will take care of them.

How is crop this morning?