Sick Chicken

[ianschickens0911]

Hello, I have a 3 year old hen that has been acting odd lately. She has become lethargic, and hunched. She has slowed eating and drinking, but she will still eat blueberries. I dont know why. She has had some green poop even thoiygh she does not have grass access, and feathers standing on end as well. Yet, she still seems alert and oriented. I dont know if she has worms, cocidiosis, or some sort of infection. Below is pictures of her, and her greenish poop. Hope someone can help.

Thank you!

 

[thecatumbrella]

When they are hunched over like that, I always assume there's the possibility they are eggbound. When was the last time she laid?

Grab some calcium citrate tablets (that include vitamin D) from any drugstore or pharmacy section, gently pull down on her wattles, and pop one in her mouth. It might take a few attempts, but she should swallow it.

Hopefully someone will weigh in with more ideas, but I would get that calcium in her ASAP. If it is a stuck egg, they can pass away quickly.

 

[Bawkbok]

She has slowed eating and drinking, but she will still eat blueberries.

Her crop in the profile picture looks full. It could in part be her stance which is indeed hunched. Her neck is also retracted. Have you felt her crop? How does it feel? Squishy, hard, doughy? etc. The crop should be empty in the morning when they come off the roost. This is the best time to feel it to know if they are processing food properly.

I would back off the blueberries, fruit can cause icky or runny poo and blueberries will discolor the poop. Try to offer her some wet feed made into a mash and add some scrambled egg to see if she will eat that. Green poop usually means they are passing bile and are under nourished so I would try to get her to eat balanced feed. You may need to torpedo feed her which is simply making small balls of wet feed and opening her beak and putting them in.

Offer grit and oyster shell on the side apart from the feed in separate containers.

Offer some electrolyte water.

What does her belly feel like between her legs? Can you externally feel if there is an egg there?

I would not soak her as bathing a sick chicken can make them worse.

It appears she is in house separated from others so that's good. I would put her in a dog crate if you have one with food and water to monitor. Keep her warm and dry.

 

[ianschickens0911]

Her crop in the profile picture looks full. It could in part be her stance which is indeed hunched. Her neck is also retracted. Have you felt her crop? How does it feel? Squishy, hard, doughy? etc. The crop should be empty in the morning when they come off the roost. This is the best time to feel it to know if they are processing food properly.

I would back off the blueberries, fruit can cause icky or runny poo and blueberries will discolor the poop. Try to offer her some wet feed made into a mash and add some scrambled egg to see if she will eat that. Green poop usually means they are passing bile and are under nourished so I would try to get her to eat balanced feed. You may need to torpedo feed her which is simply making small balls of wet feed and opening her beak and putting them in.

Offer grit and oyster shell on the side apart from the feed in separate containers.

Offer some electrolyte water.

What does her belly feel like between her legs? Can you externally feel if there is an egg there?

I would not soak her as bathing a sick chicken can make them worse.

It appears she is in house separated from others so that's good. I would put her in a dog crate if you have one with food and water to monitor. Keep her warm and dry.

Her abdomen/ rear belly area feels really fat and squishy. I dont think she's eggbound because she still poops, and is not sitting on her butt like a penguin. I think it may be water belly or worms. She is having runny poop. Thanks for the help.