Sick Easter Egger, Standing still, head tucked...can't diagnose

[eml711]

Hi all. My Easter Egger has not been herself since Saturday or Sunday (2/27) but I cannot seem to figure out exactly what is wrong with her. Starting Saturday afternoon I noticed she wasn't moving as fast as the rest of the girls (small flock of 6.) Sunday morning she didn't leave the coop with the rest, I had to bring her out. When I placed her outside, she would just stand there, puffed up and head tucked in. Wasn't eating or drinking. I decided to start her on some left over Clavamox because that's the only helpful meds I had on hand from a previous hen. A little later she perked up a bit, started hanging out with the rest, still slow, but eating and drinking.

Some other chicken owners suggested maybe she was egg bound. So I gave her Epsom salt bath and checked her vent, but no sign of a stuck egg, and she has shown no signs of interest in the nesting box. Last egg laid was 2/25 or 2/24 (not sure) but she has been one of our best layers. She is about 1.5yrs old and always very consistent layer!

For the last few days she has gone between being a little perky and eating/drinking and foraging with the rest (but still at a slower pace) to just standing and being puffed up, sleeping in the concerning way. I've checked for lice/mites and can't see any evidence of that, she doesn't have droopy wings or paralyzed legs like Mareks...and from what I can tell her poops are mostly normal...some are a bit runny or messy maybe but not all. I was thinking maybe it was coccidiosis, but I haven't seen blood in her poop and she's quite old for that right? Also I am in Colorado and it's been cold here, and I gather cocci usually festers in damp warmth...But I have just ordered Corid and am waiting for it to arrive today just incase.

But today she was slow to leave the coop again is a little extra dis-engaged, not eating/drinking. So, might be turning for worse. I have put out a bowl of water with probiotics/electrolytes in it but can't get her to drink from it. I'm at a loss...any other ideas as to what's wrong? Anything else I can do? She's my absolute favorite (even though I probably shouldn't pick favorites) I will be so sad to lose her.

 

[eml711]

Bumping this! She's still hanging on, but not improving, can anyone help?

 

[Bonwell]

I'm so sorry no on responded, I guess we all just didn't see it. Is she still alive?

 

[eml711]

I'm so sorry no on responded, I guess we all just didn't see it. Is she still alive?

Thank you for responding. Surprisingly and thankfully, she is still alive, and I still haven't totally figured things out.

She is still isolating herself from the rest of the flock (6 in total) and still a little slow, but not as lethargic as she was when I initially posted. At this point, my best guess is maybe she was a sick before and pushed through, or maybe not, but either way now she seems to be molting, and either due to the molt or as a byproduct of it, she has pulled herself away from the rest of the girls except at night to roost. She seems to have lost her ranking, and now appears to be afraid of one of the girls, maybe two of them, and that's why she won't join them. Anytime one specific hen get closer to her she runs away. However I can't see any physical evidence of actual bullying nor have I caught anyone in the act. She'll eat and drink and peck around a bit, but she's not interested in coming for treats, and she's just still not her peppy self, she is still spending a lot of time just hanging out huddled up by herself.

I am just hoping once she finishes her molt she'll regain her confidence and return to the flock and her normal self. If you have any advice or other thoughts I am open to it!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

My only thought is that it can't hurt to treat for coccidiosis. I read somewhere on here that not all strains show blood so you might not know. Is your hen losing weight?

 

[Bonwell]

Thank you for responding. Surprisingly and thankfully, she is still alive, and I still haven't totally figured things out.

She is still isolating herself from the rest of the flock (6 in total) and still a little slow, but not as lethargic as she was when I initially posted. At this point, my best guess is maybe she was a sick before and pushed through, or maybe not, but either way now she seems to be molting, and either due to the molt or as a byproduct of it, she has pulled herself away from the rest of the girls except at night to roost. She seems to have lost her ranking, and now appears to be afraid of one of the girls, maybe two of them, and that's why she won't join them. Anytime one specific hen get closer to her she runs away. However I can't see any physical evidence of actual bullying nor have I caught anyone in the act. She'll eat and drink and peck around a bit, but she's not interested in coming for treats, and she's just still not her peppy self, she is still spending a lot of time just hanging out huddled up by herself.

I am just hoping once she finishes her molt she'll regain her confidence and return to the flock and her normal self. If you have any advice or other thoughts I am open to it!

Yeah, if she's gotten better (even marginally) than that's a great sign, recently I had a hen who was doing pretty bad, she had a reproductive problem, but she got a little better, then promptly started to molt. When I put her back in the pen she pretty much lived on the roost far far away from the rest of the flock until she completed her molt. Now she's normal again. Praying the same for your bird!

 

[eml711]

My only thought is that it can't hurt to treat for coccidiosis. I read somewhere on here that not all strains show blood so you might not know. Is your hen losing weight?

I had thought of that and did buy Corid, but just didn't know if it was too much since I didn't see blood, and I'd have to treat all the hens, right? I think she's lost a bit of weight, but she was never overly plump.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I had thought of that and did buy Corid, but just didn't know if it was too much since I didn't see blood, and I'd have to treat all the hens, right? I think she's lost a bit of weight, but she was never overly plump.

Yes you would have to treat everyone but it won't hurt them. Better safe than sorry. Make sure you look up the dose here and don't give any vitamins or other water source while treating. If she doesn't improve at least you have narrowed the cause down a little further.

 

[Kiki]

I had thought of that and did buy Corid, but just didn't know if it was too much since I didn't see blood, and I'd have to treat all the hens, right? I think she's lost a bit of weight, but she was never overly plump.

Did the one have lice too?

 

[eml711]

Yes she did, and unfortunately she didn't make it, we had to let her go about a week and a half ago because she was just too ill. She hung on a really long time but just wasn't doing well. I don't know if the lice were the cause, and maybe she was the first to get infested and they took too much out of her or if it was something else, we never could figure it out (and we literally treated her for everything under the sun.)