Sick girl

[Matzwd]

My salmon faverolle has been staying at roost longer than the others and is fluffed and sitting around when she is out and about. She is eating and drinking. I can't figure out what's wrong with her. Do hens get lethargic in winter? In a first timer.

Feet look good. She has laid a few eggs, but hasn't laid any in almost two weeks, shorter days I think. Crop empty this morning, full last night. Vent seems closed fairly tight, and I don't feel any bulges. No drainage from eyes or nares. No strange neurological symptoms. What could be wrong? She's definitely gotten worse the last couple of days.

 

[DobieLover]

It could be coccidiosis. I had a pullet that went suddenly lethargic and fluffed up. I caught it on day one.
I drenched her with 1/2 ml of corid three days in a row while treating the drinking water for the rest of the flock with corid at a rate of 2 tsp per gallon. I gave everyone treated water for 5 days.
My sick girl looked absolutely normal the very next day and no one else in the flock ever showed any symptoms.
I had introduced new chickens 2 weeks prior that are in an isolation coop/run within my chicken pen (I cannot do a true quarantine because I don't have enough space). That is why my first impression was coccidiosis.
A chicken will not always present with blood in the stool, but can when the disease progresses. Have you noticed what her droppings look like?

 

[micstrachan]

I agree coccidiosis is a possibility. Has she dropped any feathers? Faded comb and feeling ill can also be sign of impending or current molt.

 

[Matzwd]

Have you noticed what her droppings look like?

I'm working on following her more closely today to see if I can isolate her drippings. I am not seeing any in the coop that lol out of the ordinary. I'm glad you bright up coccidiosis, though, because I hadn't thought if that since they were tiny chicks. Ny flock gha been together since a couple of days old, and no newbies have been added. We live inn four acres, and we have recently been letting them free range. What is the likelihood they might have encountered a different strain on our property?

I do have a microscope and fecal float tools. If I can isolate her poo, I'll check it.

 

[DobieLover]

I'm working on following her more closely today to see if I can isolate her drippings. I am not seeing any in the coop that lol out of the ordinary. I'm glad you bright up coccidiosis, though, because I hadn't thought if that since they were tiny chicks. Ny flock gha been together since a couple of days old, and no newbies have been added. We live inn four acres, and we have recently been letting them free range. What is the likelihood they might have encountered a different strain on our property?

I do have a microscope and fecal float tools. If I can isolate her poo, I'll check it.

I would go ahead and drench her. It can't hurt. You can isolate her in a crate to get a sample but acting fast on coccidiosis will save her. It can be fatal.

 

[Matzwd]

I now don't think she's even pooping. She's at roost alone at the lowest station (normally on high roost with the others). I will be able to tell for sure if she poops, only been on roost for about an hour.

 

[Matzwd]

Well, she is pooping, but they are fairly dry little strands, about the diameter of round shoelaces, normal color.

Next question for whomever might know...at what she should I start worming my flock? They are 7 months old now. Also, is winter a good time to worm?