Sick Hen... Help Please

[owly]

She does have a heat lamp on her, so yes, she is being provided heat.

 

[enola]

Good! i am sure she is enjoying it.

 

[owly]

I have a question, if the cause of illness is worms or coccidiosis, how could she get it in the dead of winter? I've never had sick birds before, and our newest birds have been integrated in the flock several months ago. And I've read that coccidiosis is most common when it's hot and humid, so I'm not sure how it could get into my birds (especially when they are in an enclosed area for the winter, no wild birds could have gotten in.).

 

[dawg53]

Cocci are passed in feces. Contaminated waterers/feeders will pass it to other birds. Birds pecking through soiled litter will pick up cocci as well as worm eggs directly.

 

[dawg53]

You could always take a fresh fecal sample to a vet to be tested. If the microscopic slide is loaded with cocci, then there's a problem. Several cocci on the slide is normal. If worm oocysts are seen, you'll need to worm her.

 

[owly]

Okay, thank you. I'm going out now to check on her, I'll keep you guys updated.

 

[owly]

She seems a lot better today. When I got to her cage, she was standing and she moved towards me. She was also "purring" (that's what I call those soft, cooing noises they make) which is a big improvement from yesterday, where she was hardly even able to stand and was dead silent. She still didn't give her food and water much interest, but I got her to eat a small bit of soggy bread and drink a little water. Her droppings are different today then they were yesterday. They were runny, but somewhat solid, and bright green, but now it's very thin and a watery yellow.

 

[owly]

Bump

 

[owly]

She didn't make it.

 

[dawg53]

Sorry for your loss.