Sick Hen....Might be a cold but has extremely loose stool

[Wild Indigo]

We have a hen that has seemed rather lethargic lately...she still seems to be eating some and drinking, but tends to keep to herself and is the first one in the hen house at night. Her stool is really loose and tonight I noticed that it sounded like she has a really loose cough or some kind of fluid going on in her chest...it seemed like she was trying to cough or sneeze. Anyone have any experience with something like this or any advice? We're going to bring her in tonight and separate her from the other hens just in case its contagious...

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Is she making a rattling noise in her chest? A gurgle-noise that sounds like an old Mr. Coffee coffeemaker? If so, it might be pneumonia. My last gurgler was pneumonia and I had to put her on antibiotics (she's a show bird & a pet, so that justified a trip to the avian vet). I've had them get "the gurgles" before & not taken them to the vet, just brought them inside the house & tried to dry them out. If it's not diagnosed by the vet, I just call it the gurgles, but I have a feeling it's the same thing w/ or w/o diagnosis. If you bring her into the house, put her someplace warm. I always use a heat lamp on my 'sick cage', especially if it's been damp weather lately. The warmth relaxes them and they can use their caloric intake for immune stuff, rather than heating their body. Also, if you're treating with any kind of water-soluable antibiotics, the heat may encourage them to drink the medicated water. Offer treats such as grapes or bits of melon - fruit is good because it has water and carbohydrates. For the diarrhea, maybe a spoonful or two of yogurt. A hard-boiled egg, chopped up, is also good food for a sick bird, since it's protein & fat (you could mix in the yogurt for "egg salad"). As to how much treats to give - as much as she'll eat! I leave the ration for them, too, but usually sickies won't eat it. Without meds, I've had the gurgles go away in a week or so. If you want to get real crazy, you can use a stethoscope to listen to their air sacs. If you listen and you hear crackling noises when she breathes, it's likely pneumonia. You can use the scope to listen for the recovery, too. Isolation, warmth, quiet, water, nutritious treats usually takes care of it. That said, familiarize yourself with the symptoms and the sounds your hen is making. Gurgles tend to pop up every now and again, but if you catch it early, you can usually get a speedy recovery without a vet bill. Good Luck!

 

[Wild Indigo]

Thanks...we just brought her in and will start some yogurt and other treatment tomorrow...she's such a sweet hen and hope this isn't anything serious.