Sick Hen not eating, yellow diarrhea, weight loss, lethargic

[Lonestarcookie]

She just got out of her molt

She has not laid an egg since she’s been confined. She has lost a lot of weight. This is the 3rd day I’ve had her confined.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Does she act like she's straining or is her vent pulsating? Does her abdomen feel like it's full?

 

[Lonestarcookie]

Does she act like she's straining or is her vent pulsating? Does her abdomen feel like it's full?

Her abdomen does feel a little full, I can still press in a little. There is no pulsating or straining but she does seem hunched a little.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hmm...How long do you give her the antibiotic? Is her comb normally like that - it looks off colored/purple splotches.

@azygous

 

[azygous]

With the info you've give us, we can only take those few clues and make a stab at what we think could be wrong.

I'm going to vote for a shell-less egg hung up, a ruptured egg, or internal laying. Molt doesn't always preclude ovulation, so you can't rule out an egg obstruction.

Are her butt feathers wet? Does she throw off an unpleasant acrid odor from the wet discharge if there is one?

Have you noticed any signs of cecal poop lately? The absence of cecal poop often indicates a blockage.

If these seem like possibilities, then treating the hen with a calcium citrate tablet once a day can help clear the obstruction. Having been put on an antibiotic is the other half of the treatment and you have that covered. Keep her in a crate on absorbent towels, provide plenty of fresh water, and offer her dry feed or boiled egg. Keep her warm and keep things quiet around her.

 

[Lonestarcookie]

With the info you've give us, we can only take those few clues and make a stab at what we think could be wrong.

I'm going to vote for a shell-less egg hung up, a ruptured egg, or internal laying. Molt doesn't always preclude ovulation, so you can't rule out an egg obstruction.

Are her butt feathers wet? Does she throw off an unpleasant acrid odor from the wet discharge if there is one?

Have you noticed any signs of cecal poop lately? The absence of cecal poop often indicates a blockage.

If these seem like possibilities, then treating the hen with a calcium citrate tablet once a day can help clear the obstruction. Having been put on an antibiotic is the other half of the treatment and you have that covered. Keep her in a crate on absorbent towels, provide plenty of fresh water, and offer her dry feed or boiled egg. Keep her warm and keep things quiet around her.

Thank you! Her butt feathers were yellow a few days ago from diarrhea, but it’s clear dry and clean now. Nothing new. I did get ahold of the vet and he said no coccidiosis and he did check for an obstruction and did not feel anything.
Do you think calcium citrate would be a good thing to use just as back up? Where can I get this? Is it liquid so I can put it down her beak like the antibiotics, since she is not eating? I’ve tried her favorite and she even refused a strawberry. I will try a hard boiled egg, you never know!

Hmm...How long do you give her the antibiotic? Is her comb normally like that - it looks off colored/purple splotches.

@azygous

Her comb looks terrible and it’s not normally like that! It also is not normally folded down. I gave her a boiled egg and she just ate it which is the first thing she has eaten, so I can watch for stool now! Yay! She is on the antibiotics for 10 days. Today is day 3 on them.

 

[azygous]

Calcium citrate is a people calcium supplement. I use the whole tablet and put it right in the beak. The hen will easily swallow it.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Thank you! Her butt feathers were yellow a few days ago from diarrhea, but it’s clear dry and clean now. Nothing new. I did get ahold of the vet and he said no coccidiosis and he did check for an obstruction and did not feel anything.
Do you think calcium citrate would be a good thing to use just as back up? Where can I get this? Is it liquid so I can put it down her beak like the antibiotics, since she is not eating? I’ve tried her favorite and she even refused a strawberry. I will try a hard boiled egg, you never know!

Her comb looks terrible and it’s not normally like that! It also is not normally folded down. I gave her a boiled egg and she just ate it which is the first thing she has eaten, so I can watch for stool now! Yay! She is on the antibiotics for 10 days. Today is day 3 on them.

Oh good! I'm glad she ate something!

 

[Lonestarcookie]

Thank you so much for the advice. I’m going to let her rest for the night and observe her again in the morning.

 

[Lonestarcookie]

Next day / today,,, She was mouth breathing before she went to sleep and I woke up this morning thinking she was going to be gone. But she is still alive and not mouth breathing anymore.
I got a picture of her stool she must’ve passed in the night. She only ate the hard boiled egg last night and a few blades of grass my daughter gave her.
Should I give her more boiled eggs?