Sick Hen. Thin, Dull feathers, lethargic not eating

[Julie in Maine]

Hi all, I have a 2 year old lavender orphington that is struggling right now. Background is I have 14 hens ,1 rooster all of diff ages. A few months ago I had a couple (this girl and my 8.5 yr old barred) seem to have mites, worms or thrush/fungus. Never saw worms or mites, but their bottoms were messy and missing feathers so I treated for all three. I treated the others for worms/mites too. Here we are a few months later and Barred suddenly died over night last week (she had been slowing down for months now). although the lavender’s feathers had still no luster, she seemed fine. This evening I went to close them up in coop and she was in corner facing the wall. Doesn’t feel egg bound, so I gave her some nutridrench, and treated her with ivermectin and a light bottom dusting of DE. She is not eating or drinking on her own, so any ideas would be appreciated!!! I feel I lose a chicken every couple years to this mystery as well.

 

[azygous]

Have you ever heard of avian viruses? These viruses attach themselves to the cells of chickens and they undermine their health over a period of time, causing cancer tumors on organs and joints, even sometimes causing tumors on the outside. An avian virus should be suspected when you seem to lose a chicken to "mysterious" causes every few years.

If you've ever tried to hatch eggs from your flock only for most of the embryos to die, you are probably seeing an avian virus. If you do manage to hatch live chicks only to have them die mysteriously before age one year, it's likely an avian virus.

The only way to find out why your chickens are dying mysteriously is to have the next dead chicken sent to a lab for a necropsy.

 

[Julie in Maine]

Thank you for the reply. I have heard of them but not looked into. Interesting enough i lost a brahma last year to a large tumor. And I did have a small (2 egg) hatch this summer that 1 egg full embryo didn't hatch, and the second just died after 3 days. I will look into this. The lavender is still hanging in there, perking up a little today, treating as if fungal infection. If you have any reading recommendations to start my research, it would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A few months ago I had a couple (this girl and my 8.5 yr old barred) seem to have mites, worms or thrush/fungus. Never saw worms or mites, but their bottoms were messy and missing feathers so I treated for all three. I treated the others for worms/mites too. Here we are a few months later and Barred suddenly died over night last week (she had been slowing down for months now).

lavender’s feathers had still no luster, she seemed fine. This evening I went to close them up in coop and she was in corner facing the wall. Doesn’t feel egg bound, so I gave her some nutridrench, and treated her with ivermectin and a light bottom dusting of DE. She is not eating or drinking on her own,

The lavender is still hanging in there, perking up a little today, treating as if fungal infection.

Can you please post some photos of the hen and her poop?

What makes you suspect fungal infection? What are you using for treatment?

Does the Lavender lay eggs?
Her crop is emptying overnight?
Any swelling or fluid in the abdomen?
Lice/mites gone?

 

[azygous]

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/lymphoid-leukosis-in-poultry

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Julie in Maine]

Can you please post some photos of the hen and her poop?

What makes you suspect fungal infection? What are you using for treatment?

Does the Lavender lay eggs?
Her crop is emptying overnight?
Any swelling or fluid in the abdomen?
Lice/mites gone?

 

[Julie in Maine]

View attachment 2320051

Hi Wyorp
No signs of mites or lice. Just the runny poo, and lackluster feathers, loss of weight and appetite. I suspect that or fungus bc of those symptoms and the runny yellow green poo that’s quite pungent.
She hasn’t been eating much and her crop has been empty since I discovered her facing the corner. She is a little perkier today and ate mash and a little egg on her own. Crop still feels good. Her poo was smelly yesterday. Runny yellow and green. Sorry I don’t have a pic of that. Threw the towel out. I treated her for worms/mites and smoothed Monistat cream on bum and vent and gave her a pea size of the tab 2x yest and 1x today. I also lightly painted Genetian violet on her bum and gave her a drop, followed by some nutridrench. The Poo pic below is dark bc the genetian violet. No eggs have been laid since I discovered her wed eve. And she was really week and wobbly then. I got a little cooing and chatter from her today. Standing and eating on her own. Also to note, we do have a rooster (extra feather loss), but when she was healthy, you didn’t notice due to healthy plumage.
I suspect fungal bc the foul smell, messy bum (feather loss there) and overall Ill health. No sneezing or respiratory distress either. Any thoughts welcomed. Appreciate it.

 

[Julie in Maine]

Hi Wyorp
No signs of mites or lice. Just the runny poo, and lackluster feathers, loss of weight and appetite. I suspect that or fungus bc of those symptoms and the runny yellow green poo that’s quite pungent.
She hasn’t been eating much and her crop has been empty since I discovered her facing the corner. She is a little perkier today and ate mash and a little egg on her own. Crop still feels good. Her poo was smelly yesterday. Runny yellow and green. Sorry I don’t have a pic of that. Threw the towel out. I treated her for worms/mites and smoothed Monistat cream on bum and vent and gave her a pea size of the tab 2x yest and 1x today. I also lightly painted Genetian violet on her bum and gave her a drop, followed by some nutridrench. The Poo pic below is dark bc the genetian violet. No eggs have been laid since I discovered her wed eve. And she was really week and wobbly then. I got a little cooing and chatter from her today. Standing and eating on her own. Also to note, we do have a rooster (extra feather loss), but when she was healthy, you didn’t notice due to healthy plumage.
I suspect fungal bc the foul smell, messy bum (feather loss there) and overall Ill health. No sneezing or respiratory distress either. Any thoughts welcomed. Appreciate it.

Also Abdomen is fine as well, somewhat firm, not swollen, I did massage/palp to see if egg was stuck. I do think she was laying soft/thin shell eggs earlier this spring. Have been giving them ground egg shells in mash along with their free feed oyster, they did come out strangely oblong for a bit, then regulated after. All the hens (13) egg shells have been great since. If that is any additional help.

 

[Julie in Maine]

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/lymphoid-leukosis-in-poultry

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Thank you, good info.

It is definitely NOT Mareks. no matching symptoms aside from diarrhea. They have had a couple of the leukosis symptoms so i will look into that a bit further. The Only one that died suddenly was my 8.5 y/o barred rock. I've had 4 others die from illness in the past 8+ years that aside from the one with the tumor were a mystery (or my lack of knowledge/experience). I hope its not leukosis, but i would have an answer. THX

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I treated her for worms/mites and smoothed Monistat cream on bum and vent and gave her a pea size of the tab 2x yest and 1x today.

No eggs have been laid since I discovered her wed eve

I suspect fungal bc the foul smell, messy bum

I do think she was laying soft/thin shell eggs earlier this spring. Have been giving them ground egg shells in mash along with their free feed oyster, they did come out strangely oblong for a bit, then regulated after.

So she has a discharge from her vent?
Poop that I have seen like that with my hens, they had a reproductive problem. Peritonitis and/or cancer.
Yours may have something else going on, a yeast infection. If so, then I would give her the monistat orally, but give about 1/2 inch of the cream. You can also treat with Nystatin if you can find it.