sick hen with vague symptoms that don't seem to be spreading to others

[staceyffalls]

I have a sick hen. She has seemed sick for a while, but it is pretty unclear what is wrong with her. She is energetic, eats a lot, has a full crop, is able to pass waste and still lays eggs. However, she is losing feathers and not growing them back, and she is wasting away, getting skinner and skinner by the day.

She doesn't have mucus around her eyes or nose. She doesn't sneeze or seem to wheeze. None of my other birds are sick. The vet tested her for parasites, and she doesn't have any. I have no idea what is wrong with her, but she is my favorite hen, and I will be sad if she dies.

The vet suggested a sour or impacted crop (though she doesn't seem to have any symptoms associated with that), and a fungal infection (Aspergillus). A fungal infection seems likely, though I can't find any details on-line about symptoms or treatment.


Let's see, other details. She is one and a half years old. She is black and shiny (a black sex-linked, I think). She weighed in a 2 kg this morning at the vet. She has been sick for a couple months, but it was so vague, at first we thought she was just molting...in the last week it has started to seem dire.

Can anyone advise?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
this website covers aspergillosis

When your vet tested for parasites, do you mean he/she did a fecal?

 

[staceyffalls]

Yes, she took a fecal sample.
Thanks for the info about aspergillosis

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Well, hopefully someone will be along with some suggestions.

Did the vet say that she should be given an antifungal medication?

The poor girl. I hope that she gets better.

 

[staceyffalls]

No, the vet didn't recommend any meds. She didn't really know what was going on with her. I don't either. I have read about the symptoms of aspergillious and impacted crop, and my hen doesn't seem to have any of them. Maybe she IS just molting, but chickens in California molt in the fall more than the spring. Most of my girls have their molt long over. I can't remember if she molted this year; maybe she is just late. I am at a loss.

 

[aggie9296]

If she is black and shiny, energetic, eating and acting fine, no respiratory or skin problems, and still laying, she doesn't sound sick. 2 kgs is about 4.4 lbs and is a decent sized chicken. They just seem really puny with no feathers.

maybe increase her protein content to help with feather regrowth. mine love cottage cheese and yogurt.