Sick ISA Brown

[Pitnerchickenfarm]

We have a 3-4 year old ISA Brown that is acting very sick. We have noticed her slowing down the last couple days, but didn't see anything immediately wrong with her. Yesterday we found her laying down in the coop, extremely lathargic and won't eat or drink. She miraculously made it through the night, but this morning her crop was very large and hard, so we thought sour crop. We massaged her crop and she threw up a significant amount of brown liquid. We then gave her some Nutridrench and she seemed to perk up a little, even started drinking water on her own (still just standing mostly still, and closing eyes often, no eating.) This evening she seemed to decline more and we noticed her lower abdomen seemed large and swollen, and she hasn't laid in a couple days (which for an ISA brown, even on their death bed is unusual), and we also noticed her vent seemed clogged - so we gave her an epsom salt bath, cleaned her bottom and put her under a heat lamp where she seems very comfortable. In the process though, we found two more issues ... incredibly tiny white bugs around her beak and chest (thinking lice, but we don't see any under her wings or near her vent, and no eggs. They also seem to be coming out at night more than during the day) as well as this large black sore below her vent. I know that 3-4 is considered a decently long life for an ISA brown, but I'm wondering if anyone has advice as to if this is all stemming from one main problem or if she's just getting old and so lots of unrelated issues are coming up. We muck out our coop weekly, change water daily, they have a very large run area behind the coop and generally we keep a pretty clean area for them, so this is all very frustrating to find so many issues on one bird all of the sudden. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Maybe @Overo Mare or @Eggcessive can help you.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like her crop impaction is probably because she has ascites or internal laying which has caused the swollen lower abdomen and constipation. The pressure of fluid or internally laid lash egg material can put pressure on all of the organs, including the digestive organs, and slow things down. Look at your other birds at night, and see if they have mites. The roost mites only come out at night on the chickens, while the northern fowl mites are on them day and night. Lice could also be possible. Some gather under the vent and belly, while another kind live around the neck and head. Permethrin spray from your feed store will kill the mites or lice and they also have permethrin garden dust for cold weather. Treat at least 2-3 times at 7-10 day intervals to get the newly hatched ones. Treat the coop as well.

If you lose your hen, you can do a home necropsy to get a look at her organs and take pictures to post here. For a better more thorough necropsy, most state vets will perform those if you keep the body cold, not frozen, and take it in.

Here is a good article about crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading with pictures about lica and mite treatment:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/t

https://cpif.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/LIce-and-Mites-copy-3.pdf

 

[Pitnerchickenfarm]

It sounds like her crop impaction is probably because she has ascites or internal laying which has caused the swollen lower abdomen and constipation. The pressure of fluid or internally laid lash egg material can put pressure on all of the organs, including the digestive organs, and slow things down. Look at your other birds at night, and see if they have mites. The roost mites only come out at night on the chickens, while the northern fowl mites are on them day and night. Lice could also be possible. Some gather under the vent and belly, while another kind live around the neck and head. Permethrin spray from your feed store will kill the mites or lice and they also have permethrin garden dust for cold weather. Treat at least 2-3 times at 7-10 day intervals to get the newly hatched ones. Treat the coop as well.

If you lose your hen, you can do a home necropsy to get a look at her organs and take pictures to post here. For a better more thorough necropsy, most state vets will perform those if you keep the body cold, not frozen, and take it in.

Here is a good article about crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you for the quick response! They look a lot more like lice than mites, but I don't see any eggs on the base of the feathers. Treating as lice regardless though.

She miraculously made it through another night, although she still seems very weak this morning. Her crop was full again dispite not eating last night, very soft and squishy though, which makes me think sour crop and not an impacted crop. Tried feeding her some ACV and a small bit of yogurt this morning via syringe.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Unfortunately Isa Browns don't have a long life span. I had 3 in my original flock. 2 have already succumbed. The first one just over the 2 yr age. She quit laying and had water belly. The 2nd one made it to almost 3 yrs. Quit laying but had issues. I would supplement her with probiotics and oregano oil in the water. She did well but would always regress. Then finally one day she just layed down in the nest box and went to a final sleep. My 3rd one is still going. She is the "meanest" of the 3. Not super mean just feisty. She rarely has clean bottom feathers. She hasn't laid in over a yr. She does well, but I know her time will be soon. She's made it to the 3 yr mark.
I love the Isa Browns, but due to their breed, an every day egg layer, they have short life spans.

 

[Harborchic]

Thank you for the quick response! They look a lot more like lice than mites, but I don't see any eggs on the base of the feathers. Treating as lice regardless though.

She miraculously made it through another night, although she still seems very weak this morning. Her crop was full again dispite not eating last night, very soft and squishy though, which makes me think sour crop and not an impacted crop. Tried feeding her some ACV and a small bit of yogurt this morning via syringe.

I have an ISA Brown and she is lethargic,wont eat or drink,I noticed her not acting right a week ago I gave her garlic and apple cider vinegar water and the next day she perked up,now she's lying down and won't do anything for me,she is 2 yrs old this month,idk what to do,can you please help me?