Sick Leghorn

[crankyyanky1]

I have a 7 month old sick brown leghorn her symptoms are very listless, she walks around sometimes but appears very disoriented, last night when everyone went into the coop she just stood in the yard staring, she hasn't come out of the coop this morning just sitting there her comb is very pale today I am going separate her from the flock now she is normally very skittish but I have been able to walk over and pick her up I am new at chicken keeping so I am not sure what to do, this all seems to have started yesterday.

 

[azygous]

Have your chickens had access to a compost pile? Is there any chance their feed or forage has been compromised by mold? It sounds like it could be Botulism toxin poisoning or mold toxin.

If you have a vet, ask them to prescribe an antibiotic.

It could be anything, though, and it could resolve on its own, but I err on the side of caution when one of my chickens has symptoms exactly like you describe. I get them on an antibiotic asap.

 

[crankyyanky1]

The next door neighbor has a compost pile and they are over there frequently there isn't any vets open today around here and the pet hospital told me they don't do livestock I am going to head to feed supply maybe I can get a antibiotic there

 

[azygous]

The feed store won't have antibiotics. New US law prohibits it.

You may, however, be able to find a fish antibiotic at an aquarium store. I use fish amoxicillin or fish penicillin. Also available over the internet from KVPet Supplies under fish medicine. Fish are exempt from new law.

 

[the poppster]

Isolate her...what does her poop look like? Offer her a sweet mash with red pepper flakes in it...if it's worms they won't like the pepper and exit the digestive tract...garlic has antibacterial properties and won't hurt the hen if she will eat it...till you can get a hold of the antibiotic. Hydration never hurts...Half and half, water and Gatorade will give her a dose of much needed electrolytes...Is she thin? Birds are really good at hiding illnesses...if you don't make a point of spending time to just "watch" your birds...a sick one can slip past...and you won't know that there is a problem, until it's too late...I learned the hard way...i hope you can find out what's wrong, and figure out how to help her.