sick or molting?

[LaPetiteFarmer]

My EE is looking really skinny. I see her eat and drink as usual, but she seems off. Her comb is very light, she stopped laying, that is why I thought she was molting, but she hasn't lost any feathers. This morning, I found a soft shell egg on the pooping board. I am pretty sure it is one from her. She is one year old. Her sisters (same age) are very active, laying very well and their comb is bright red. I checked for mites/ lices, but nothing. What can it be?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Any diarrhea? I am thinking to rule out worms with the weight loss and pale comb. Some vets will do a fecal float test for worms/cocci for a small fee. False negatives are possible.

Also be aware that there is a red mite that can live in the chicken house and come out only at night to feed- that can cause anemia and weight loss too. So it is wise to spray your coop with approved products every so often to prevent them hiding in the cracks.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Thank you for your response!
Few weeks ago, I noticed some long white "threads" in the pooping board, but after a few days nothing. Today,I checked on her but didn't notice anything. I still applied some Evomec (eprinex, wormer) on her vent and under her wings just in case.
What is surprising is that she is the only one like this. The other ones seem fine. I hope she is going to be ok.
Thanks again.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you for your response!
Few weeks ago, I noticed some long white "threads" in the pooping board, but after a few days nothing. Today,I checked on her but didn't notice anything. I still applied some Evomec (eprinex, wormer) on her vent and under her wings just in case.
What is surprising is that she is the only one like this. The other ones seem fine. I hope she is going to be ok.
Thanks again.

Oh that sounds like a large roundworm infestation. If one has it, then they all do, most likely. The roundworms lay eggs in the soil which is then ingested by the other chickens. For the worms to show up in the poo there needs to be quite an infestation from what I have read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/722851/roundworm-treating-with-wazine-help
see post #2 by dawg53 and BE AWARE this is a graphic picture of worms

Worms can kill chickens. And large roundworms can migrate up to where the eggs are formed and you might crack an egg open to eat, finding a worm inside. Hey it happened to me. So I am careful to treat for worms.

Wazine is the only wormer approved for poultry and is not approved for egglayers. So if you have an egglayer and you want to save her life you have to go off-label (you can consult a veterinarian for a prescription but they sell the wormers without a prescription)- so do a search and read up on it. If you sell eggs or meat this may be an issue for you. Toss eggs appropriately after giving wormers. Wazine only kills large roundworms and please read what dawg53 said about how it can cause a blockage if they have a heavy infestation.

 

[smedly9921]

I agree sounds like worms... check out my post from this summer... dawg53 knows his stuff when it comes to worms... choose a de-wormer and de-worm your whole flock before its too late. After de-worming my entire flock i noticed they all were more active. laying more eggs, and better looking. Message dawg53 directly he helped big time.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I agree sounds like worms... check out my post from this summer... dawg53 knows his stuff when it comes to worms... choose a de-wormer and de-worm your whole flock before its too late. After de-worming my entire flock i noticed they all were more active. laying more eggs, and better looking. Message dawg53 directly he helped big time.

dawg53 is an angel

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

But is it normal if I haven't seen any more worms ever since? The other girls seem perfectly ok. They are very active, laying well and seem healthy. Their coop is cleaned everyday (I remove the poop on top of the pooping board, fluff the pine shavings on the floor...), I change their water every 2 or 3 days and they free range 3 times a week all day, and the rest of the week 2 or 3 hours. The yard is very clean too. If I use Valbazen, do I have to discard the eggs?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

But is it normal if I haven't seen any more worms ever since? The other girls seem perfectly ok. They are very active, laying well and seem healthy. Their coop is cleaned everyday (I remove the poop on top of the pooping board, fluff the pine shavings on the floor...), I change their water every 2 or 3 days and they free range 3 times a week all day, and the rest of the week 2 or 3 hours. The yard is very clean too. If I use Valbazen, do I have to discard the eggs?

You have to throw away eggs with all the wormers I believe...best to research it more yourself on byc and google- but yes with valbazen (albendazole) eggs should be thrown out.
If I saw a worm in my flock I'd treat- that's all I can say.

Oh- I almost forgot to mention that some vets will do a fecal test for worms/cocci for a small fee (just bring the poo) and this is very helpful - but false negatives are possible. Since you already saw a worm, it might be overkill.