Sick pullet

[Heart chickens]

Hi, hope someone here might have some help/suggestions???

My 18 week old Cream Legbar has not been doing well for the last 3-4 days. She is a runt and half the size of her same age chick mates. Don't know if that is important or not. She has been listless, weak, little appetite, and is tipsy when standing up. She sits most of the day and when she walks it is very slow. Her feathers seem puffy and her necks seems retracted to her shoulders. I thought at first it was coccidiosis, but I don't see any blood in poop. She was on medicated chick feed until a couple weeks ago when we switched to layer crumbles.

Thanks for being on the other end!
Elisa

 

[nuthatched]

Have you soaked her in a warm bath to help her relax and pass the egg? You'll have to dry her and keep her inside in a warm area during her treatment.
Have you inserted a lubricated finger into her vent about 2" in to feel for a stuck egg?
Is she pooping?
I would get human calcium citrate tablets, break it in half and pop both pieces into her beak one at a time. If you can't get it down, crush one tablet and mix it with some baby food or applesauce and feed it to her that way if she is willingly eating.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi, hope someone here might have some help/suggestions???

My 18 week old Cream Legbar has not been doing well for the last 3-4 days. She is a runt and half the size of her same age chick mates. Don't know if that is important or not. She has been listless, weak, little appetite, and is tipsy when standing up. She sits most of the day and when she walks it is very slow. Her feathers seem puffy and her necks seems retracted to her shoulders. I thought at first it was coccidiosis, but I don't see any blood in poop. She was on medicated chick feed until a couple weeks ago when we switched to layer crumbles.

Thanks for being on the other end!
Elisa

Can you please post pictures of her?
How long has she had access to soil? Have you introduced any new birds in the last few weeks?
Had she ever laid an egg?
I would go ahead and treat with Corid as it won't hurt her to do so.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Agree with what @DobieLover says: absent of any other background or info here, I'd treat with Corid. It's a low-risk treatment for a high-risk condition. There are a lot of things those symptoms could be, but coccidiosis is low-hanging fruit.

Coccidiosis doesn't always present with blood in poop, but listlessness, puffyness, lack of appetite, and progressive weakness/tipsiness as they starve and dehydrate are key signs. Medicated feed is one tool in the prevention toolbox but just doesn't always work, and Legbars seem like fragile little things.

Your post resonated because one of our 11-week Legbars walked up to me yesterday morning and fell asleep on her feet. I gathered her up, set her back on the roost to nap, and ran to the house for Corid.

I treated with Corid 2 weeks ago based on our soil's history: 1-2 from every group we've raised get sick around this age. It was possible she had encountered some other kind of pathogen or something toxic in the yard, but again, Corid is a lower-risk intervention so worth a try.

I spent the day dipping her beak in a ramekin of a strong dose of Corid (maybe 1/4 tsp to 1/4 cup of water). She finally started voluntarily drinking after 8 hours of me getting her to take a couple drops every couple hours, and she was eating and socializing this morning, but it often takes at least a week for them to really rebound from this stuff. I'm keeping a close eye on her.

All the luck to you!

 

[Heart chickens]

Can you please post pictures of her?
How long has she had access to soil? Have you introduced any new birds in the last few weeks?
Had she ever laid an egg?
I would go ahead and treat with Corid as it won't hurt her to do so.

She has been outside with access to soil for 6 weeks or so. No new birds. No egg laying, the others her age are probably another 2 months away from laying. No rotten food access, but possible wet feed exposure. Photos attached. She puffs out her feathers when standing and titers a little, but mostly sits. Have been forcing feed and water with electrolytes, probiotics, and Nutra drench since Monday evening with no improvement. Do you know if Corid also good if fungal infection? Thanks for the reply back!!!

 

[Heart chickens]

Agree with what @DobieLover says: absent of any other background or info here, I'd treat with Corid. It's a low-risk treatment for a high-risk condition. There are a lot of things those symptoms could be, but coccidiosis is low-hanging fruit.

Coccidiosis doesn't always present with blood in poop, but listlessness, puffyness, lack of appetite, and progressive weakness/tipsiness as they starve and dehydrate are key signs. Medicated feed is one tool in the prevention toolbox but just doesn't always work, and Legbars seem like fragile little things.

Your post resonated because one of our 11-week Legbars walked up to me yesterday morning and fell asleep on her feet. I gathered her up, set her back on the roost to nap, and ran to the house for Corid.

I treated with Corid 2 weeks ago based on our soil's history: 1-2 from every group we've raised get sick around this age. It was possible she had encountered some other kind of pathogen or something toxic in the yard, but again, Corid is a lower-risk intervention so worth a try.

I spent the day dipping her beak in a ramekin of a strong dose of Corid (maybe 1/4 tsp to 1/4 cup of water). She finally started voluntarily drinking after 8 hours of me getting her to take a couple drops every couple hours, and she was eating and socializing this morning, but it often takes at least a week for them to really rebound from this stuff. I'm keeping a close eye on her.

All the luck to you!

THANK YOU!!! On my way to feed store.

 

[OhDangBro]

I know this sounds ridiculous, but when some of my younger ladies forget to drink water they also act like this. At that point I give them some electrolytes with a dropped and they tend to perk back up.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Consider a few other things too:

1) Feed/Diet: What are your birds getting for feed? (she might be just a little young for layer feed - we don't feed that until after they start laying...)
2) Treats: Are they fed treats, what kind, how often?
3) Appetite: You said she had low appetite. When did she drink/eat last?
NOTE: If she hasn't had food or water in a substantial period of time, get it in her as soon as possible. She won't survive any treatment if she's not getting water and some nutrition.
4) Vitamins: Do these young birds get any vitamins regularly; if so, what, in what quantities, and how often?
5) Parasites: Have you checked them for external parasites? Parasites can sap the strength of even the strongest bird.

I agree with the treatment for Coccidiosis, but don't overlook some other potentially obvious issues.

Vitamin water (Nutri-Drench, electrolytes, or the like) or maybe even a little sugar mixed in some water will get her energy back up enough to eat.

 

[Heart chickens]

Thank you to everyone's suggestions. She hasn't been getting better with the Corid and I'm thinking feed could be issue and that she might have Marek's? Checked with feed store where I got her and they said chicks are vaccinated, I know its not 100%. She has been sitting with her right leg forward and crosses her left foot when being put down instead of side by side making me suspect.

I have been forcing feed and liquids her as she rarely shows any interest. She has been getting electrolytes, probiotics and nutri-dench since we brought her in a week ago. I believe poop looks normal. Before that she was recently switched to layer feed from medicated chick feed and I agree, was probably too soon for her given her runt state. Realizing now I should have been more proactive with her form the get go

Will get some chick feed tomorrow and appreciate any other recommendations.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Are you giving nutri-drench and electrolytes along with the Corid?
If so, then stop that. These contradict Corid.

Corid should be the only thing given. Dose is 2tsp liquid Corid or 1 1/2 tsp Powdered Corid per gallon of water. This should be the only source of water during the 5-7 day treatment period.

You mention you think "feed" is the issue? What's wrong with the feed? Is it not fresh, is it moldy?

Please post some photos of the feed and the chick's poop.