sick RIR, please help

[tabary]

I believe one of my RIR hens is sick and I'm not sure what is wrong or what I can do to help. Her symptoms started recently with her laying soft or sometimes shell-less eggs, usually at night from her roost pole. This went on for a week or so and I tried adding some vitamin D and ACV to their water as well as some egg shells to their food. The past two days have been worse in my opinion. She has been staying under my deck all day and not comming out until evening when she goes into her coop. Last night she ran into the coop in the evening and went straight into a nest box and sat for awhile. I checked her after an hour or so and noticed she has some very watery poop under her. I cleaned her up and brought her inside into a seperate box with wood shavings to keep a better watch over her. She appears to have slept overnight and has continued sleeping well past the normal time all the other chickens usually get up. I've noticed the fingers on her crown have also become slightly droopy. I dont know if her tiredness and droopy crown are from her being tired or not eating/drinking or from an actual illness. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do. The LSU school of veternary medicine is across town and does take all animals into their small animal clinic and I don't know if i should try bringing her over there or if i can just do something from home.

 

[ten chicks]

I believe one of my RIR hens is sick and I'm not sure what is wrong or what I can do to help. Her symptoms started recently with her laying soft or sometimes shell-less eggs, usually at night from her roost pole. This went on for a week or so and I tried adding some vitamin D and ACV to their water as well as some egg shells to their food. The past two days have been worse in my opinion. She has been staying under my deck all day and not comming out until evening when she goes into her coop. Last night she ran into the coop in the evening and went straight into a nest box and sat for awhile. I checked her after an hour or so and noticed she has some very watery poop under her. I cleaned her up and brought her inside into a seperate box with wood shavings to keep a better watch over her. She appears to have slept overnight and has continued sleeping well past the normal time all the other chickens usually get up. I've noticed the fingers on her crown have also become slightly droopy. I dont know if her tiredness and droopy crown are from her being tired or not eating/drinking or from an actual illness. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do. The LSU school of veternary medicine is across town and does take all animals into their small animal clinic and I don't know if i should try bringing her over there or if i can just do something from home.

If she has the correct amount of calcium and vitamin D,and there have been no disturbances at night to upset her,then i would be concerned. High salt intake(in food/water)can also be a problem. If you feel she is showing symptoms of illness,i would take her to a vet. Infectious Bronchitis(there are other diseases besides IB) is one disease that can cause this,not saying she has it as there would probably be respiratory symptoms,but"better safe than sorry".

 

[CluckCluck18]

So sorry to hear about your girl....I have had this happen many times and have a few suggestions. When the weather warms up my girls tend to eat less and then their calcium levels can drop. I also have a few girls who would rather eat treats then their feed. So in the summer I give very few treats and make sure they pig out on feed. I limit their treats to things that will cool them off.....watermelon, some lettuce or squash. You can also try something called Calciboost.
It's a liquid calcium that you can put in the water. I had to order mine on line but some pet stores have it.
Another thing I just learned from this site last week is about ACV. I try to keep my flock organic and always use it in their water.....so good for their stomachs and respiratory systems. But what I found out from The Chicken Chick (she is soooo knowledgeable) is that ACV can affect calcium absorption! So in the summer months don't give it. Calcium is better absorbed in an alkaline environment and you could even add some baking soda to the water as well. Who knew???
That's why this site is such a Godsend. I stopped my ACV this week and cut way back on treats and so far so good. :/
Hope this helps a little and let us know how your girl is doing....

 

[realsis]

How is your girl doing today? Update please.