Sickly Chicken. What Could It Be?

[chickencoop789]

My 2 year old BR hen looks like she is sick. Her comb and waddles are looking pale, her feathers seem unkempt, she has been having watery poops for the past week or so, and she seems to be very thin. My initial thought was that it could be worms. I put Wazine 17 in her water this morning, but haven't seen her drink any yet. I gave her some rice last night and she ate all of it. She got some more this morning and ate only a little of it. She gave her pellets a few pecks but didn't really eat it. She had a very poppy butt so I gave her a quick bath last night. As I was doing that, I realized that her abdomen below her vent it bright red, hot, and hard to the touch. She is quarantined from the rest of the flock until I know what she might have, but I'm clueless. All she really does is stand still with her eyes closed and head pulled in. Does anyone know what this might be? I can post poop pics if it will help anyone.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Is her abdomen swollen or bloated as well as red? Could be peritonitis or maybe even vent gleet. Vent gleet usually presents with a sticky, smelly discharge. Peritonitis can cause runny poop or diarrhea. If she has peritonitis it could have a few different causes, often due to internal laying but other things as well. Sometimes a round of antibiotic's helps but there is usually an underlying problem that antibiotic's won't cure.

I would still go ahead and worm her, all of them actually, especially if they've never been wormed before. I wouldn't bother with Wazine though, it will only treat round worms and there are many worms chickens get. Get some Valbazen or liquid Safeguard for goats. 1/2 cc per standard bird, repeat dose in 10 days.

 

[chickencoop789]

It doesn't seem bloated or swollen. Just hot and red. I gave them the wormer today.