Sudden weakness in hen, strange poops

[LikeTurkeys]

Hello,
I need some help with one of my hens. She is an Easter Egger that is coming up on 2 years old. Last night, when I went out to close the coop, I found her in the nesting box, but there was no egg and she hadn't laid that day (her last egg was on the 22nd). I took her out and put her on the roost. This morning, I find that she has gone back into the box. She is not broody and is suddenly very weak, so much so that when I took her she could not jump back up to the boxes. The weakness is very sudden because she was acting normal yesterday. While she was out, she passed a strange poop that looked like an egg white with urates in it. She did this a couple more times in smaller amounts. Her bum was dirty so I washed it in the sink and she is now sitting by me in a box near the fire. (She would have never tolerated this if she were healthy, but now she is just sitting there). I felt her abdomen and it seems normal. She must have eaten this morning because I can tell she has feed in her crop, but she will not accept any now. I've attached some photos of her and her poop. If you need any more information, please ask and I will answer to the best of my ability.

 

[azygous]

Has she ever had any egg quality issues? Shell-less eggs?

Is there a constant discharge of thin fluid coming out of her vent? If you push against her vent, does it make her squat and strain as if she needs to poop?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Thank you so much for replying. I know it is Christmas day and many people are spending time with their families.

Has she ever had any egg quality issues? Shell-less eggs?

Never to my knowledge. A bit on the long side but otherwise normal.

Is there a constant discharge of thin fluid coming out of her vent? If you push against her vent, does it make her squat and strain as if she needs to poop?

It is not constant. She did poop fluid (the consistency of egg white) with some urates in it. I have not observed any normal poop (with the normal greenish/gray solids and a urate cap) today. And when I press against her vent it does not cause her to strain or squat.

 

[azygous]

Has she been free-ranging? Could she have dug up anything moldy or rotten?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Has she been free-ranging? Could she have dug up anything moldy or rotten?

They were not out yesterday or the day before that, though they were today and I think the day before that... I have been keeping them in more because of a hawk attack earlier this month (and in general the hawk presence seems to have gone up). It is unlikely that she ate something moldy... even less so rotten unless there is something I don't know about. We do have Amanita mushrooms that come up once in a while but I have never seen the chickens interested in them and we try to remove them as fast as they come up. How fast would poisoning set in? If she had eaten a mushroom, the latest it could be is on the 22nd.

 

[azygous]

Poisoning would produce much quicker onset symptoms and they would include balance issues and perhaps paralysis.

How about crop issues? Have you checked?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Poisoning would produce much quicker onset symptoms and they would include balance issues and perhaps paralysis.

How about crop issues? Have you checked?

Yes, I would think poisoning would show itself quicker as well. I have checked her crop and it seems normal, but since she has only really been sick today I have not had time to separate her from the flock (who have feed most of the day). She will be in the garage tonight and I will keep food out till tomorrow morning so I can check her crop (to see if it's empty). It has some feed in it now but it is a normal amount, not mushy or hard, nor does it smell off.

 

[azygous]

After covering these last few details, I think my hunch of infection may be what we're looking at.

If she continues to be lethargic, the poop continues to be watery and white, and no appetite, I would start her on an oral antibiotic in the morning. Can you access one? I know it's hard in California, but if you have a pet store or pigeon supply shop or aquarium shop, check for pigeon sulfa or fish mox. Either of those are good ones.

One other possibility would be coccidiosis, and infection often accompanies it. It wouldn't hurt to get some Corid and give her a round of treatment. I would also do a Corid drench along with the drinking water. Give .1ml per pound of body weight of undiluted Corid once a day for three days along with the daily five day Corid drinking water.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

After covering these last few details, I think my hunch of infection may be what we're looking at.

If she continues to be lethargic, the poop continues to be watery and white, and no appetite, I would start her on an oral antibiotic in the morning. Can you access one? I know it's hard in California, but if you have a pet store or pigeon supply shop or aquarium shop, check for pigeon sulfa or fish mox. Either of those are good ones.

One other possibility would be coccidiosis, and infection often accompanies it. It wouldn't hurt to get some Corid and give her a round of treatment. I would also do a Corid drench along with the drinking water. Give .1ml per pound of body weight of undiluted Corid once a day for three days along with the daily five day Corid drinking water.

Thanks so much for the detailed information! I do have Fish Mox (500 mg capsules) and Fish Cephalexin (also 500 mg capsules). Do you have any recommendations on how to administer and whether you think Fish Mox (amoxicillin) would be better?

I will try to get some Corid tomorrow, I am pretty sure my TSC has it (in 1 gal jugs for sure, but maybe I can find a smaller quantity. Either way it will be useful).

She is in the garage now, settling into her quarantine cage. She is actually perking up a little bit and walking around more than she was today, despite the fact that I just woke her up out of a deep sleep. I hope that's a good sign!

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Just pooped this:

It has some solids in it, but still very watery. The consistency is much thinner however, not thick like the egg-white-like ones (if you can write it that way ) earlier today.