Suddenly lethargic pullet, need advice

[9to5Girls]

I awoke to a potentially sick chicken this morning. She’s a sapphire olive egger that hatched on 3/20/23. She was doing fine yesterday: eating, drinking, and frolicking. She free ranges during the day with our 5 other chickens. They are fed Scratch and Peck layer feed amended with herbs in a metal treadle feeder and have access to clean water in several locations. They also get fresh fruit and veggies, most recently cucumber on Thursday (7/27).

She has been acting like she’s ready to lay her first egg for a couple of days and I’ve been encouraging her to roost in the nest box, but she has not produced an egg.

This morning she wouldn’t come out of the coop and is very lethargic. I have her isolated in a pen in our garage and she mostly lays with her beak open (see pics), alternating between awake and asleep. There is no sign of trauma. I’ve checked her crop, which had a small amount of feed, and I’ve massaged it gently to help push things through. I’ve offered her scrambled eggs as well as mealworms and she ate just a few bites. I’ve given her water with probiotics through a syringe. I’ve checked her vent, which appears clean and normal. I also gently explored inside her vent for a possible egg, but didn’t feel anything. Immediately afterwards she produced a small poo (see pic), but otherwise has not pooped since I found her at 6am.

I’d like to know: what else, if anything, should I try? Should I take her to the vet ER?

 

[EChicky]

If you feel like you want to you could take her to the vet, but sometimes they can't do anything. Is it hot where you live?

 

[9to5Girls]

If you feel like you want to you could take her to the vet, but sometimes they can't do anything. Is it hot where you live?

It’s been in the low 80s this past week. There’s plenty of shade and I have a fan going in the barn to keep the coops well ventilated for those laying eggs. I’ve also been providing cold watermelon and cucumbers and putting ice in their water.

It’s about 74 in the garage where I have my sick girl isolated in a pen.

I’ve contacted the vet and they can’t get us in until next week. Even though they have an ER, they’re apparently so overwhelmed that they aren’t seeing any new patients.

I did administer 500mg of calcium citrate about 30 minutes ago. Hopefully that will help if it’s egg related.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that she is drinking water in case of dehydration. Can you insert a clean or gloved finger into her vent 2 inches to feel for an egg or obstruction? Are her urates as yellow in person as in the picture?

 

[9to5Girls]

Make sure that she is drinking water in case of dehydration. CN you insert a clean or gloved finger into her vent 2 inches to feel for an egg or obstruction? Are her urates as yellow in person as in the picture?

Thank you

I’ve been giving her water with probiotics via syringe about every hour.

I inserted a finger into her vent and didn’t feel any egg or egg pieces.

The urates she expelled after I explored her vent were a pale yellow. What does that mean?