Talk me off the ledge here....

[soot87]

So we have been at this chicken keeping thing for a couple weeks now. So all birds are still very new to the area and each other. The two black austrolorps, a buff orp and prod red are all doing great. Laying eggs and sleeping all together and acting as chickens should. My brown leghorn is not acting well. She sleeps alone in the nest box, she acts really sleepy all the time, she is not laying(we bought her knowing she wasn't yet), she is being picked on a little by the big production red. She gets run off the food first thing in the morning. However I do see her get to eat and drink. She just has to do it last. She sits by herself out side in the run as well looking very sleepy and lethargic(eyes closed half the time). I can't tell if this is normal molting behavior(pretty sure she's molting) or if she is sick or if this is just a bird that did not handle the change of a new environment then two new birds being introduced a week later one of which is picking on her. I'm seriously considering putting her down. She just doesn't seem like she's having very much fun with life at all and I just don't want her to suffer. If this is normal for a stressed or molting bird please let me know. I don't want to put a bird down needlessly buy also letting them suffer isn't good either. Thanks.

 

[applegal]

Stay away from the edge... you don't have to go there.

Adding birds to a flock stresses everybody. Younger chickens or those low in the pecking will sometimes hide in the nest boxes to avoid being picked on. The sleepiness is a concern though. Go ahead and separate her and keep her warm. This will help to ensure that she is getting enough food and won't be picked on while she's feeling droopy.

-add some apple cider vinegar to the water or some vitamins like nutri-drench, or even vet rx
-check her for mites or lice - may need a dusting or spraying
-could be worms or parasites, so you may want to consider worming
-check to see if she has runny poos or any other symptoms that could help you narrow it down.

When my girls are droopy I give them oatmeal and yogurt for an extra treat. Fresh fruit might perk her up to.

She is eating and drinking, so that is good. Try some basic remedies, do some research. You may need to try an antibiotic depending on what you find out. Doesn't sound like she is suffering at this point. She is not in pain is she?

Good Luck!
Diana

 

[soot87]

Ok thanks I think that helps. We're worming everyone with DE right now not sure of they have them or not but someone has some runny poo. We'll be adding the vinegar to their water as well. She is not in pain as far as I can tell.

 

[dawg53]

Ok thanks I think that helps. We're worming everyone with DE right now not sure of they have them or not but someone has some runny poo. We'll be adding the vinegar to their water as well. She is not in pain as far as I can tell.

There are possibly 3 issues that you could be dealing with; she may have lice/mites, worms, or she's eggbound. I recommend that you follow Applegal's advice.
FYI: DE does not prevent nor treat worms.

 

[casportpony]

There are possibly 3 issues that you could be dealing with; she may have lice/mites, worms, or she's eggbound. I recommend that you follow Applegal's advice.
FYI: DE does not prevent nor treat worms.

Been there, done that, now I use a proper wormer.

 

[casportpony]

This is a cut and paste from another post of mine

When mine get sick, this is what I do:

• Thorough exam which includes inserting a gloved, lubed finger into the cloaca to check for an egg, check for cuts, bruising lumps etc.
• Dust for mites/lice with poultry dust even if I cannot see any. DE does not work.
• Weigh on digital kitchen scale (see avatar), record weight and weigh daily. any weight loss is bad.
• Place bird in a warm, quiet place on towel with food and water that it can't drown in.
• De-worm with Safeguard or Panacur, liquid or paste 50mg/kg by mouth and repeat in 10 days. Warning - Safeguard/Panacur (fenbendazle should not be used during a molt)
• Once warm, if not drinking, and crop is empty, hydrate with warmed Pedialyte or lactated ringers with a feeding tube - 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours.
• If not eating after 24 hours and crop is empty, tube feed baby bird food mixed with Pedialyte
• Inspect poop.
• If I suspect a stuck egg, treat for egg binding.
• If I suspect a bacterial infection, treat with antibiotics.

From: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf
Supportive Care
SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid​

therapy.

 

[casportpony]

If she is just molting, you might want to give her some higher protein food, like turkey starter or gamebird crumbles.

 

[soot87]

Thanks for all if the info! Gonna give her a little more time pretty sure she's just really stressed. As far as DE goes it actually does work they even use it on people for worms. And no I'm not a crazy as far as natural medicine and junk goes. Actually I just about started a family feud with family members who are. It may not be as effective as normal wormers but it will treat and prevent. Here's a reputable source which I've found. My wife's a nurse and she says they use pubmed.gov often in the medical field. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21673156/ seriously thanks for all the replies.