UPDATE - Golden Comet Tammy is sick and sad - what could be wrong?

[BlueMoon]

My sweet chatty Golden Comet, Tammy, seems sick. She's all puffed up. Droppings look fine, but little appetite. She has her head under her wing most of the time.
I think she was soaked in the rainstorm a few days ago, so I gave her a warm bath and blew dry her. She looked better and more alert after this, but now looks sad again. I have her isolated now.

What are the signs of hypothermia for chickens?

Also, her wattles are shriveled, but her comb is fine. And the other chickens weren't picking on her.

Any idea what could be wrong or what I should do? She is not even two years old and a sweetheart of a hen.

11/02 - She's gained a little weight back, but still huddled and puffed up. I noticed when she walks, her bottom nearly drags. I'm now really worried - the deworming hasn't made much of a difference and I'm now thinking she has some kind of infection.

Any thoughts on what I should be looking for? Thank you!

 

[dlhunicorn]

keep her in a temp stable area (warm) and give vit/electrolytes....
When was the last time she was wormed? (Whenever a bird is stressed (cold/heat) then parasites and illness can follow.

 

[hinkjc]

She could be going into moult. Do you see any signs of feathers under the roost or new quills on her (usually at the neck is most visible)?

Jody

 

[BlueMoon]

I don't think she's going into moult, didn't notice fresh quills when bathing her.

I dewormed her in early June, so I don't think that's it.

She's in a warm place (husband's woodshop) with bread, feed, an apple and water with honey in it until I can get something with electrolytes. I'm just home and her head is still under her wing. It's sunny and warm now, so I bring her out for a bit.

Thanks - any advice or ideas are ever so welcomed!

 

[dlhunicorn]

personally, if it were me I would get a faecal (yes she could have worms even if you did deworm her in June)

 

[BlueMoon]

Thanks. She gobbled down the cat food and sour cream (I didn't have yoghurt) and drank much of the honey water. I didn't want to give her too much too quickly. I'm off to check on her in a few minutes and see how she fared last night.

Is it a good idea to deworm periodically anyhow? We have 95 chickens, of various breeds and ages, and they usually free range during the day. There's no shortage of wild turkeys and ducks in these parts either, so I often wonder if they may be carrying any diseases or illnesses to our flock.

 

[dlhunicorn]

That is a loaded question as many feel very strongly on the issue, but in my case (mine are pets and I dont give a hoot about the eggs) I do deworm them three-four times a year alternating a spot-on (ivomec Eprinex) with fenbendazole or valbendazol ...alternating so as to avoid as much as possible resistance issues. I also alternate when and how often I worm...one year twice within ten days of each other and then perhaps with a four or five month period in between...( if you have birds you have worms... it is just that they might not be in the stage to show up in a faecal.)

 

[BlueMoon]

Another Golden Comet was killed last night, not sure by what, so all other chickens are in their pen today. I brought out Tammy to garden with me. She waits until I've dug into the ground and checks to see if there are worms. She likes worms even better than catfood and I think a few hours in the sun is doing her well.
Her weight is down tremendously. I'll deworm everyone tonight (seemed fair enough to let her pig out on the big worms today!).
After I've dewormed, when can we eat the eggs again?
Thanks!

 

[dlhunicorn]

Well, you cant keep them away from the worms but it is ill advised to encourage them to eat earthworms as they are the source of many internal worms (they are the host)...see here:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tpou05.htm

 

[BlueMoon]

Oh no! I was just so glad she was eating anything without enormous encouragement! I've just given her (and the rest) Wazine (??) and hope that helps too.

Thank you so much for all your help with this. I think she'll pull thru, if it's worms and she's just extremely malnourished.