Update with poo pic! (yummy) Lethargic Chicken, feathers "worn off" belly, possible problems??

[erin175]

I went to throw some scraps to my flock tonight, and had 1 Australorp hen (right at 1 yr old) who didn't come running. She was sitting on the ground. I poked her with my toe a couple times and she didn't move. I carried her into the run and she didn't move around. I haven't noticed anything recently bothering her, and she doesn't show any obvious sign of injury. I've brought her inside and provided some water & yogurt. Upon closer inspection, she seems pretty light (like maybe she's lost weight?) but I can't be sure. I also noticed all the feathers are worn off her belly? Like she's been sitting for a long time and worn them off?? I have 14 hens (no roosters) so I really can't say if this particular chicken has been laying or not. She hasn't been broody that I've noticed either. I realize this is very little info to go on, but any suggestions for treatment?

 

[Urchin]

Are you sure she's not broody? Australorps are known to do so. She sounds like she might be to me. I've had all four of my silkies hens and both bantam cochins go broody on me at least once. They pluck their feathers out of their breasts so that their skin will be in contact with the eggs. They will stubbornly sit on their chosen nesting place, even if they're brooding nothing. The way they sit is not the usual way you see a chicken sitting down. They'll be flat, kind of like they deflated a bit. If you bother them, they may growl, peck, or lower their heads and spread their wings a bit to try to scare you off. Some of mine come down with a case of "jelly legs" when they're broody. My blue silkie hen will just sink back down into a broody hen sitting position if I take her off her nest. Even if I throw her out in the yard she'll just sit there until one of the other chickens starts to bother her. Broodies also spend most of the day on nests, so they're not out eating and drinking like normal. They will lose a bit of weight because they'll get up only once a day to eat, drink and poop.. Best way to tell she's truly broody and not a sick, lethargic chicken? Keep her inside for a day or two. Watch for her to produce the biggest, nastiest, smelliest poop you will ever experience as a chicken owner. That's broody poop. You can't mistake what it is. I canguarantee that.

If she is broody, there are threads on here on how to break a hen of broodiness. I'm trying to break five broodies right now without the use of my broody breaking cage. I usually set that up in the garage, but my husband is refinishing all the woodwork in the house, so he's staining and varnishing all the doors and floorboards out there. Thus, I'm stuck evicting them all from their nests three times a day.

 

[erin175]

She seems so lethargic though?? She doesn't object whatsoever when I mess with her (which is SO unlike her, she's the most vocal & stand offish in my flock). I haven't caught her in the nest box sitting. She didn't poop at all last night. I've offered her yogurt, goldfish crackers & grapes and she hasn't touched any of it. She will drink from a dropper.

But she does exhibit many of the symptoms you mentioned. Jelly legs & the position she lays/sits in.

 

[erin175]

So I found this glorious poop this morning... Looks like it has yolk in it?? She's much more alert but still less perky than normal. She had a 2nd poo that was much smaller and almost exclusively the yellow stuff?? She's eating meal worms but nothing else.

 

[erin175]

ALSO I inspected a few other flock members (who are acting perfectly fine) and found their belly feathers "worn off" too?? Weirdness.

 

[Urchin]

I wish I knew what to tell you. Loss of feathers could be due to parasites, molting --although not everyone in the flock is going to molt in the exact same place at the exact same time -- or feather pecking. Diarrhea can be caused by anything from cocci to a bacterial infection and everything in between. Yellow poo could be cocci, worms or an e coli infection.

Here's a good synopsis of the causes of feather loss: http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/reasons-for-missing-feathers-in.html