Urgent! Chicken falling over/bright green poop.

[OldPetune]

Hello! My chicken, Petunia, is an almost four-year-old Leghorn (she was a rescue from a hatchery, so we got her when she was two years old and have had her since July 2017, I assume her life in the hatchery was stressful).

She's gotten sick before (I thought on the brink of death) and Corid seemed to do the trick (she rallied and had been doing well for the past few months).

She seems to be knocking at death's door again... Her poop is runny and kind of a dark, bright green. The main trouble seems to be that she's lethargic and loses her balance constantly - she kind of looks drunk? For example, she walked into the coop and appeared to trip, then she just laid there and started eating her regular food.

I've already given the Corid for the recommended amount of time, and no improvement. I haven't noticed any external parasites. I'm currently giving Wazine and an antibiotic, but those don't seem to be helping either. I'm not sure what to do... She's currently isolated (in a carrier with bedding - wood shavings, food, and water) in the house. Our other two girls (approximately 6 months old) are their usual, silly, active selves.

If anyone has any ideas about what might be going on or how to help, I'd much appreciate your input. I'm not planning to take her to a vet. If she is in the process of dying, is there anything that can ease her suffering (I won't kill her).

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

It sounds like a respiratory infection green poo usually means respiratory infection I had a turkey with the same thing it looked close to lifeless and pooped green I gave it electrolytes and it was much better the next day and she grew to a large turkey hen! I hope this helps

 

[Eggcessive]

At 4 years old and having problems balancing, I would suspect that she may have a reproductive disorder, such as internal laying, salpingitis, egg peritonitis or something similar that is making her ill. They may have all sorts of possible symptoms, such as waddling, upright posture, runny poops, weight loss, sometimes enlargement of the lower belly between the legs, and others. Antibiotics usually do not cure it, but some can see improvement if used early in symptoms. Can you feel between her legs of her lower belly for any enlargement?

 

[OldPetune]

It sounds like a respiratory infection green poo usually means respiratory infection I had a turkey with the same thing it looked close to lifeless and pooped green I gave it electrolytes and it was much better the next day and she grew to a large turkey hen! I hope this helps

Thank you! I'll try that!!

At 4 years old and having problems balancing, I would suspect that she may have a reproductive disorder, such as internal laying, salpingitis, egg peritonitis or something similar that is making her ill. They may have all sorts of possible symptoms, such as waddling, upright posture, runny poops, weight loss, sometimes enlargement of the lower belly between the legs, and others. Antibiotics usually do not cure it, but some can see improvement if used early in symptoms. Can you feel between her legs of her lower belly for any enlargement?

I'll try to check... she stopped laying about a year ago, does that make any difference? If there is an enlargement, what should I do?

 

[Grits&Eggs]

can you take pics of the poo?

 

[Wyndi Fosh]

Of course it could be a number of things....labored breathing? splayed legs? If you answered no to those questions, I would venture to say it's wry neck and that is a vitamin E/selenium deficiency.
If there's labored breathing and respiratory issues, Newcastle's Disease....if there's splayed legs, Marek's Disease. If you catch it quick enough with a vitamin E/selenium supplement, it should clear up in days. I didn't catch mine quick enough, and it will take weeks. (I just posted about it, too). Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

If it is a reproductive disorder causing her symptoms, there may not be too much that you can do, other than trying to keep her fed and comfortable, and prevent bullying which can happen when the others spot weakness in a chicken.
Some try an antibiotic, such as Baytril, which is banned in chickens. It treats E.coli, mycoplasma, and many other bacteria that can be responsible for reproductive infections. I can tell you where to get it. Some put them down when they seem to be suffering.

I have been treating such a hen for about 6 weeks. She could not balance well enough to get around for about a month. After feeding her well and keeping her nourished, she has been up and about acting more normally for the last 2 weeks. However she cannot be with the others because they pick on her. She spends her days across a fence from her flock free ranging, and spend her nights in a cage inside the coop.

 

[OldPetune]

Of course it could be a number of things....labored breathing? splayed legs? If you answered no to those questions, I would venture to say it's wry neck and that is a vitamin E/selenium deficiency.
If there's labored breathing and respiratory issues, Newcastle's Disease....if there's splayed legs, Marek's Disease. If you catch it quick enough with a vitamin E/selenium supplement, it should clear up in days. I didn't catch mine quick enough, and it will take weeks. (I just posted about it, too). Good luck!

Thank you, I'll look into getting the supplement. Her breathing seems okay. Her legs aren't splayed, but she can't stand up and her toes are curled.

 

[OldPetune]

If it is a reproductive disorder causing her symptoms, there may not be too much that you can do, other than trying to keep her fed and comfortable, and prevent bullying which can happen when the others spot weakness in a chicken.
Some try an antibiotic, such as Baytril, which is banned in chickens. It treats E.coli, mycoplasma, and many other bacteria that can be responsible for reproductive infections. I can tell you where to get it. Some put them down when they seem to be suffering.

I have been treating such a hen for about 6 weeks. She could not balance well enough to get around for about a month. After feeding her well and keeping her nourished, she has been up and about acting more normally for the last 2 weeks. However she cannot be with the others because they pick on her. She spends her days across a fence from her flock free ranging, and spend her nights in a cage inside the coop.

Yes, please do let me know where to get Baytril. I took her out of the carrier we've been keeping her in to clean it out and freshen it up and her belly/between her legs felt fluid filled. She ate a little, but couldn't stand up when she tried (she just flopped over) and her toes were curled under. She had been vocal throughout her life, but didn't make any noise or seem distressed while I was holding her, which I'm hoping means she's not suffering terribly. If I were confident that I could quickly and painlessly euthanizeher, I'd probably start thinking about that, but I've never done it and I just don't think I could. I'll probably keep trying things and hoping she gets better until she's gone.

 

[OldPetune]

can you take pics of the poo?

I would, but when I cleaned her out this evening, the wood shavings were just wet where her booty was (no solid matter).