URGENT!! Sick chicken, lethargic, diarrhoea :(

[millyandthechickens]

My chicken Spotty, has been very lethargic the past three days. She is usually very active and now is not moving a lot (either sitting or standing all the time). Her poos have become very watery yellow poos. She is not eating a lot and hasn't been drinking frequently either. She also hasn't been laying eggs for the past four days (usually one every day). Her tail is drooping and you can tell she is very poorly. We noticed she ate a small snake or a slow worm last week and were thinking it could be due to that?

Are there any ideas as to what has happened, and how to treat please?

Thanks

(poo picture attached)

 

[cmlw1882]

Sounds like she could be egg bound/laying internally.

 

[cmlw1882]

this is what her poo looks like

Yes definitely sounds that way, usually from one breaking inside or having a fright half way through laying, we put a towel over ours and lowered her in warm water and massaged her internally, she was OK for a bit but I'm sorry to say we had to have her put to sleep as she was completely full of eggs.

 

[millyandthechickens]

Yes definitely sounds that way, usually from one breaking inside or having a fright half way through laying, we put a towel over ours and lowered her in warm water and massaged her internally, she was OK for a bit but I'm sorry to say we had to have her put to sleep as she was completely full of eggs.

Oh no, thank you for your reply though. My concern is that the yellow is so much paler than her usual egg yolk colour, so don't know if its food poisoning or something?

 

[cmlw1882]

Oh no, thank you for your reply though. My concern is that the yellow is so much paler than her usual egg yolk colour, so don't know if its food poisoning or something?

Its mixed with everything else so it does look paler. If you Google it should give you a better idea of how it presents itself. Good luck hope she's OK xx

 

[millyandthechickens]

Looked into egg bound chickens and tried the Epsom Salt Bath. She seemed fairly tranquil in the bath but I felt a round/massaged and did not feel any egg shaped masses

Attached a post-bath photo (bearing in mind she is a large chicken so abdomen looks big anyway)

 

[cmlw1882]

Looked into egg bound chickens and tried the Epsom Salt Bath. She seemed fairly tranquil in the bath but I felt a round/massaged and did not feel any egg shaped masses

Attached a post-bath photo (bearing in mind she is a large chicken so abdomen looks big anyway)

I'd see how it goes, see if she lays tomorrow. Xx

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She also hasn't been laying eggs for the past four days (usually one every day). Her tail is drooping and you can tell she is very poorly.

(bearing in mind she is a large chicken so abdomen looks big anyway)

Sorry to hear she's not feeling well.
Her saggy bottom - what does that feel like - fluid filled, hard, swollen, etc.?
Yes, I realize she's a large bird - I have some of those too - but to me it looks like her abdomen is distended a bit.

Along with the color of the poop and your description of symptoms, I would lean toward her having a reproductive problem. She may have had a membrane collapse inside the oviduct and the contents spill out making her not feel well - hate to say it but time will tell.

The soaking won't hurt - you may want to feel inside her vent about 1-2" - see if there is an egg or that may promote her to expel a membrane if one is in there.
I would make sure she's drinking, give her a direct dose of poultry vitamins and 1 tablet of Calcium.

If she continues to be lethargic, then she may benefit from an antibiotic -possibly if she laid internally, she may have infection irritation from egg material - still all speculation on my part, I am not a vet.

 

[cmlw1882]

Any improvement or egg laying?