Very sick chicken- please help

[lbiermann]

I have a one year old Dominick hen that has never laid an egg. The past couple of days she has become increasingly lethargic, depressed, has diarrhea, poop on her bottom, and she seems to have trouble walking, like she might topple over with each step. I put ACV in their water, cleaned her bottom, but I don't know what else to do for her? They have free access to oyster shells too. Could she be egg bound? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not likely egg bound. If she's never laid an egg at one year she would already have been dead. She likely wasn't healthy from the get go.
She should have been laying by 20 weeks or so.

 

[lbiermann]

Is it possible that she is starting to lay now, but became egg bound??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Egg bound birds visit the nest frequently, have a pulsing vent and verbally complain.
I'm pretty sure it is something else and since you are feeding a bird that doesn't lay eggs and is unhealthy, well you know the rest.

 

[lbiermann]

Okay, so not eggbound. Does anyone have an idea about what it could be? I am not sure if I should be worried about my other chickens? I have them separated for now, just in case.

 

[realsis]

have you considered possible coccidosis? you do NOT have to have bloody poo to have cocci. symptoms are lethargic sleepy ruffled feathers upset stomach. if you think it could be coccidosis you can treat with corid. or amproluim its the same. corid cures all 9 strains of cocci. take a look at coccidosis online and see what you think. keeping in mind bloody poo does not have to be present and older chickens can still get cocci. I hope this helps and good luck. cocci would not cause trouble walking that's the only thing. the trouble walking makes me wonder if she is not bound or laying internally. have you done a vent exam? when you say trouble walking what exactly do you mean? how exactly is she walking?

 

[casportpony]

Is it possible that she is starting to lay now, but became egg bound??

It's possible that she started a long time ago and that her first egg is still in her and the cause of the problem. Many don't know this, but they can get a stuck egg and linger on for months. Get a glove, KY Jelly and do a cloacal exam.

I had one that never laid an egg, never went to the nest, etc. She was looking off one day, so I did the exam and felt the mass... I think she lived for a couple of months after that.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Okay, so not eggbound. Does anyone have an idea about what it could be? I am not sure if I should be worried about my other chickens? I have them separated for now, just in case.

It sounds like an egg problem to me, do an exam ASAP.

 

[lbiermann]

Thank you for your help and suggestions. We lost her yesterday morning. I didn't feel a mass, but I also have no idea what I'm doing/what it would feel like! All the other chickens look healthy and without issues, so I'm hoping it was an egg issue and not something contagious. Just as a precaution I disinfected the coop, hen house and related supplies yesterday. Again, thank you for the help from everyone on here.

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss. You could try to do a necropsy yourself or send her off to a lab. If you live in the US, many States do them for free.

-Kathy