Very thin, clumsy chicken. Please help :(

[Lucky509]

One of my hens is very thin, with a pale comb, and she can barely stand or walk. She stumbles like a drunk man. When it first started she was just thin, and losing feathers so I thought it was just moulting but then she went downhill from there. She still eats a lot, I don't know what's wrong, please help.

another chicken is also following in her tracks, but she is not near as bad

 

[fried green eggs]

You should quarantine the sick birds from the rest of the flock and heighten biosecurity ie. don't ware same shoes, clothes etc when caring for your healthy birds - incase it is viral How old are they? What does their poop look like? Do they have lice, mites, worms or is this viral? There are several illnesses that can start out with these symptoms so it's hard to advise.

 

[Eggcessive]

Check to see that her crop is emptying by morning. Worms or mites can cause extreme weakness and anemia. Molting is very hard on some chickens. Offering some high protein treats such as tuna, liver, or dry cat food in small amounts could help. Observe her droppings for a day or two. Did she have a Mareks vaccine?

 

[Lucky509]

Ok, I quarantined them both, they are 1 and a half years old i am not sure what their poop looks like, will wait to see, it's only the two of them who have it, the other three are very healthy, I don't think its mites but I will check and dust them just in case. I was thinking it could be worms, not sure.
I will check her crop in the morning and I gave her some warm, ground up oatmeal and I don't think she got the mareks vaccine, she was a classroom chick. Thank you, I will tell you what I find in the morning

 

[Lucky509]

And another thing, when I was feeding her the liquid oatmeal, every time she stopped eating it, her stomach growled, it was very strange

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard on them to worm while molting, but when you worm, use a broad spectrum wormer such as safeguard liquid wormer or valbazen that get more than just round worm.

 

[fried green eggs]

And another thing, when I was feeding her the liquid oatmeal, every time she stopped eating it, her stomach growled, it was very strange

You could mix in some plain regular yogurt good for their gut when they don't feel well. Hope they are doing better by morning.

 

[Lucky509]

Thank you

 

[Lucky509]

So, this morning I went into the bathroom, opened up the dog kennel and saw her lying on her side. I thought she was dead, went to touch her and she is barely alive. She cannot stand at all. I was holding her from the belly, while cleaning her cage, and when I took my hand back it was covered in little black mites I had this problem last winter, and I looked on her behind for mites, they must just be on her belly. I am going to dust her in the miticide but what can I do to keep her alive until it works?

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry to hear about your girl. She may be dying. If you can mix up some electrolytes, Pedialyte, or Gatorade, and get her to drink it might help her. Here is a recipe: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-heat-stress-dehydration-and.html