Vitamin Deficiency?

[Junipere]

You can check the crop now if you wish, but the best gauge of crop function is very first thing in the morning before the bird has had anything to eat/drink.
If you feel it now and she's been eating/drinking, then it should feel firmish - like she's been eating. If the crop is really puffy/bloated or has a lot of fluid and she's not been drinking/eating a great deal, then that would be a good sign that there's an issue that needs to be addressed.

The way I do it is feel the crop at night when they go to roost, then first thing before I let them out. They have no food/water in the coop - so crops should be empty/flat.

Treating for Coccidiosis shouldn't be harmful to any of them, you would just cut out "extra" vitamins that contain B1 Thiamine during the course of treatment.

Ok, thanks. The frequency of her head twitching has picked back up to how often I was seeing it yesterday. She’s puffed up and lying on the wet ground.

I tried feeling her crop but I’ve never done this before so I had a really hard time finding it. I tried finding the crop on my other girls and I couldn’t find it on them either BUT one thing I noticed was all the other girls we much heavier and meatier than my sick girl. My sick girl feel incredibly light and scarce honey compared to the others. All I felt was skin and bones. Since she’s been back with the girls I’ve seen her drink but not eat.

 

[Eggcessive]

Feel some crops in the evening while they are on the roost. I pick them up and hold them facing away from me, and run my hand over the right chest from neck to breast. They should feel full and firm if they have been eating. By morning they should be empty and flat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Since it's wet and dreary, you may want to pull her back out. See if she will eat/drink a little. Keep her overnight on puppy pads so you can get another look at her poop and check her crop.

The head shaking, I'm not sure about - you've looked in her ears. It could be related to a crop problem, but look inside her beak too.

 

[LaFleche]

When did you last deworm her? A worm infestation can lead to emaciation and neurological symptoms due to malnutrition.

Did you get her from the same source as all the others?

 

[Junipere]

When did you last deworm her? A worm infestation can lead to emaciation and neurological symptoms due to malnutrition.

Did you get her from the same source as all the others?

I’ve never dewormed her. All but one hen came from TSC last spring. The other hen came from a local seller and has been with my original flock from the start.

Her poop has been worn free (to my eye) so far? Could they be inside her never making their way through her poop?

 

[LaFleche]

I’ve never dewormed her. All but one hen came from TSC last spring. The other hen came from a local seller and has been with my original flock from the start.

Her poop has been worn free (to my eye) so far? Could they be inside her never making their way through her poop?

Worms are seldom seen in their droppings, but have a detrimental effect.

I would deworm her using a dewormer combination containing also Praziquantel (i.e. Equimax), just to be sure that tapeworms would be discharged as well. And then repeat after 10 days.

 

[LaFleche]

All but one hen came from TSC last spring. The other hen came from a local seller and has been with my original flock from the start.

Was by any chance the sick hen the one from the local seller?

 

[Junipere]

Was by any chance the sick hen the one from the local seller?

No she was from TSC like her sisters

 

[Junipere]

Worms are seldom seen in their droppings, but have a detrimental effect.

I would deworm her using a dewormer combination containing also Praziquantel (i.e. Equimax), just to be sure that tapeworms would be discharged as well. And then repeat after 10 days.

Can you recommend a dewormer w/ praziquantel?

 

[LaFleche]

Can you recommend a dewormer w/ praziquantel?

The dewormers I use here in Germany are different, but living in the U.S., you could get some Equimax horse dewormer, which is often recommended here on BYC.

Here are some articles about dewormers and their appropriate dosage:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=Equimax&tab=620