Watery poo, Lethargic, Lost weight, No eggs

bygrace53

Chirping
9 Years
Oct 4, 2013
53
2
94
My Bernadette would not come out of the coop today for free range which is REALLY not normal. So I took her inside and noticed she is really thin.. boney. It is 108 degrees here in Phoenix but I keep trays of ice and a swamp cooler on them. She was, however, panting, labored breathing. She wouldn't eat or drink which made me realize she must not have been doing either for some time. She is now in the chicken infirmary which was my guest bathroom! Vet visit indicates:
No egg stuck in there...
No mass of any kind
Crop empty, not impacted
Weight 4 lbs
Poop which is watery white curdled looking with some green things in it: Clear, no worms or parasites
Skin clear, no mites or ticks...

Does anyone have any ideas?

She will be 2 years old in October. Was my best layer.
 
Last edited:
I would say worms, but you say her poops are clear?
Hopefully someone with another idea will reply soon.
If she physically can't eat or drink that would make her thin, maybe she has a crop impaction?
It's good that you separated her, I would try to get some water into her. If she refuses to drink, dip her beak in and see if that starts her off. If she still isn't going for it, you may have to use a syringe and tube water her.
For food, see if she's tempted by scrambled eggs, yogurt, mealworms, bread, or any other treat she likes.
 
If she is not laying eggs, then she could be showing signs of an internal layer or egg yolk peritonitis. This can show up around her age. Is her lower belly full at all? Does she sit a lot, or waddle like a penguin? With the heat you are having, I would put some electrolytes and vitamins in the water every day. Worming her when she is eating and drinking normally would be a good idea if she hasn't been wormed lately, since most worms aren't always seen. Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are good ones to use. A vet can also check a stool sample for you to advise of certain worms. Here is some info to read on EYP and internal laying:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis
 
The vet xrayed. No bound egg or anything "stuck"
He also checked the poop sample. No worms.
 

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