weak and lethargic for over a week

[amyahays]

Hi, there! I've got a 5-year old Speckled Sussex aptly named Trouble when she was 2 days old. She's been my favorite and is now IN trouble with an unknown illness that we've thought was going to kill her for a week now. She's strong. So a week ago, she took to a nesting box and stayed there for a couple of days. Lethargic, not laying, not eating, not drinking, not moving much other than to occasionally get out and plop down on the floor of the coop. She had poop stuck to her feathers, but no vent blockage. After a couple of days, her tail feathers started drooping, her comb started drooping and getting slightly darker. Otherwise, no signs of illness outwardly. She was crawling with fleas, though. To address that, we first gave her a dusting with DE, and have now sprayed her with Permethrin. At least trying to rid her of the crawlies. I've had chickens die many times but none have held on like this. I now let her sleep with her sisters in the coop, but during the day she is in a crate on the patio so I can easily access and feed her. I've been pushing electrolytes and beef bone broth through a dropper. This has been the only thing she's had in a week. She won't eat dried meal worms or live worms when presented, although she occasionally cocks her head and looks like she wants to. (Update as of right now....I put some layer feed and meal worms in front of her and she ate a nibble, or at least pecked at it. ) She can stand briefly and walk a few feet but then fatigue gets her and she settles on the ground. Her poop can be greenish and liquid at times and others a bit more solid and normal. The rest of the flock is totally fine. I have 5 10-week old girls that are cooped separately from the rest. I have 4 adult hens and a Muscovy duck (currently broody) that are all totally fine. I live in Austin, Texas. My regular vet clinic doesn't have any vets that specialize in chickens. I'm really amazed to find her alive every morning. And each morning she seems maybe 2% stronger, but I could be imagining that. Does anyone have thoughts on how to help Trouble?

 

[Henriettamom919]

I'm so sorry this is happening

Well, I'd try a vitamin supplement (like nutridrench) as I'm sure she's malnourished by now and see if that helps. It kind of sounds like she might have gone broody initially then quickly became weak and dehydrated. You'll want to put a couple drops right on her beak and she should swallow, if not put it directly in her mouth. Try offering some scrambled egg, sometimes they will eat that when they'll eat nothing else.

Has she been wormed? How was her poop during and since her initial nesting spell?