Weight loss in young hen

[SportyDeluxe]

I have a sex link that is roughly about 8 months now and I am not sure what is going on with her. This is my first time owning chicken and would like help in identifying what may be going on. She has lost weight and is now very thin and have been seeing undigested food in her droppings, also have notice some gurgling with no other symptoms such as sneezing or any discharge coming from eyes or nose. Her feathers seem dull and broken on the ends. Have seen her drink and she did eat some hard boiled eggs, watermelon and tomatoes yesterday. I did give her some Ivermectin on Saturday, June 11th and noticed some improvement because before then she was constantly sleeping and some days not coming out of the coop. She is now staying with the others and will come out of the coop. Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[coach723]

If she improved with the ivermectin, then internal parasites may be at least part of the issue. Some parasites are becoming resistant to ivermectin so I would get some Safeguard liquid goat wormer and dose her 5 days in a row with .23ml per pound of bird weight, orally. That will take care of most internal parasites. Her crop may have been, or still be, slow due to the parasites, and if it is or was not emptying properly that can cause the gurgling as the contents is coming back up. So monitor crop function as well. Check her before she goes to roost to see how the crop feels, and then again first thing in the morning before she has eaten or drank, it should be empty then. Parasites can potentially cause all the symptoms you have listed. So I would do the worming, and see how she does with that.

 

[SportyDeluxe]

If she improved with the ivermectin, then internal parasites may be at least part of the issue. Some parasites are becoming resistant to ivermectin so I would get some Safeguard liquid goat wormer and dose her 5 days in a row with .23ml per pound of bird weight, orally. That will take care of most internal parasites. Her crop may have been, or still be, slow due to the parasites, and if it is or was not emptying properly that can cause the gurgling as the contents is coming back up. So monitor crop function as well. Check her before she goes to roost to see how the crop feels, and then again first thing in the morning before she has eaten or drank, it should be empty then. Parasites can potentially cause all the symptoms you have listed. So I would do the worming, and see how she does with that.

Thank you! I will do the Safeguard for 5 days.