Year old Buff Orp Hen with worms?/impacted crop?/low appetite/lethargic behavior.

[CollegiateChicken]

I have a year old Buff Orpington hen who has been "off her feed" both literally and figuratively the past few days. I've come to suspect that she may have worms, even though my 5 other hens and two roos are showing none of the same signs.

Primary problems:

• Worms?
• Very Little Appetite
• Lethargic, very little energy
• Runny poop, and difficulty pooping
• Crop not emptying?

She has been acting lethargic and very "un-chicken-like" since this past Tuesday 24th, possibly a few days before. I noticed that she had feces that were getting stuck on the feathers around her vent. When cleaning her off on Wednesday the 25th, I noticed these lumps on the feathers. It looks almost granular, like barnacles stuck to her feathers. I looked through the forums and threads, and Google Images, but did not find anything telling me what they were. I suspect worms.


I have not wormed before, because I was told starting out that if I don't see signs of worms, don't worry, just keep a clean coop and it should be good. Silly me, I should have known better. So I started them on Wazine in their water yesterday, but they were not drinking much water as it was cold and rainy. After reading through this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/216407/de-worming-and-wazine-concern

I decided to try a more direct method of giving her (as well as all my other birds) Panacur dewormer this morning. She still has not been eating very much. They get the local Farmer's Best Poultry feed regularly, but to encourage her, I gave her some hardboiled egg and added a bit of yogurt. She ate a few bites, but that was it. She was foraging this morning, but slowly, and is now out in the tractor just laying in the grass. Her crop seems to be full, and not emptying. It isn't hard, but has not decreased in size in the past 5-7 hours.

Whether it is related/relevant or not, a month or so ago she had started laying very large, almost jumbo sized eggs that were lighter than her normal medium brown, and with a ridge around the tip. She has not laid for the past week, and I attributed it to the fact that she also looks like she's molting. Her last egg was very soft-shelled and actually broke, even though I do supplement calcium. No other hen has a problem with softer shells.

Thank you for any advice! Hopefully I can help her. I feel terrible that she's gotten this way. It's my fault.

All the other birds are doing fine. Prepared for the worst.

 

[dawg53]

Those appear to be lice or mite eggs. Mites suck blood and can cause anemia, then death...that might be your problem. Visually inspect her for those external parasites. Here's a couple of links for you; the first link will help you identify what they are. The second is recommended treatments, I prefer sevin dust.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

 

[CollegiateChicken]

I just purchased the Sevin 5 5% dust, and will dust her with it. Thanks for the advice, and the links.

 

[dawg53]

Let us know if you see the parasites. You'll need to redust her in 7-10 days, do the same with the inside of your coop, nests, roosts. I recommend you inspect all your birds.

 

[CollegiateChicken]

I did not see any parasites upon inspecting her, but now that I know what to look for ("lice eggs") in the Google search, and that is indeed what she had. I dusted her earlier today with DE, and she had been bathed earlier this month after another bird has pooped on her, so that may have gotten rid of some of them. I'll have to inspect her better later. Unfortunately, I have to get ready for work tonight.