DaquariPatrice
In the Brooder
- Jun 2, 2022
- 6
- 10
- 21
Hi all, hoping for some guidance.
Henny, my hen, who adopted us a couple months back (new chicken mom), started acting funny this Monday. The day before (Sunday) when cleaning coop, i did think to myself, her comb/face looks a little pale but nothing crazy and she was acting normal. When letting her out of coop the next morning, with my 3 pullets, she was the last to come out and almost did a drunk walk down the ramp. As she was coming down the little ramp, she pooped right infront of me and it was BRIGHT green with white liquid (picture below). I then noticed she was very pale. I am extremely new to owning chickens but I knew this didn't seem right so I observed her for the next 15 minutes. She usually slightly bullies the pullets (within reason), and walks the run and does her thing in the morning. She immediately layed down and started to close her eyes (pic below).
I knew I needed to separate her.
Quick back story- We obviously dont know history on Henny. Her age, where she came from, health history, etc. She is a feral-ish chicken. She never allows us to touch her and if we try, she will definitely show us she isn't interested and will do everything in her power to escape/run/peck/fly/scream/etc. She was a "stray" chicken who showed up in our yard 4-ish months ago and never left so after 1 month of ruining our garden, we trapped her and got her in her new coop/run which she started thriving in. Laying eggs daily within 3 days of being in her new home. She's the whole reason why we have a small flock of 4. We got chicks a week after trapping her, and we raised in brooder / separated them from Henny for 1 1/2 months. before releasing them into coop. They had issues of their own when chicks (respiratory, cocci, prolapsed vent - yea horrible first experience raising chicks, but we got through it). We ofcourse made sure they were healthy and big enough by the time it was time to start introducing to Henny. Henny definitely didn't like them and it took lots of patience and slow intros before feeling comfortable leaving them in there indefinately. It's been about 3 weeks since they've all lived in run/coop together with no issues other than your standard pecking order. 2 weeks after the pullets were in coop, 2 had a smelly beak and minimal clear discharge (no other symptoms) so I treated them all with denagard and it cleared it right up. P.s I understand once they have URIs, it's with them for life, but we have a small flock of 4 and it's a closed flock. No intention of reproducing, selling eggs, etc. Yesterday was the 5th day of denagard and I separated Henny on the 4th day of Denagard. Lastly, i was told they all need access to Grit and oyster shell at all times, so we added two feeders with access to the OS and Grit last week. She stopped laying eggs on Saturday (2 days before getting sick).
I wanted to provide a little history as I'm not sure if any of this would help.
What we've currently done with Henny/Current status (Wednesday - day 3)
*she now let's us hold her (probably because she is sick, but I'm totally taking advantage of it)
*Seperated her on Monday, and is in spare bathroom.
*Inspected her for mites and didn't see anything, but we sprayed her with Permectrin II yesterday. Her vent area was decently clean but she did have some dried white/yellowish poop on some feathers but not much.
*ordered Safegard goat dewormer and it will arive tomorrow (Thursday).
* she is currently on probiotic/vitamin water and have scrambled eggs out for her to munch on. I also give to her with syringe on beak in the am and pm.
*slightly eating her favorite foods. Fresh lettuce, but doesn't have normal appetite.
* she is still very pale
* her feet cave inward when laying down (not sure if that's normal)
*when holding her, she feels VERY warm to the touch.
* still pale
* still unbalanced
* head still makes the jerking/twitching movement
*still pooping green- barely has an odor
* she is very skinny but has always been very lean. I always thought this but didn't think anything of it. When touching her crop this morning, I did feel a small hardish lump on the left side. I also felt her sharp breast bone.
Weather is in the 80s here in California and she's inside the house, which is in the 70s.
I'm so torn on what to do. Whe hasn't got worse but isn't any better. I've posted on FB BYC page and got so much info and guesses what it could be. From parasites, mites, to kindey / heart failure. It's so overwhelming and I just feel like I am failing her. I wanted to see if I can help her on my own so i can learn and grow as a chicken owner, and not just immediately take to vet as they are extremely pricey and pretty far drive, but I caved. My Avian vet who owns chickens is closed this entire week so I emailed them letting them know I'd like an apt next week. I hope she makes it to then.
I'm sorry for the long post. I'm just at a loss of what to do and what else I can try to see of she starts improving. I know alot of you are so experienced, so any input, guidance, advice would be so appreciated.
Thank you
Henny, my hen, who adopted us a couple months back (new chicken mom), started acting funny this Monday. The day before (Sunday) when cleaning coop, i did think to myself, her comb/face looks a little pale but nothing crazy and she was acting normal. When letting her out of coop the next morning, with my 3 pullets, she was the last to come out and almost did a drunk walk down the ramp. As she was coming down the little ramp, she pooped right infront of me and it was BRIGHT green with white liquid (picture below). I then noticed she was very pale. I am extremely new to owning chickens but I knew this didn't seem right so I observed her for the next 15 minutes. She usually slightly bullies the pullets (within reason), and walks the run and does her thing in the morning. She immediately layed down and started to close her eyes (pic below).
I knew I needed to separate her.
Quick back story- We obviously dont know history on Henny. Her age, where she came from, health history, etc. She is a feral-ish chicken. She never allows us to touch her and if we try, she will definitely show us she isn't interested and will do everything in her power to escape/run/peck/fly/scream/etc. She was a "stray" chicken who showed up in our yard 4-ish months ago and never left so after 1 month of ruining our garden, we trapped her and got her in her new coop/run which she started thriving in. Laying eggs daily within 3 days of being in her new home. She's the whole reason why we have a small flock of 4. We got chicks a week after trapping her, and we raised in brooder / separated them from Henny for 1 1/2 months. before releasing them into coop. They had issues of their own when chicks (respiratory, cocci, prolapsed vent - yea horrible first experience raising chicks, but we got through it). We ofcourse made sure they were healthy and big enough by the time it was time to start introducing to Henny. Henny definitely didn't like them and it took lots of patience and slow intros before feeling comfortable leaving them in there indefinately. It's been about 3 weeks since they've all lived in run/coop together with no issues other than your standard pecking order. 2 weeks after the pullets were in coop, 2 had a smelly beak and minimal clear discharge (no other symptoms) so I treated them all with denagard and it cleared it right up. P.s I understand once they have URIs, it's with them for life, but we have a small flock of 4 and it's a closed flock. No intention of reproducing, selling eggs, etc. Yesterday was the 5th day of denagard and I separated Henny on the 4th day of Denagard. Lastly, i was told they all need access to Grit and oyster shell at all times, so we added two feeders with access to the OS and Grit last week. She stopped laying eggs on Saturday (2 days before getting sick).
I wanted to provide a little history as I'm not sure if any of this would help.
What we've currently done with Henny/Current status (Wednesday - day 3)
*she now let's us hold her (probably because she is sick, but I'm totally taking advantage of it)
*Seperated her on Monday, and is in spare bathroom.
*Inspected her for mites and didn't see anything, but we sprayed her with Permectrin II yesterday. Her vent area was decently clean but she did have some dried white/yellowish poop on some feathers but not much.
*ordered Safegard goat dewormer and it will arive tomorrow (Thursday).
* she is currently on probiotic/vitamin water and have scrambled eggs out for her to munch on. I also give to her with syringe on beak in the am and pm.
*slightly eating her favorite foods. Fresh lettuce, but doesn't have normal appetite.
* she is still very pale
* her feet cave inward when laying down (not sure if that's normal)
*when holding her, she feels VERY warm to the touch.
* still pale
* still unbalanced
* head still makes the jerking/twitching movement
*still pooping green- barely has an odor
* she is very skinny but has always been very lean. I always thought this but didn't think anything of it. When touching her crop this morning, I did feel a small hardish lump on the left side. I also felt her sharp breast bone.
Weather is in the 80s here in California and she's inside the house, which is in the 70s.
I'm so torn on what to do. Whe hasn't got worse but isn't any better. I've posted on FB BYC page and got so much info and guesses what it could be. From parasites, mites, to kindey / heart failure. It's so overwhelming and I just feel like I am failing her. I wanted to see if I can help her on my own so i can learn and grow as a chicken owner, and not just immediately take to vet as they are extremely pricey and pretty far drive, but I caved. My Avian vet who owns chickens is closed this entire week so I emailed them letting them know I'd like an apt next week. I hope she makes it to then.
I'm sorry for the long post. I'm just at a loss of what to do and what else I can try to see of she starts improving. I know alot of you are so experienced, so any input, guidance, advice would be so appreciated.
Thank you
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