Coccidiosis or Something Else?

[Rachel_liz15]

I have 3YO Barred Rock Hen who is just plain not looking so hot. She is very dull looking compared to his sisters. Her comb and waddles are very pale (her comb is flopping over to side a bit too), she hardly moves. She walks very lamely, only a few feet or so, then just lies there, closing her eyes often. She doesn’t even fight me if I try to pick her up when she usually does. Her bum is covered in dark brown / black and yellowish diarrhea. I’m not sure if it’s just because I was holding her and stressing her out, but her breathing sounded a little bit off to me, like unusual noises, no quite gasping or gurgling, maybe a type of whistling if I had to describe it? I do not believe she is laying but I haven’t had her separated enough to really inspect her eating/drinking and her feces yet. If anyone has any insight let me know asap please.
Also, one of my RI Reds passed a few weeks ago. She was the same age as my barred rock. I only noticed the night before she passed that she was acting very lethargic as well. She was trying to hide in my shed and I grabbed her and just held her and she didn’t put up any fight, just closed her eyes and hung out, which is very unusual. None of my chickens really like being picked up.

*UPDATE*
I added a picture of her poop… gave her an epsom salt bath cleaned her all up, and put some miconozole cream back there in case of vent gleet. She did poop out pretty much all water after her bath. She is separated from the flock and I put some ACV in her water until I can figure out what’s wrong. I don’t feel any hard lumps anywhere that may indicate sour crop or that she she is egg bound so I don’t know where to go from here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

The poop is not very good, I would suspect she has a reproductive problem since she's not been laying eggs.

If you can take a sample of her poop to your vet to rule out worms as part of the problem that would be a good idea.

 

[Winniethesilkie]

I have 3YO Barred Rock Hen who is just plain not looking so hot. She is very dull looking compared to his sisters. Her comb and waddles are very pale (her comb is flopping over to side a bit too), she hardly moves. She walks very lamely, only a few feet or so, then just lies there, closing her eyes often. She doesn’t even fight me if I try to pick her up when she usually does. Her bum is covered in dark brown / black and yellowish diarrhea. I’m not sure if it’s just because I was holding her and stressing her out, but her breathing sounded a little bit off to me, like unusual noises, no quite gasping or gurgling, maybe a type of whistling if I had to describe it? I do not believe she is laying but I haven’t had her separated enough to really inspect her eating/drinking and her feces yet. If anyone has any insight let me know asap please.
Also, one of my RI Reds passed a few weeks ago. She was the same age as my barred rock. I only noticed the night before she passed that she was acting very lethargic as well. She was trying to hide in my shed and I grabbed her and just held her and she didn’t put up any fight, just closed her eyes and hung out, which is very unusual. None of my chickens really like being picked up.

*UPDATE*
I added a picture of her poop… gave her an epsom salt bath cleaned her all up, and put some miconozole cream back there in case of vent gleet. She did poop out pretty much all water after her bath. She is separated from the flock and I put some ACV in her water until I can figure out what’s wrong. I don’t feel any hard lumps anywhere that may indicate sour crop or that she she is egg bound so I don’t know where to go from here.

Hi, what ended up happening? I have a barred rock with similar symptom and unsure what to do..

 

[Rachel_liz15]

Hi, what ended up happening? I have a barred rock with similar symptom and unsure what to do..

Oh no!! So I started her on Valbazen for worms and literally the next day she was looking a little better. Within a few days her color came back along with her spunk. I did take a fecal sample to the vet yesterday though, because I’m paranoid that there is something else besides worms going on. Her poop is looking much better, but I wouldn’t say it’s normal yet. I just gave her the second round of Valbazen last night. When I get the results of the fecal sample back from the vet I will update again.

In case you haven’t used Valbazen before this is what I read on how to use it because it is not specifically marketed for poultry so the dosage and directions are not on the bottle. I got it at Tractor Supply, locked up in the back of the store. I gave her 0.5mL using a little syringe and gave her a little bit at a time to prevent any from going in her lungs. It is not water soluble unfortunately so you have to give it to them like this. Then 10 days later I gave her one more dose. I read that you should give the second dose 10-14 days after the first dose.

I am also not saying you have to use Valbazen by any means, there are other dewormers specifically for poultry out there. I just liked what I read about it from others on this site and others.

 

[Winniethesilkie]

Oh no!! So I started her on Valbazen for worms and literally the next day she was looking a little better. Within a few days her color came back along with her spunk. I did take a fecal sample to the vet yesterday though, because I’m paranoid that there is something else besides worms going on. Her poop is looking much better, but I wouldn’t say it’s normal yet. I just gave her the second round of Valbazen last night. When I get the results of the fecal sample back from the vet I will update again.

In case you haven’t used Valbazen before this is what I read on how to use it because it is not specifically marketed for poultry so the dosage and directions are not on the bottle. I got it at Tractor Supply, locked up in the back of the store. I gave her 0.5mL using a little syringe and gave her a little bit at a time to prevent any from going in her lungs. It is not water soluble unfortunately so you have to give it to them like this. Then 10 days later I gave her one more dose. I read that you should give the second dose 10-14 days after the first dose.

I am also not saying you have to use Valbazen by any means, there are other dewormers specifically for poultry out there. I just liked what I read about it from others on this site and others.

Thank you again! I just took a fecal sample to my vet today, curious to know what yours says. They said I should have results Monday but didn't appear to have worms..

 

[Rachel_liz15]

Mine said no parasites and she looks a lot better so . I put her back out with the flock and she seems perfectly fine. I am still going to treat the rest of the flock for worms anyhow just to be safe. I noticed another one of my chickens is starting with diarrhea, but is acting fine otherwise. Still no eggs though…

 

[Winniethesilkie]

Mine said no parasites and she looks a lot better so . I put her back out with the flock and she seems perfectly fine. I am still going to treat the rest of the flock for worms anyhow just to be safe. I noticed another one of my chickens is starting with diarrhea, but is acting fine otherwise. Still no eggs though…

Is there an egg withdrawal after worming? I'm glad she's better! I hope mine perks up

 

[Rachel_liz15]

Is there an egg withdrawal after worming? I'm glad she's better! I hope mine perks up

From what I’ve read, there is a 2 week egg withdrawal period after using Valbazen, but not everyone follows that. Thank you, I hope yours starts feeling better soon!