Fully formed poop with yellow cap

[chickdiane10]

Noticed weird yellow capped poop about 4-5 days ago.
Pinpointrd it to 7.5 mo old black star hen named Bingo.
Started laying brown eggs in January.
Noticed less eggs overall this week (I have 4 layers). Was often getting 2 brown eggs on the same days (I have 1 other that lays brown). So thinking she's not laying currently. I did see her sitting in the nesting box but when I went out later she hadn't laid an egg.

Recently everyone was wormed with .5ml valbazen and repeat treatment 14 days later. (Fecal float showed cappilaria so they got wormed following the report.)

Yesterday she started puffing up a bit. It was really cold after having some good weather. Again today puffing up.

Crop was empty this morning. (I'll check at roost tonight to see if full). I can also inspect for mites, though hasn't been too long since elector psp.

Her belly felt normal and her butt is clean. I compared her to another same sized layer and they felt identical.

She's eating, drinking, foraging, roosting.
Changes in environment; I took out a flockmate last week (she had crop surgery from being impacted with grit ) and the black star hen "Bingo" stuff began soon after.

Do I need to worm again?
Is she just depressed?
I've googled the poop and it's not runny so I'm thrown for a loop here. I've seen yellow diarhea but not regularly fully formed kind.

 

[Kiki]

Ok. I'll start antibiotics.

She's not overweight, feels normal/ leaning toward slender but not bony.

As far as treats, I give a small handful of black soldier fly larvae between all 5 once in the morning, (maybe they get 5-8 bugs a piece). I don't do scratch. I wet about 1/2 cup of feed in a bowl each morning for them, I sprinkle it with a little mixture of probiotics, cinnamon, tumeric, black pepper, oregano, and alfalfa leaf. A couple days a week I'll add poultry cell.

I'm definitely concerned on a reproductive issue bc she was such a good layer from the beginning.

I worry we haven't eradicated the cappilaria too. I'm thinking of sending off another sample.

1/2 cup of feed is not enough feed for 5 hens for a day.

I'd stop adding all this extra stuff and feed only a layer type crumble or pelleted feed.

 

[chickdiane10]

1/2 cup of feed is not enough feed for 5 hens for a day.

I'd stop adding all this extra stuff and feed only a layer type crumble or pelleted feed.

The snack is 1/2 cup of soaked feed.
They also have a feeder to free eat from all day.

I will stop poultry cell and see it that helps.

She is puffing up a little, but it could be the cold.

Today I only got 1 egg from a bantam cochin. Got 3 yesterday, 2 from bantams, and 1 brown full sized. (4 laying hens currently). We were getting a few days each week of 2 brown eggs.

I forgot another environment change: One thing I did do is change the feeder holding the oyster shell. I put it in a small port feeder bc they were knocking it over in the bowl or throwing dirt over it. I don't see them in it very much. Today I set some of the oyster shell next to the grit bowl.

 

[Eggcessive]

The feed I have is corn and soy free. Not sure if that affects anything.

She's standing weird this morning. I'll observe her more often through the day as I have some desk work and their run is in eye shot.

I thought you said you fed a layer feed? If you give corn extra, then don’t. They only need a layer or all flock feed. Anything else is a treat, and should be very limited.

 

[chickdiane10]

Yes I feed layer feed.

I thought you said you fed a layer feed? If you give corn extra, then don’t. They only need a layer or all flock feed. Anything else is a treat, and should be very limited.

Yes I give layer feed, (new country organics pastured perfect).
I don't give any corn. Their snack is just soaked layer feed with probiotic powder, and I add poultry cell a couple times per week.
I haven't added any poultry cell yesterday or today to see if that changes the color. No egg again from her today. So about 1 week she hasn't laid.
I held her today and her bum got this on my pants.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that she is eating a balanced diet of chicken feed, egg, drinking well, and not too many treats. Have you wormed recently? I would take a fresh poop sample in a ziploc bag on Tuesday. You could collect some overnight on puppy pads or a towel while inside a dog crate. If the vet thinks there are cecal worms, then blackhead might be considered, but antibiotics may help if it is reproductive infection. Cancer or ascites should also be considered a cause of the yellow poop.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I hope your hen gets better! Sorry about your other hens.

 

[casportpony]

One can get metronidazole here:
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/food-...ish-problem-solving-general-cure-5112949.html

 

[casportpony]

I ordered the metronidazole. It can take a few days. I have Tiagard if that kills flagellates?

Only metronidazole & others in the nitroimidazole class can treat blackhead.

 

[chickdiane10]

Did the vet suggest supportive care (fluids & tube feeding)?

She didn't. But Bingo is eating and drinking on her own right now.