Having trouble diagnosing chicken symptoms

[ahajnos]

Hello all,
I have 3 chickens. Have had them for about 2 years. Been great so far, nothing major. However, my one Rhode Island Red this week has become extremely lethargic, pale comb with a strange white power/dust on it, not laying eggs, not eating or drinking. I checked her for being egg bound but felt nothing. Also gave her calcium and warm water soakings to no avail. The poor girl is losing tons of weight (I can feel all her bones) and has trouble standing now. She doesn't really move or socialize, or even scratch or eat. Not much fecal (pictures attached). She also has a strange bald spot (maybe normal?) on her belly. She meets to be breathing fine.

Any suggestions are very welcome. The other 2 chickens seen completely happy and unaffected.

 

[rebrascora]

Favus comes to mind with the white deposit and feather loss, but I'm not completely sure that's what it is. I've not had any personal experience of it so all I can suggest is that you do some research on it and see if you think it matches. It is a fungal infection, so you would need to treat with miconidazole.

 

[Kiki]

Sorry she is giving you trouble.
Have you ever wormed your girls or had their poop tested by a vet for worm loads?

 

[ahajnos]

Sorry she is giving you trouble.
Have you ever wormed your girls or had their poop tested by a vet for worm loads?

I have not but do these symptoms sound in line with that? I was planning on getting her tested tomorrow.

 

[rebrascora]

She looks like she has a bit of swelling where that bald patch is, but it may just be the camera angle?? I am concerned it may be a tumour as that would cause her to lose weight. Another possibility is an impacted crop. If food cannot get through her crop readily, then she will effectively be starving. That will cause her to be skin and bone and have runny poop. Check her crop first thing on a morning before she has access to food. If there are still contents in it, then that suggests there is a (partial) blockage somewhere. If that is the case, remove access to all solid food, grass and bedding. Giver her water with vitamins and electrolytes and massage her crop regularly 3-4 times a day for 5-10 mins and see if there is any improvement over the next few mornings.

 

[ahajnos]

She looks like she has a bit of swelling where that bald patch is, but it may just be the camera angle?? I am concerned it may be a tumour as that would cause her to lose weight. Another possibility is an impacted crop. If food cannot get through her crop readily, then she will effectively be starving. That will cause her to be skin and bone and have runny poop. Check her crop first thing on a morning before she has access to food. If there are still contents in it, then that suggests there is a (partial) blockage somewhere. If that is the case, remove access to all solid food, grass and bedding. Giver her water with vitamins and electrolytes and massage her crop regularly 3-4 times a day for 5-10 mins and see if there is any improvement over the next few mornings.

That is the camera angle I believe. But I will check her crop first thing in the morning. Thank you for your response.

 

[ahajnos]

I emptied (force vomit) her VERY full crop this morning. Maybe there was some blockage or something. About a week ago I gave them the last of the pellet food I had for them, so maybe there was some mold in there too. Going to try to give her some yogurt today to help.

 

[hennylover]

hi,i like to give olive oil in oatmeal...try it,let me know how it goes. I have a question,the feathers are flying off my girls! are they starting to molt?any shared info appreciated