Help needed. Hen with very watery YELLOW diarrhea **PICS ADDED**

[henloverinmaine]

I hope someone can help me with this. We have a RIR hen 2.5 years old. Of late she has been lethargic and sits around with her head and neck pulled tight to her body and looks as if her feathers are puffed out more than usual. She will eat and follows the other chickens around the yard but lags behind and just stands around not really foraging. Today I noticed she is having bright yellow watery diarrhea. Any ideas what this could be?? Thank you.

 

[meriruka]

Does her abdomen feel normal? You'd be looking for too hard (like a nerf) or too soft and squishy (like a water balloon)

 

[jjthink]

Uh oh..."of late" sounds like it's awhile with this condition.

Please answer the various questions in the "sticky" at the beginning of the Emergencies section so folks can best help you help her. Add absolutely anything else that could shed light, such as egg laying habits, when the last egg was laid, diet etc.

Keep her in a warm comfy quiet, stress free area and make sure she stays hydrated.

If you can possibly get her to a vet today this could be her best chance.

JJ

 

[jjthink]

Sorry - the post showed up twice so I deleted the text here.

 

[henloverinmaine]

I believe her abdomen feels normal. She does feel thin to me. Not sure if she is laying though as we have 6 other and not possible to see who is laying and who is not.

 

[meriruka]

I know this is gross, but could you post a pic of the poo?
Sometimes yellow means worms, could also be a broken egg inside or infection or it could even be urates, which would mean she is not digesting/processing food.

btw, feel her crop, is it either stuffed or watery?

 

[henloverinmaine]

In regards to the sticky questions: I have not treated her with anything yet, she has been fed layer pellets for 2 years, the bedding is pine shavings and they get changed out on a weekly basis. The only other thing we have noticed is that she has a bald patch on her head just behind her comb. The skin there looks healthy enough, just red like her comb. This has been like that for at least 6-8 months. These symptoms (lethargy and fluffed out feathers) have just appeared about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Today is the first day I have noticed the watery yellow diarrhea.

 

[jjthink]

1 1/2 weeks is a really long time to be sick in chickendom. Puffing up means "I do not feel well" - years ago I had a roo do this and the stupid feed store told me it was just how they keep warm - they gave out misinformation and my poor roo died.

Isolate her so you can observe her eating, drinking, pooping, egg laying (or lack thereof). If she will be stressed away from her buddies, set her up near her buddies in a really comfy large dog cage with lots of pine shavings and fresh food (not just layer food - try some scrambled eggs, warm oatmeal, sunflower seeds...whatever she really likes)and water. Report back on each of these things (eating, drinking, pooping, egg laying) and call a vet with this info if you can. And as noted by previous poster, post photo of poo if you can.

Have they been wormed and if so, when and with what? She could be eggbound but it could also be any of a number of other things. I had a hen go lethargic last Labor Day and rushed her to vet same day - blood work was consistent with infection/inflammation from unknown cause. With meds for these things, along with tube feeding by the vet she bounced back quickly and has been her happy self ever since. The vet and I never knew what hit her but were pretty sure she would have succumbed without the meds.

To bolster her a bit, give 3 drops liquid Polyvisol childerns vitamins daily, dribbled gently along her beak line with a dropper so she swallows on her own and doesn't choke.

Have to head to work but keep posting with updates and pics etc. so folsk see your posts and can weigh in. I hope things will work out for your ailing hen.
JJ

 

[henloverinmaine]

Thanks for the help. I have her isolated in a large dog kennel with her food and some water. I will offer other things as well. She is eating and does not seem stressed. I do have a picture of the diarrhea and her head and the lack of feathers. I will try to post them. Have never posted pics here before. I will pick up the vitamins also. I have not wormed her or anyone for that matter. Thank you again.

 

[henloverinmaine]

Here goes.......my first attempt at posting pics.

and.....