Lethargic Hen with Yellow Watery Diarrhea

[Sweetpea325]

My 3.5 year old hen is lethargic, she just sits with her eyes closed. Her poop is very watery, yellow and had some green in it. Now it's just yellow water that comes out. She is drinking but she is not eating. She looks interested in eating food but just picks it up and puts it back down. I have her inside to monitor her. I put some electrolytes in her water and made a mash of her feed. She drinks a lot but won't really eat. I've offered her some scrambled egg and some cheese but she's not interested. I thought she might be wormy so I gave her a pea size of Safeguard paste but she still hasn't shown any improvement. My vet is out of town and I don't know what to do. Any ideas on what she has and how to treat?

 

[Eggcessive]

At her age it could be several things, and unfortunately they can't tell you where it hurts. Internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis can be common, and those can cause pain, lethargy, wobbling or not wanting to walk far, swelling in the lower abdomen, loss of weight in the breast bone or keel, loose droppings, and sometimes they will pass what looks like cooked egg yolk material. Worms, enteritis, or cancer can all be common. I would add some vitamin and electrolytes to her feed. Vitamins With Lactobacillus is a good brand by Rooster Booster that also has probiotics, and there is Poultry Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell that you can give orally 1-3 ml daily. More foods to try would be bread crumbs soaked in raw egg and buttermilk, canned tuna or salmon, liver, or moistened chicken feed.
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx

 

[Sweetpea325]

I gave her some raw egg with bread crumbs and she gobbled that up! She also had a very small poop that was brown but still had some yellow liquid around it. She hasn't laid an egg in years and I don't feel anything in her abdomen, no egg and no fluid retainage. I will go to the store tomorrow to get Rooster Booster. Hopefully she pulls through. She's still very alert but while laying down and if I just sit still to watch her she will close her eyes. Do you think I should keep giving her the Safeguard paste for worms? I gave it to her twice so far (once a day) should I continue for 5 days or are you only suppose to give that once? Thank you for your advise Eggcessive!!

 

[enola]

I think worming her every day for 5 days is probably a good idea. Is she still drinking? Feed her what ever she will eat as long as she is drinking.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes to get the worst worms such as capillary worms, 5 days is good to use the SafeGuard. Here is another good article about salpingitis in hens: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/03/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by.html

 

[Sweetpea325]

Thank you guys! She is still drinking. That article is very helpful thank you!

 

[DianeB]

Sounds like an infection. If you can, try to see if another vet can prescribe you Baytril. It's a pretty common antibotic for cats, dogs and birds. You can also see if they will do a fecal test for parasites.

 

[Sweetpea325]

She stopped eating again and is back to only pooping yellow liquid again. Her behavior has not changed. Do you think it could be coccidiosis?

 

[enola]

Yellow poop doesn't indicate coccidiosis. Have you treated her for coccidiosis recently?

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you post a picture of her droppings? It may or may not help, but sometimes there can be egg yolk material in the droppings if suffering from internal laying. E.coli infection, which can be common in egg yolk peritonitis sometimes causes yellow droppings, but most illnesses can't be diagnosed on droppings alone.