# Sick chicken?



## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Of COURSE I get a sick chicken when I'm house sitting elsewhere for the week... I left about 3:25 and she seemed ok, hadn't noticed anything abnormal yet anyway. We got back around 4:45 (it's only 1/2 mile or so away) and she was like this. 









Pale almost as much as the wood, and clearly hiding away. We couldn't separate her without a big mess before bedtime so we waited that hour or so. (Killed me.) She seems somewhat firm in the rear so I suspect laying issues. She was the one we initially had trouble with internal laying, so it's definitely concerning and a reason. She drank a little, but kept to herself. She has allowed us to handle her and settled in our lap while prepping a warm soak for her- just done and dried. What else, if anything, can we do for her? I will Nutrition-Drench and re-soak in the AM if it's still a problem.

So- Firm abdomen (but not hard), a bit of a messy rear feather area, did the warm soak and gentle gentle massage (the water moving prob did more than myself...) and now in chicken hospital with warm dry old sheets and an old cushion toward the back if she chooses. Water, and food in morn. 

Of course there's no confirmed diagnoses by me or thru an internet connection, but please, if there is anything else I'm missing to do for her please do share. Thanks- she is (of course) our fave of the 3 of the girls....


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She might benefit from Calciboost for goats with a D3 tossed in with it. A half cc for a week to see if she can start laying easier. If it is laying issues and this works you might have to dose her off and on the rest of her life.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

What Robin said and soak as necessary...and monitor. Looks like you are doing the right things!


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Thank you- I had wondered if I should go ahead and consider adding that to our usual routine now- assuming there will continue to be a 'now' with her. Wish us some luck that she can sort herself out the rest of the way this time! Some poultry god prayers or whoever you say your thanks toward!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Maybe, maybe not. Laying problems like hers don't seem to improve. Thin shelled eggs are the easiest to address. 

Maybe the extra calcium and the D3 will strengthen up her muscles enough to pass those eggs easier. 

She can be spayed. Or get an injection that will stop ovulation. There are options if you have a vet that will work with you. That's the catch though, having a vet willing to work with our birds.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

It seems that is almost always the catch, yes. 
So far I haven’t eyewitnesses yet, as I set the alarm for 6pm vs 6am (whoops) but hubby said she has passed some ‘green and yellow poo’ at least so I’m hoping whatever is going on is moving on thru. And not those colors due to any sort of infection. Thinking likely not but. We never know til we know.... thanks for the help/suggestions. We will try to sort her out as best we can! She has been our best egg layer since her first couple eggs were odd so I really had hoped the worst was past us. Nope. Not a chance!


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Bile, egg material, perhaps possible infection. Does it have an odor? Let us know if she eats and drinks consistently. Do you have access to a vet who will work on poultry? Are you doing another soak today at some point?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Good luck, our thoughts are with you on this one!


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

He says she's "acting 100x better now." I'm currently waiting on my son to wake up and go home to check on her. Since she's feeling better I'll move her over beside/against or in the run with the others. Hate for her to be too alone for too long!

I'm super grateful it only got down to the 50s last night. She was mostly dry, but being alone I still worried a tiny bit about her getting a chill!

As for soak- sure! If she hasn't continued to pass.... whatever exactly is passing, I will def do a second, third, as many as she needs that could be of help to her. 

8:40am.... anytime now, kiddo.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

LOL The one thing you can count on is kids sleeping in.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Oh yes- but the minute I poked him and said ‘let’s go check on Moo’ he said ‘bring my clothes’ so hey, can’t complain too much. 

Update:
She passed some greenish yellowish material early on, and still was very pale, but acting mostly alright. It was more stressful for her to be alone bc of this so we did end up putting her in the run for the day. She wasn’t 100% but nobody was hard on her, and she ate and drank etc. 
well, almost exactly 24 hrs after we first spotted her she looked back to super duper pale. We thought for sure we’d have to snag her a second time, but when we let everyone out, she started pinking back up and acting basically normal, running around and eating everything she could catch. So, idk. I’ll know more in the morning. There was an egg in the nestbox when I checked it shortly after she was extra pale a second time. Hers? Maybe. Idk. But if she’s feeling better and continues to improve, then awesome. May supplement her calcium intake for a while and see if the same thing occurs. 

Thank you for the responses- let’s hope she’s back on track for real!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Her response once she passed what was trapped in her body really points to her struggling with the whole egg laying thing. It's pretty typical for them to get back to normal once it's left their bodies. 

I know you're going to be Eagle eying her from this point on. 

Poke, poke.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

I was mostly concerned about infection but hopefully she is past that.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Who, me????  Why yes!

I'm hoping it was something that is already resolved (at least for now) and we will see what we can do about addt'l calcium for her too. Fingers crossed this one was a somewhat simple fix for her and she continues at 100% today!


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Yes, good luck with her today!


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

So far so good! She is at maybe 90-95% of normal color now, and it took me a minute to pick her out of the three. Thinking the worst is past, as long as no infection crops up as a result of whatever was happening.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

More and more this is pointing to her having laying issues. I can't say that the addition of the extra calcium will help long term or not. I know it helps with birds that lay soft shelled eggs.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Well, that's good news. What Robin said, calcium almost always fixes soft shelled eggs.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Because it's not a physical issue like a malformation or damage in the egg tract or oviduct.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Poultry Judge said:


> Because it's not a physical issue like a malformation or damage in the egg tract or oviduct.


Something isn't right though if she's continuing to struggle.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Yup.


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