# Help poorly chicken



## Nancy2010 (4 mo ago)

I have 3 chickens that are free ranging, the eldest has not been herself for a few months now, I put it down to her getting old (she’s 6) however about a month ago I noticed she was having loose stools and walking very slowly. She isn’t egg bound but the eggs she is laying are very dirty. About 3 weeks ago I noticed a dark patch on her beak, at first I thought it was mud but it’s now spread quite rapidly., she is very lethargic and her stools are really runny and she is spending a lot of time laying down. I have tried all the local vets and none have anyone that deals with exotic pets ( I didn’t know a chicken was classed as exotic) but they will help for euthanasia! Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?


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## Nancy2010 (4 mo ago)

Here are some photos


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm going to see if @dawg53 has any ideas. On the one pic it made me think of mite dirt but on the first pic it doesn't. 

Have you checked for mites? 

When you say the eggs are dirty what exactly do you mean? They shouldn't be able to get dirty unless they're laid in the dirt. If it's coming from her I would be looking closer for mites.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I agree with Robin. Inspect her closely for lice/mites, especially around her vent area. If there are feces stuck to her feathers near her vent, wash it off and look for maggots. There's the possibility of fly strike.
Additionally, I recommend that you worm her with Flubenvet.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I did not catch the GB flag. Until you mentioned Flubenvet I thought US.


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## Nancy2010 (4 mo ago)

Hi thank you for your replies, Sadly my beautiful girl Nancy passed away this morning, cuddled up in a towel in my arms. I had checked for mites, but there were none and she was wormed regularly. The other 2 look the picture of health so I don’t know what to think. Could it just have been old age? I’m just worried something will happened to the other 2 now.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Nancy2010 (4 mo ago)

Hi thank you for your replies, I have checked her for mites and the run and nothing but I do a deep clean twice a week and I clean where they perch daily. The layer pellets they have are Verm-x and they also have it in the water. I have never wormed them separately I thought this covered everything. Her bottom is constantly dirty and I have bathed her in Epsom salt water several times over the last few weeks (she loves it and sleeps in the warm water!) I will try the flubevevt and will order it today. the other 2 that she lives with are the picture of health


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Age can play a part in her passing. As more and more of us raise them the average age is increasing. She had six good years with you. 

I wish we could have done more to help.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Nancy2010 said:


> Hi thank you for your replies, I have checked her for mites and the run and nothing but I do a deep clean twice a week and I clean where they perch daily. The layer pellets they have are Verm-x and they also have it in the water. I have never wormed them separately I thought this covered everything. Her bottom is constantly dirty and I have bathed her in Epsom salt water several times over the last few weeks (she loves it and sleeps in the warm water!) I will try the flubevevt and will order it today. the other 2 that she lives with are the picture of health


Just for your information, Verm-x isnt a wormer. Flubenvet is a very good wormer.


Verm-X Herbal Parasite Control: No Real Evidence to Show it is Safe or Effective |


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## Nancy2010 (4 mo ago)

dawg53 said:


> Just for your information, Verm-x isnt a wormer. Flubenvet is a very good wormer.
> 
> 
> Verm-X Herbal Parasite Control: No Real Evidence to Show it is Safe or Effective |


Should I get the flubenvet powder or do the layer pellets with flubenvet work the some way?


dawg53 said:


> I'm sorry for your loss.


Thank you, do you think it could just be due to age, I’m so worried it could be something I can’t see and it will affect the others


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If it would affect the others you more than likely would have seen some sign by now. 

On the Flubenvet, are they on pellets now? Then you can use those. But if they're on crumbles you'll want the powder.


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## lovely_chooks (Mar 19, 2021)

Nancy2010 said:


> Hi thank you for your replies, Sadly my beautiful girl Nancy passed away this morning, cuddled up in a towel in my arms. I had checked for mites, but there were none and she was wormed regularly. The other 2 look the picture of health so I don’t know what to think. Could it just have been old age? I’m just worried something will happened to the other 2 now.


I’m so sorry for your loss rest in peace


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