Poorly chicken! Any advice?

[User24689]

Hi all. We've only been keeping chickens a couple of months so still learning and would like some advice please!

One of our chickens was out of sorts this morning, didn't come out of the nesting box when I opened it and then when she eventually emerged just lay in the grass with her eyes closed for most of the day. She has had no food, a bit of water and occasionally spends some time standing up but with eyes still closed most of the time.

Her tail feathers are wet but there is no smell and nothing obviously wrong in that area. She hasn't laid today. There was some creamy yellowish poo in the nesting box which I haven't seen before and I'm assuming is hers.

Our vet is shut due to covid although there is another one open in a town nearby. Does this sound like something serious that needs a vet or is there something common it could be that we could treat at home?

I should add she doesn't seem in any real distress or I would have taken her to a vet already.

Thanks

She could be egg bound? It needs to be treated straight away if she is
www.thehappychickencoop.com/egg-bound-chicken/

Thanks. That sounds like it. She does lay big double yolk eggs often too. Awaiting call back from vet! X

Poor girl :( good luck hope she is better soon

Thank you! Vet wasn't that helpful unfortunately. It was a video call so it's difficult isn't it because they can't properly examine. He admitted chickens weren't really his area but thought it sounded more like a general sickness. He suggested separating her from he others overnight and he is getting his colleague to call us in the morning who knows more about chickens. We are going to set up a box for her in our utility for the night.

She isn't doing the waddling I have seen described on the info about egg binding. Her rear end is constantly clenching and unclenching though. The vet said that the discharge wasn't really consistent with egg binding which is why he didn't think it was that.

Darn. Could you try the warm water bath and other first aid advice as per the article?
Also try Chicken Keeping UK facebook page
Chickens can also get an infection called coccidia but I don’t know much about it but apparently it makes them quite sick.
Or a shout out to a vet on the doghouse board? There is usually a few vets around, they might be able to help. This board is very quiet for replies.
Good luck

Thank you @perch!

Sounds like egg peritonitis and euthanasia would probably be the best option
The vets on this list all have additional training in birds including poultry
https://www.bvzs.org/images/uploads/BVZSSpecialisttlist2020.pdf

Thanks very much. We have just spoken to a vet and sent a video of her who is fairly certain she is egg bound. Has advised a warm bath and said she should want to sit in it if that's the case? Going to try now. Tbh I'm not holding out much hope she is deteriorating quite rapidly.

Sad update. Poor girl died while I was bathing her. Thanks for trying to help x

I’m sorry about your Chicken x

Oh that is sad :( so sorry, poor thing, hope you are ok too x

Damn 😞. It sounds like you did your best op, sad news.

Thanks all. It was upsetting. We will know next time to take action faster. I feel bad we let her get worse before trying to do something, just didn't realise how quickly she would deteriorate.

We have buried her in the garden. Just got to break it to the kids in the morning!