Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[Chicken shack]

My dear Rhoda who has laid an egg on most days since I got her in August 2010. She has always been quite small but fiesty and has always laid the largest off eggs but is now off colour. She does not have diarrhoea, runny nose, sneezing, lice or mites, her breath does not smell and she does not appear to have sour crop or egg bound. I wormed them a few weeks ago so it is not worm. She feels thin and is haunched up and has stopped laying. She does join the others and peck about and she will come out to FR. There are a few feathers about so I wonder if it is due to moulting I have not seen her moult before. I can't put my finger on what could be wrong. Any advice would be welcome. Thank you. :(

Edited April 5, 2012 by Guest

[Plum]

My hybrid goes off it when in moult so you could be right if she's not showing anything else. I understand they can be vulnerable to all the illness we can so it can be hard to pin down. Sorry that's not much help. Hope she picks up.

[Chicken shack]

Thank you Plum. I gave her nuture drops but she looks so misserable but I know the vet would not know what is wrong. She is eating and drinking and the others are not picking on her so I just hope it is the moult.

[MedusA]

If she doesn't pick up in a day or two, I would suggest taking her to the vet and requesting a course of Baytril. If she has an infection,that should sort it as it's broad spectrum. In my experience, they won't prescribe without at least seeing the chook.

 

Hope she receovers.

[Chicken shack]

Sadly she died during the night.

[Plum]

Oh no I'm so sorry.