I've been trying to figure out what's going on with my little black australorp for almost a month now.
Among a host of other things going on with my sweet girl, while being isolated and receiving a ton of TLC in the house, she also recently started laying, which at 25-26wks, was significantly later than the rest of my crew, but nonetheless, I initially took as a positive sign that her health was going the right direction. But over the last day or two, I'm getting a little concerned that she may either be an internal layer or have something more serious like yolk peritonitis. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Looking back I did have one chicken pass a soft shelled egg in the coop overnight about 6-8 weeks ago that probably was her based on the location of the egg. Currently, she refuses to perch. She prefers to stand, even falls asleep standing often but will eventually lie down with her tail straight up. I had dismissed a lot of this behavior until now because the initial symptom prompting me to isolate her was concern for vision loss and noticing her having difficulty during feeding times and eventually significant bullying/attacking by the other hens and rooster.
Since she's been isolated I have treated her and her flockmates for worms (fenbendazole), coccidiosis and currently on oxytetracycline, initially started 3 days ago for worsening resp symptoms in the outdoor chickens then she developed symptoms pretty fast including gasping/mouth breathing/tail bobbing/hoarse voice.
Since she has laid that initial egg about a week ago, I've noticed her vent almost "pulsating." Her stools have varied significantly from white, milky like diarrhea, thick pudding-like consistency, to normal appearing all in the same day/hour. I have not appreciated any blood.
I can state that since starting the oxytetracycline (and vitamin/electrolytes), her behavior/appetite/spirit has seemed to improve significantly. She is playful, she is running in the house and chasing us (although is still not seeing very well) enjoying dust bathing in the sun....
I've been watching a few of the other one outside because they've seemed a little more "subdued" than usual and I've been on major poop patrol and there have been some that really don't look right, i.e. the "foamy" type diarrhea and some really smelly diarrhea but from what I've read, that may be just cecal poop....boy it stressfull being the mamma chicken!!
I still haven't found how to put it all together, ?infection, ?toxin,???? If anyone out there knows or has anything.....
Thanks in advance
Among a host of other things going on with my sweet girl, while being isolated and receiving a ton of TLC in the house, she also recently started laying, which at 25-26wks, was significantly later than the rest of my crew, but nonetheless, I initially took as a positive sign that her health was going the right direction. But over the last day or two, I'm getting a little concerned that she may either be an internal layer or have something more serious like yolk peritonitis. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Looking back I did have one chicken pass a soft shelled egg in the coop overnight about 6-8 weeks ago that probably was her based on the location of the egg. Currently, she refuses to perch. She prefers to stand, even falls asleep standing often but will eventually lie down with her tail straight up. I had dismissed a lot of this behavior until now because the initial symptom prompting me to isolate her was concern for vision loss and noticing her having difficulty during feeding times and eventually significant bullying/attacking by the other hens and rooster.
Since she's been isolated I have treated her and her flockmates for worms (fenbendazole), coccidiosis and currently on oxytetracycline, initially started 3 days ago for worsening resp symptoms in the outdoor chickens then she developed symptoms pretty fast including gasping/mouth breathing/tail bobbing/hoarse voice.
Since she has laid that initial egg about a week ago, I've noticed her vent almost "pulsating." Her stools have varied significantly from white, milky like diarrhea, thick pudding-like consistency, to normal appearing all in the same day/hour. I have not appreciated any blood.
I can state that since starting the oxytetracycline (and vitamin/electrolytes), her behavior/appetite/spirit has seemed to improve significantly. She is playful, she is running in the house and chasing us (although is still not seeing very well) enjoying dust bathing in the sun....
I've been watching a few of the other one outside because they've seemed a little more "subdued" than usual and I've been on major poop patrol and there have been some that really don't look right, i.e. the "foamy" type diarrhea and some really smelly diarrhea but from what I've read, that may be just cecal poop....boy it stressfull being the mamma chicken!!
I still haven't found how to put it all together, ?infection, ?toxin,???? If anyone out there knows or has anything.....
Thanks in advance
