New member with sick hen - difficulty to identify disease

Hi,

I m the proud owner of 13 ex batt hybrids that I re homed in two batches (march and August). One of my latest ones has always been a bit poorly, became very ill after a couple of weeks, to the point where I kept her indoors (she didn t move from her box for two weeks) and I was sure I would lose her. After a 5 day treatment of antibiotics she improved but since then she has remained very lethargic, extremely thin (1.3kgs as we speak, she was at 1.1 at her worst) and naps throughout the day.
She has had diarrhoea for two months now, it had improved after the antibiotics but not for very long.
She seems otherwise quite happy, she s outside part of the day and rushes to get in when I open the door (she sleeps inside at night and comes in to nap once or twice during the day)

My vet (not a chicken specialist) has run out of explanations and I m not sure what to do.
Could it be Clostridium perfringens? Or some kind of cancer? What disease could last for so long without any signs of improvement?
She hasn t laid for the past two months (the only one in the flock not to)


Thanks a lot for any help or advice, I am running out of ideas of what to do!

What does the diarrhea look like (what color)? Have you wormed them? If you suspect Clostridium perfringens, have you given her Corid? Is she eating? Drinking? Any other information about her general appearance (ruffled feathers, etc.)? How's her crop feel? Does her abdomen feel swollen? What is her normal feed?

Hi,

The diarrhoea is green and very runny, it looks like poo from chicken with Clostridium hence my concern. They have been wormed last week but haven't had Corid (my suspicions arose only today)
She is eating and drinking but not gaining weight, they are on layers pellets and free range during the day. This hen gets additional corn and maize as she shows more willingness to eat that and I would like her to gain weight.
Her crop is normal, I d thought about sour crop but it s all empty in the morning her abdomen seems fine, just very thin.

She s currently moulting, all these hens were pretty much completely bald when I got them in August but now they are all fully feathered (save two, including is one whose moult seems to be taking much longer)

I ve taken pictures of her to show you her appearance but haven t worked out how to attach them yet!
Her behaviour is normal half the time and the other half is she sleeping (ruffled feathers, head in feathers at times)

Thanks for your help!

This is her

What wormer did you use? and for how long?

Unless a more experienced member comes along with a better diagnosis/suggestions. You may want to start her on a treatment of Corid.

Flubenvet in their feed for a week.
Could this disease last two months without affecting others and without killing her?

Will try Corid in any case, thanks a lot

Here is some sites that discuss Coccidiosis.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/coccidiosis-in-chickens.html
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/coccidiosis/index.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/info_8431558_signs-symptoms-coccidiosis-chickens.html
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html

If it is cocci and your other chickens are not showing symptoms there is a possibility that they have become exposed at some point in their lives and have developed an immunity.

Thanks I had thought of that a while back but as most sites claim that birds either die or improve after 10-14 days I d written it off. I guess there s no harm in trying though?

Heidichapel said:

Thanks I had thought of that a while back but as most sites claim that birds either die or improve after 10-14 days I d written it off. I guess there s no harm in trying though?

Click to expand...

There is no harm in trying.

I'm battling a medical mystery with my goose. It has been over two weeks now. Without intervention from me she would have died a week ago. Today she is still recovering but making improvements every day.

So there is always hope.

Oh yes I really thought she would die two months ago, she spent a week barely eating and drinking but as she s been stable and ok-ish ever since, I think she ll survive. But I would like her to have a normal behaviour, not be sleeping half of the time.... And I d line to understand what is causing it!