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Help! Poopy butt turns into lethargic chicken with red swollen bottomside...

post #1 of 6
4/1/12 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 

Hello All!

 

We've had 8-16 chickens for the past 4 years.  We got a variety of breeds.  We've been very lucky with predators and also lucky with illness.  

 

We've had 4-5 chickens get poopy but over time.  Most have recovered after a cleaning with no associated lethargy.  We've had two, both original Australorps get it really bad.  After we cleaned them with warm water, give them yogurt, keep them warm, and made sure they were drinking, they became really lethargic, their bottoms get red & swollen and after 3-4 weeks we have to put them out of their misery.  

 

We thought it was perhaps localized to the Australorps.  But now, one of the original New Hampshire Reds has the same thing!  We don't want this to end the same way!

 

Pictures are attached.  We haven't seen mites or lice (but perhaps we don't know what we are looking at!).  We haven't vaccinated or wormed or anything.  Just layer pellets, fresh water daily, good kitchen scraps, and time out in the yards every few days.  Any advice would be appreciated!  Thanks!

Red.jpgSwollen.jpgPoop.jpg

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post #2 of 6
4/3/12 at 8:26am
Thread Starter 

Any advice would be most appreciated!  Our little lady is getting more & more lethargic.  Her butt is sagging and she seems to be heading in the wrong direction.  Thanks!

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post #3 of 6
4/3/12 at 8:53am

my first guess would be lice, I just treated my birds,

 

good info and lots with pics here,,,,check the blogs archives

 

http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2010/05/of-lice-and-hens/

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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post #4 of 6
4/3/12 at 8:53am

First of all, your hens have lice -see my blogpost with an explanation and photos here:

http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2010/05/of-lice-and-hens/

 

However, the lice are a symptom of illness - it's likely your hens aren't dust bathing because they don't feel well -rather than the cause of the problem. Many health issues, from ascites to cancer to peritonitis, can cause the sort of squishy sagging butts that you describe. In some cases, what I call the "spa cure" fixes it (baths, epsom salt, TLC) but some problems can't be fixed.

 

Lethargy is often the sign of an internal infection, either an impacted, infected reproductive tract, or peritonitis. Antibiotics might help, but not if she is severely diseased. 

 

Sometimes messy bottoms are due to vent gleet - a yeast infection - but you don't get the swollen abdomen with that. 

 

Sorry that I can't be more definitive - but unless the chicken dies and a necropsy is done it is all guess work. I've guessed wrong several times, and only found out the true cause of the symptoms with a necropsy. 

 

 

 

 

Terry Golson

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Terry Golson

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post #5 of 6
4/3/12 at 8:54am

or maybe here

 

http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2008/09/how-i-saved-eleanor/

 

lots more in the archives

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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post #6 of 6
4/3/12 at 10:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by unkadan View Post

or maybe here

 

http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2008/09/how-i-saved-eleanor/

 

lots more in the archives



I'm glad you're making use of my posts! As far as Eleanor goes, she has lived with a red butt for years now. However, hers is a mysterious skin ailment and after a brief period when her bottom was swollen and hot, she's not now carrying around excess fluid. In her case, some TLC and the "spa treatment" worked wonders. But I still can't put a label on what she had!

Terry Golson

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Terry Golson

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