5 year old hen, thin, eating active, but slowing down.. diarhrea with yellow white slime

[casportpony]

im calling the vet now... they close soon and they are checking to see if they
Quote: Show me where you're finding this conflicting info. BTW, it's 5pm here, we're only 3 hours behind you.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

This is where the tube goes.










-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Lubricate with water, then insert on *their* left and diagonally across their tongue to *their* right side. Slowly insert down into their crop, do not force tube.

Do not try this until you call me!

-Kathy

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Show me where you're finding this conflicting info. BTW, it's 5pm here, we're only 3 hours behind you.

-Kathy

I have been trying to find the exact posts that I'm talking about the conflicting info... Can't find it now. But it said to insert the tube down the hole in the middle of the bird's throat. I read somewhere else not to put it down that hole because that is the treachea and that goes to her lungs.

???

Anyway, I am ready now. I've been getting everything together that I might need. I'll be calling!

 

[Bocktobery 10]

This is where the tube goes.










-Kathy

I know that the tube goes down the throat, but how do you know which hole back there is for the lungs and which is for the esophagus? That's the big thing you need to know, and so far I've not seen a photo that clearly indicates exactly where. As I said in my last post, someone said to put it down the middle hole and others said that's the danger zone don't put it there. ! ? If I mess it up, I'm going to kill my poor hen.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Kathy,

Thanks so much for helping me out!

If the weather allows and the vet's can see her tomorrow I am going to take her in. Hopefully she can run some x-rays.


I'll keep everyone updated here.

 

[casportpony]

I know you know this, but thought others should see it:
From:http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm
The hole at the back of the tongue is the entrance to the trachea - Nothing should ever go in there!

See where the tip of the syringe is? That's the entrance to the esophagus, that is where the tube goes.

-Kathy

 

[enola]

How is she this morning?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Hey y'all,

Finally found some time to chime in and update...

She's still alive. She seems the same. She was really thirsty this morning (I had taken away all food and water so that I could try and tube her in the morning without her vomiting liquid.)

Kathy, my help this morning had left- so I wasn't able to try tubing her again. You are absolutely right when you say it is easy and not as bad- Last night it was simple... this morning not so much since I was trying to do it alone! Sooo...

I made an appointment with the vet- its at 3pm today.. in two hours.

Unfortunately my regular vet, the chicken-owning-knowledgeable one I usually see, is not in today, but the other vet who is just as skilled (but not so much in avian things) agreed to see her today. I think she may do some x-rays. If so, this might show something. I'm also going to ask if Maple can be given fluids to hydrate her. Then maybe she can also be fed too? Maybe we can get her out of the 'weak zone'. I'm going to see if she can be given an anti fungal too- I read somewhere that its a good idea to treat for both fungal and bacterial when the birds are this sick. ??? What do you think?

I tried to tube her last night but she squirmed a lot-(I had help holding her last night) but only when I got to a certain point in her neck. It was like she was tender in that area- you know, like when you touch a certain spot on an animal that is wounded they react big time. That is what it reminded me of. She squirmed a bit of course getting it in, but that was what I'd expect. Its like when I reached this area (which I'd say was about 2 to 3 inches away from the crop) she really let loose and made some noises. She also vomited a bit of liquid. It was non-smelly. No smell at all really- MOST of her poop is that way also now, but every now and then she poops murky liquid and the smell is absolutely vile. It is the color of lash- murky brownish yellow.

Anyway, I kept trying and it would not go any further and I didn't want to force it, since this was my first time trying to tube a chicken. I was just trying to 'tube' her.. no water or feed attached in a syringe at the end, so this was just for practice and to make sure I got the procedure right. I also noticed when feeling around her neck that there seemed to be something weird, maybe an obstruction- about the same site where the tube hit and would not go any further. I do not know if I'm just imagining things or if there could be an obstruction. ? I have one other emaciated hen (probably sick with EYP) and I felt her neck in comparison and it was similar but not the same. In this spot in Maple the trachea or esophogus (not sure which tube it is) is enlarged in one small area there. Quite honestly if feels like some sort of small squishy bendable soft plastic is stuck in there. Then again, I REALLY don't know what I"m doing when it comes to this. I do not know much about chicken anatomy.

The really interesting thing is that she had no food all night and she still had food in her crop this morning. About a half dollar to quarter circumference ball of something- kind of gritty -was left in her crop. I'm wondering can something be growing in there? Like how in wet pox, there is this disgusting mass of white stuff in the nasal cavities? Do they get anything like that, but only in the crop? Then again, maybe it was just that her crop is not moving things out. ... See what I mean when I say I don't know what I"m doing! I can imagine all sorts of scenarios!

I'm still giving her the Baytril. 1/4 cc twice a day. She is still eating and drinking a bit- I'd say yesterday she ate about 1/3rd cup of food. As I said before, she will eat like she's starved for like the first few moments then stop. She also picks at her food looking for small bits after that. Usually does not eat any more until evening.

Ok, well I have to get going... I will update here when I know more and have a moment to get to the computer.

Thanks everyone for your help as well.

 

[enola]

Kathy, if her crop is not emptying, would it be time to treat with an anti fungal?