6 week Australorp - potential blockage?

[Lewis648]

Hi all. Newish member and first post, though I've lurked here a while and learned so much. I am a brand new chicken keeper with my first batch of chicks who are currently between six and seven weeks old.

I am hoping someone can advise me about my sick 6-week-old Black Australorp, Dolly. Long post, but just in case some details will be very important...

Dolly has always had a slightly pink and swollen vent, but it did not seem serious at all or prolapsed or blocked, etc. She seemed completely healthy in spite of it, eating and pooping normally, and has been a happy, friendly, active and fast-growing chick...until the past couple of weeks.

There was an incident about two weeks or so ago, when she was drinking at the waterer and suddenly cried out. She scratched at her crop area with her foot a few times. I felt her crop then (and many times since) and have never been able to feel an object or obstruction. She seemed fine moments later, and behaved normally for a while, but she has had a slow decline recently, eating/drinking less and less over the past four or five days. I have not been able to catch her pooping the past few days, and while it might be happening much more rarely since she isn't eating and drinking much, and I've just missed it, I'm hoping she isn't completely blocked up somewhere in her digestive track! I've struggled to get her to take nutridrench or anything else with a dropper, so I've at least given nutridrench mixed in the waterer, but today she just doesn't even seem to be eating or drinking at all.

There was a terrifying moment several hours ago this morning when she seized up, seemed to lose consciousness and then seemed semi-paralyzed for a few minutes. Since that time she has "recovered" back to the same behavior of the past couple of days: hunching in a corner, semi-sleeping standing, or wandering around listlessly. She seems to sometimes scan the ground as though about to peck for random fallen feed crumbles, but again, I have not actually seen her eat yet today. She does still groom her feathers on occasion and fights surprisingly strongly to get away when I lift her.

I am attaching pics, but they might not be too helpful. Her stance is fluffed up, head pulled in, tail and back of body always raised. She has lost weight and body heat. Her cheeks appear thin and sunken, puffing as she breathes. The fluffy feathers below her vent palpitate a bit as though perhaps her breathing is labored. She sometimes makes a repeated soft trilling/cooing sound. I still cannot feel anything amiss with her crop. Her vent is a bit pink and swollen, but always has been. I don't notice anything obvious when feeling her belly, but I also am not sure what exactly to feel for. My chicks are not vaccinated for any illnesses but eat medicated crumble. I have not been able to get Dolly to eat cocunut oil, scrambled egg, applesauce, or moist crumble mash, though the other chicks are only too willing to take care of it. She gets a little perked up about steamed rice or soldier fly larvae treats, but doesn't actually eat them. I'm not sure if that incident at the waterer or her slightly inflamed vent are related to this current crisis or not!

I am trying to get her into a vet ASAP, but there aren't many who see chickens, so it may take some time. What can I do in the meantime? She must be so dehydrated and miserable.

Can anyone give me clues about what could be wrong based on these symptoms, or suggestions for what else I can check, or advice on how I can help her? Do you have tips for how I should properly hold her and get her beak open to syringe feed her (without aspiration risk) at this young age/small size? Beads of nutridrench on the sides of her beak don't seem too affective because she isn't really opening her beak and ingesting it from there.

And any tips on what food or liquid or medication to try to give her?

Any chicken emergency vet recommendations for Denver, CO area? I am trying to get into VIDA, of the dozen or so vets I called this morning who either see chickens or once did, no luck/no appts open this week.

Also feels weird to invoke the gods of chicken health, and sorry if I've done anything wrong in my first post, please let me know, but I am hoping some of the super knowledgeable medical gurus can be pinged to advise? I'm not sure how to do it. Trying this way:
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@aart
@Overo Mare
@Eggcessive
@casportpony
@dawg53
@sourland
@N F C

And if there is anyone else it would be wise to ping, please do so or let me know! I so so so appreciate any help, I'm terrified she might not make it long enough for the vet.

Thank you BYC community!!

 

[azygous]

So sorry little Dolly is under the weather. It's not really possible to tell over the internet what's going wrong for her, even with your very thorough descriptions, which definitely was a big help.

A chronically swollen vent can indicate problems with poop retention, perhaps constipation. You need to try to get the coconut oil into her. It's really very easy once you get over the idea you're hurting or stressing her by forcing her beak open.

Grasp her by the back of the head and wrap your hand around her so you are able to pry her beak open and hold it open as you slip chilled pieces of the oil inside. Let her close her beak and swallow after inserting each piece. You need to get half a teaspoon or more into her to do any good.

Or you can try sprinkling sugar on it and see if she'll take it on her own. Sugar as a temporary aid to get a sick chicken to drink and eat is permitted. Give her sugar water to drink and you can use to sweeten food also. Once she begins to drink and eat, her strength will return and so may her appetite.

My take is that she's got a slow crop and slow digestive system. Oil should help.You can also give her a molasses flush by stirring one teaspoon of molasses into one-fourth cup of warm water. Try to get her to drink it all.

You can safely tube or syringe water and food by prying open her beak and inserting syringe or tube directly into her esophagus as shown in this photo.

 

[Lewis648]

So sorry little Dolly is under the weather. It's not really possible to tell over the internet what's going wrong for her, even with your very thorough descriptions, which definitely was a big help.

A chronically swollen vent can indicate problems with poop retention, perhaps constipation. You need to try to get the coconut oil into her. It's really very easy once you get over the idea you're hurting or stressing her by forcing her beak open.

Grasp her by the back of the head and wrap your hand around her so you are able to pry her beak open and hold it open as you slip chilled pieces of the oil inside. Let her close her beak and swallow after inserting each piece. You need to get half a teaspoon or more into her to do any good.

Or you can try sprinkling sugar on it and see if she'll take it on her own. Sugar as a temporary aid to get a sick chicken to drink and eat is permitted. Give her sugar water to drink and you can use to sweeten food also. Once she begins to drink and eat, her strength will return and so may her appetite.

My take is that she's got a slow crop and slow digestive system. Oil should help.You can also give her a molasses flush by stirring one teaspoon of molasses into one-fourth cup of warm water. Try to get her to drink it all.

You can safely tube or syringe water and food by prying open her beak and inserting syringe or tube directly into her esophagus as shown in this photo. View attachment 2700354

Thank you so much! I have read many of your incredibly educational posts and tips, and your touching stories of your chickens' journeys. I appreciate your fast response more than I can tell you. I will try all that you have suggested and circle back!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

hunching in a corner, semi-sleeping standing, or wandering around listlessly. She seems to sometimes scan the ground as though about to peck for random fallen feed crumbles, but again, I have not actually seen her eat yet today.

Her stance is fluffed up, head pulled in, tail and back of body always raised. She has lost weight and body heat. Her cheeks appear thin and sunken, puffing as she breathes. The fluffy feathers below her vent palpitate a bit as though perhaps her breathing is labored. She sometimes makes a repeated soft trilling/cooing sound

Welcome To BYC

I too would work on giving her the coconut oil to see if that helps - possible she may be constipated.
Keep trying to get a good look at her poop - if you see it, get a photo.

Fluffed up, head in, hunching, etc. for me, I would be inclined to treat for Coccidiosis. This could be where some of the swelling of the vent is coming from as well.
Corid can be found in the cattle section of TSC. Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp per gallon of water and Powdered Corid is 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Give for 5-7 days. If she's not drinking, then do your best to syringe the mixed water into her as much as you can throughout the day.

 

[InterestingChickens]

Regarding the syringing make sure you get it down the side of Dolly's mouth, not in the middle as that will cause her to aspirate. If she dose start opening her beak almost like she's panting and sounding distressed, put her down and let her cough it up. I hope Dolly gets better soon. Good luck.

 

[aart]

Regarding the syringing make sure you get it down the side of Dolly's mouth, not in the middle as that will cause her to aspirate.

@InterestingChickens Did you see post #2?

 

[Lewis648]

Thank you all so much for responding. Here is an update. Almost the same moment I read and responded to azygous' post yesterday, I got a spot at an emergency vet who would treat chickens. It was such a relief. The vet was concerned that Dolly was breathing heavily and said it was most important to put her straight into oxygenation. She also did xrays and ruled out an obstruction. She found that Dolly may have mild pnuemonia and that her intestines appear inflamed. The prognosis was very good, and Dolly was to stay overnight for continued oxygen, subcutaneous rehydration, and a first round of antibiotics.

However, when I called in the evening to check on how she was doing, I was told that she hadn't responded well to treatment and had a 50% chance to make it through the night. Such an awful shock. By the time I got there about 45 mins later, they anticipated death was imminent. Dolly was collapsed in the corner of the ventilator, gasping for breath, unable to stand, looking indeed moments from the end. Unlike what we had discussed, they had opted not to give her any liquid food or nutrients (though for some odd reason worm treats were sprinkled all around her!) While subcutaneous hydration had been injected, it was unclear if she had access to any water. They had also decided only very late that she needed supplemental heat. It appears that her environment had been extremely uncomfortable and stressful for her.

So with such a terrible unexpected decline and concerns with her treatment and comfort, I opted to immediately withdraw her and take her home to try to get some nutrients in her and to get her more comfortable near her brooder. She was nearly catatonic, so I had a fairly easy time syringe-feeding her a dose of nutridrench. I did not yet have molasses to try that therapy, but at least it is one of the ingredients of nutridrench. I then sat beside the brooder and held Dolly's paralyzed little body all night in my arms.

This morning, she is amazingly restored to near the condition she was in yesterday before going to the vet. She can walk again, though shakily. She grew very distressed and full of fight when I once again attempted the syringe, so I did not yet get some more nutrients in her, but shortly I will wrap her in a towel and get the upperhand. She is back in the brooder for now, and seems stable but disoriented. She still does not appear to be eating or drinking on her own.

I think with the matching symptoms, the intestinal inflammation on the xray, and the fact that her waning appetite over days left her consuming less and less amprolium from her feed, the coccidiosis-treatment advice from @Wyorp Rock seems right on point. I am so grateful for you all!! I am picking up corid as soon as I can this AM.

I will provide an update later...hopefully a celebratory one!

Thank you all again a million times. If (WHEN!) Dolly pulls through, it is sincerely due purely to your guidance.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please keep us posted on how she's doing.

Hopefully she will bounce back.

 

[Lewis648]

About an hour or so after my last post Dolly started gobbling up her crumble like she was in a pro eating competition. She has been eating and drinking very well on her own all day. She is more energetic than she has been for days. Yeeeahuh!! The chicks have been on the corid mix since this AM. And tomorrow I will work on getting the coconut oil chunks into Dolly to help everything move along smoothly. Still watching to confirm how her poop is looking, but seems like so far so very good. Incredible the difference from the crumpled little bird pronounced moments-from-death less than 24 hours ago!

 

[InterestingChickens]

@InterestingChickens Did you see post #2?

Yes, as informative as it was I didn't see anything much covering that topic. Looking back I see it kind of did. Just wanted to help and maybe put it more clearly. Sorry if I did anything wrong.