Buffy in Trouble!

[debandlessmith]

OK, this isn’t looking good. It started with our 10-month old buff Orpington hen with a bum leg Now, she soiled herself with black tar-like, very stinky poop. And, it looks like the skin has slipped loose from her chest. It just slips back. She doesn’t seem to be in pain. It’s just freaky.

 

[azygous]

I'll take your word that Buffy is in a bad way, but the closeup photo lacks context and all I see is a bundle of feathers in no particular recognizable arrangement. Try giving us a longer shot and maybe a shot of what particularly concerns you.

Give us some background info such as what you may have been treating her for and what she's been eating. Has she had access to wood ash and charcoal by any chance? Have you checked her crop for fullness?

A photo of her poop would also be helpful.

 

[debandlessmith]

This started with a hurt left leg, that was hot to the touch, but has cooled over time. We have her in pen rest. It’s been a little over a week. As you can see from the pics, she has black tar-like poop in her feathers. When we picked her up, the skin and feathers slipped easily away from her breasts.

I'll take your word that Buffy is in a bad way, but the closeup photo lacks context and all I see is a bundle of feathers in no particular recognizable arrangement. Try giving us a longer shot and maybe a shot of what particularly concerns you.

Give us some background info such as what you may have been treating her for and what she's been eating. Has she had access to wood ash and charcoal by any chance? Have you checked her crop for fullness?

A photo of her poop would also be helpful.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. Have you given any electrolytes (NutriDrench, Gatorade, Save AChick?) Can she stand and walk at all? You may want to remove the poop from her feathers and take a look at her vent to make sure there is no infection or maggots. A shallow soak in warm soapy water can be done, or you could clean her up by pulling off or trimming soiled feathers. Her breastbone is very prominent, so she is starving. If her leg is not working, that could be that an injury that has kept her from getting enough food, or a disease, such as Mareks which may cause paralysis in a leg or wing, and failure to thrive. I would place her close to her food and water, and offer some wet feed, scrambled egg, or tuna, or treats that she likes. Let us know if she is eating and drinking.

 

[azygous]

At ten-months she shouldn't be having such issues. From the startling protrusion of her keel bone, something is causing her to starve. It isn't out of the question for such a young chicken to be overwhelmed by tumors. You may have a tumor-causing avian virus in your flock and not know it. The black poop may be blood from internal bleeding, and it could account for the bad odor.

That would be my first guess, taking all the symptoms together. It could also be that she has a crop disorder or internal parasites. The first can be verified by checking her crop for fullness at daybreak. The second can be verified by taking a poop sample to a vet to have it examined for worm eggs and coccidia. If your budget allows for the expense, you can also have them run a gram stain on the poop sample for bacteria. That could be a problem if she has coccidiosis and bacteria have colonized her intestines, causing bleeding.

I can only guess about the cancer tumors, but you can verify the other guesses and possibly treat her effectively from having those fecal tests run. It could come in under $100, but just the fecal float could be as little as $20 and could still give you enough information to treat her.