I don't know if Penny is sick or really depressed (my other chicken died) or both!
Penny *was* a hefty (overweight) chicken to begin with, so she must be using up all her reserves and more.... My other chicken, Blondie, died on May 6th and Penny appears depressed, but I think something else is going on as well, because she has had very small, loose droppings, and when she was drinking they were very watery. Her crop also feels very mushy.... but I don't smell anything around her beak. Her eyes and nose are clear.
I was out of town and so my partner took Penny to the vet because she was hardly eating and due to the runny droppings. The vet said it was intestinal, but said she had plenty of weight on her, so not to worry, and he prescribed SULFAMETHOXAZOLE-TRIMETHOPRIM (200mg in the morning,200 mg in the evening). My partner pilled her for 2.5 days but then he came down with Covid from the vets (!)... and he stopped giving her the pills about a week ago because he was too sick (he also said he didn't notice any change in her droppings or behavior - but I suspect it was too soon.) In all, she got pills for 2.5 days. I felt Penny's keel today and there is hardly anything left around it!
My partner just got more pills from the vet assistant (we didn't take Penny in) and I just gave her one, along with some water, but when I did, I noticed that she sounded really mucousy! And I'm wondering if her crop might be full of mucous because I don't notice anything with her breathing.... again, I don't smell anything and don't really feel any lumps, just squishiness.
When I returned on the 25th, Penny was still eating a little of the food we put out for her, but this past Wednesday was the last day she ate anything we provided (about 4 raspberries.) She is refusing all her favorite foods, grapes, live mealworms, berries, greens, corn, egg, yogurt... there are a lot of seeds in the yard right now, and I've seen her eat some, but not a lot. Her crop feels sort of mushy... She sits most of the day, but when she is somewhat foraging (only late afternoon), she seems like a normal chicken, but I've put water and food out in the yard but she turns her back on both. Frankly, I'm surprised she is still alive... dealing with Covid has made it more difficult unfortunately. I was only allowed back in the house on Wednesday. Yesterday I put water on her beak so that at least she would some.... but it seems to have gone straight through her.
Finally, I'm reluctant to get another chicken because the last died from Mareks, and I don't know if Penny has something communicable.
Penny is an easter egger about 6 years old.
The first photo is what her dropping have been looking like, or drier.
The second is after giving her water yesterday evening.
Thanks in advance for any help! We don't know what to do.... although I'm hoping now that we have her on the meds again, that might help...
Penny *was* a hefty (overweight) chicken to begin with, so she must be using up all her reserves and more.... My other chicken, Blondie, died on May 6th and Penny appears depressed, but I think something else is going on as well, because she has had very small, loose droppings, and when she was drinking they were very watery. Her crop also feels very mushy.... but I don't smell anything around her beak. Her eyes and nose are clear.
I was out of town and so my partner took Penny to the vet because she was hardly eating and due to the runny droppings. The vet said it was intestinal, but said she had plenty of weight on her, so not to worry, and he prescribed SULFAMETHOXAZOLE-TRIMETHOPRIM (200mg in the morning,200 mg in the evening). My partner pilled her for 2.5 days but then he came down with Covid from the vets (!)... and he stopped giving her the pills about a week ago because he was too sick (he also said he didn't notice any change in her droppings or behavior - but I suspect it was too soon.) In all, she got pills for 2.5 days. I felt Penny's keel today and there is hardly anything left around it!
My partner just got more pills from the vet assistant (we didn't take Penny in) and I just gave her one, along with some water, but when I did, I noticed that she sounded really mucousy! And I'm wondering if her crop might be full of mucous because I don't notice anything with her breathing.... again, I don't smell anything and don't really feel any lumps, just squishiness.
When I returned on the 25th, Penny was still eating a little of the food we put out for her, but this past Wednesday was the last day she ate anything we provided (about 4 raspberries.) She is refusing all her favorite foods, grapes, live mealworms, berries, greens, corn, egg, yogurt... there are a lot of seeds in the yard right now, and I've seen her eat some, but not a lot. Her crop feels sort of mushy... She sits most of the day, but when she is somewhat foraging (only late afternoon), she seems like a normal chicken, but I've put water and food out in the yard but she turns her back on both. Frankly, I'm surprised she is still alive... dealing with Covid has made it more difficult unfortunately. I was only allowed back in the house on Wednesday. Yesterday I put water on her beak so that at least she would some.... but it seems to have gone straight through her.
Finally, I'm reluctant to get another chicken because the last died from Mareks, and I don't know if Penny has something communicable.
Penny is an easter egger about 6 years old.
The first photo is what her dropping have been looking like, or drier.
Thanks in advance for any help! We don't know what to do.... although I'm hoping now that we have her on the meds again, that might help...
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