Help! My hen has stopped drinking any water and has barely eaten for 3 weeks.

[amyduck]

Two things, I’d try massaging her crop too see if there is a blockage or maybe coiled up grass or something else she can’t pass. The other thing I would try is what we call the “spa bath” for our hens who are having digestive issues or if there’s an egg that didn’t pass properly. I get a five gallon bucket which is just the right size for most hens to stand up in. Make sure the water is slightly warmer than chicken temperature, mix a little unscented Epsom salts — maybe a couple of tablespoons. When you’re sure you’ve got the water the right temp, hold her body so you’re holding her wings too and put her in the bucket. I usually hold them on there for about 15-20 minutes. If you’re brave, you can put some petroleum jelly on your finger and see if you can feel an egg or egg shells inside her. You’ll need to make sure she’s dry before you put her back outside. I usually towel them off as best I can. While you’re holding her wrapped in a towel is a good opportunity to see if she will drink a few drops from your finger. I have a “chicken hospital” box where I can keep them until I feel like they’re ready to return to the run. Hoping she gets better soon!

Thanks Pghelp, I've felt stuff in crops before, but it didn't feel like that with her, but even so, I gave it a good massage tonight and will see what happens in the morning!
As for the bath, is it all about getting an egg or egg shells out, or does it serve another purpose? My gut says it's not an egg since it's been so long since she's laid one... but who knows? Plus, I'm a little reluctant to give her a bath as I'm afraid she's on the weaker side now and it might be too stressful for the old girl! But I'll see what she's like in the morning. Thanks!

 

[amyduck]

Did the vet run a fecal float to check for internal parasites whenever your partner took her in? Not all internal parasites are visible to the naked eye, so having the vet check would be a very good idea. I wish you and your sweet hen the best

Thanks HeatherKelleyB. If she makes it through to Monday I'll see if the vet will do that...

 

[BugStalker]

If you have a 100x microscope, you can smear some into a drop of water on a slide and look for oocysts or worms. That method won't rule out internal parasites, but can confirm them, and is easier than floating.

It sounds and looks like a digestive/stress issue. It can happen after trauma or with depression or after eating something moldy or otherwise problematic, or often a combination of these. Here's what I've learned from several cases of this over the years:

They need to always have water available to avoid dehydration. If dehydrating, they may need to be given water via syringe (at most 1/2 cc or mL at a time, or use tube or I.V. if you know how.) A warm bath can also help if it's relaxing for her, but I have heard it can make some birds go into shock or something, so be careful, maybe just one foot to start or something? Tubing is also stressful, with risk of shock if she's weak.

Cocoanut oil in the feed or cold pieces given orally like pills is the best treatment I have found, after trying a few others. (It's also comforting.) Just don't give the liquid orally with a syringe, due to risk of aspiration, which is higher for oil than water. In a case like this, it probably would take more than just cocoanut oil, but I find it helps a lot.

Probiotics help too, but don't give too much/too fast. A spoon of Yogurt a day, perhaps.

Electrolytes could help, but don't give for more than a few days.

Poultry vitamins would help if she's not absorbing them from food as well, which is probably the case with mucus.

Some garlic may help, if you are careful with it. They can get anemic if they eat too much. If in doubt, skip it.

I would continue the medicine from the vet, and think about adding one or maybe two of the above. Don't add too much at the same time. Digestion works best with consistency. Have at least a few days in between changes, or do them gradually.

This is just what I have learned, in case it may help...this stuff typically improves slowly, so don't expect fast recovery, and some days may be worse than others, but hopefully more days of improvement. (Not that it can't resolve fast, it just goes at its own pace. )

 

[amyduck]

If you have a 100x microscope, you can smear some into a drop of water on a slide and look for oocysts or worms. That method won't rule out internal parasites, but can confirm them, and is easier than floating.

It sounds and looks like a digestive/stress issue. It can happen after trauma or with depression or after eating something moldy or otherwise problematic, or often a combination of these. Here's what I've learned from several cases of this over the years:

They need to always have water available to avoid dehydration. If dehydrating, they may need to be given water via syringe (at most 1/2 cc or mL at a time, or use tube or I.V. if you know how.) A warm bath can also help if it's relaxing for her, but I have heard it can make some birds go into shock or something, so be careful, maybe just one foot to start or something? Tubing is also stressful, with risk of shock if she's weak.

Cocoanut oil in the feed or cold pieces given orally like pills is the best treatment I have found, after trying a few others. (It's also comforting.) Just don't give the liquid orally with a syringe, due to risk of aspiration, which is higher for oil than water. In a case like this, it probably would take more than just cocoanut oil, but I find it helps a lot.

Probiotics help too, but don't give too much/too fast. A spoon of Yogurt a day, perhaps.

Electrolytes could help, but don't give for more than a few days.

Poultry vitamins would help if she's not absorbing them from food as well, which is probably the case with mucus.

Some garlic may help, if you are careful with it. They can get anemic if they eat too much. If in doubt, skip it.

I would continue the medicine from the vet, and think about adding one or maybe two of the above. Don't add too much at the same time. Digestion works best with consistency. Have at least a few days in between changes, or do them gradually.

This is just what I have learned, in case it may help...this stuff typically improves slowly, so don't expect fast recovery, and some days may be worse than others, but hopefully more days of improvement. (Not that it can't resolve fast, it just goes at its own pace. )

Thanks Bugstalker for all the good ideas. I think I can get ahold of a microscope so I'll try that too. I was also already considering cold coconut oil, so it's good to hear you've found it helpful. I started to give her water yesterday and will continue to do so.
Penny's a tough girl - I just hope I didn't start all of this too late, between being out of town and then taking care of my partner with Covid!

 

[Eggcessive]

Are her urates always yellow in the droppings, or are they usually white? I would try to get her to take more chicken feed, and you can moisten that with water. Egg and a spoonful of yogurt added can make that more attractive. You could go ahead and worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer since some worms and all worm eggs can’t be see without a microscope.

 

[amyduck]

Are her urates always yellow in the droppings, or are they usually white? I would try to get her to take more chicken feed, and you can moisten that with water. Egg and a spoonful of yogurt added can make that more attractive. You could go ahead and worm her with Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer since some worms and all worm eggs can’t be see without a microscope.

Hi Eggcssive!
She woke up with a full mushy crop and just two tiny droppings much like the ones at the beginning of the thread.
Lately it seems the urates have been yellow....
She is simply not eating on her own, anything, except for a few grains off the grasses outside. Last night I was holding up a spoon of watered down baby food that I could get her to drink only if there was a drop on her beak! So I think I'd better do what I did with blondie and make balls out of the mash to force feed her...

About worming her, a neighbor has some safeguard paste, so I'm going to try that.... I'm also wondering if her crop could actually be full of worms?

 

[amyduck]

Check to see if it empties overnight?

Not at all it almost seems fuller, although she didn't have access to food overnight.

 

[BugStalker]

Thanks Bugstalker for all the good ideas. I think I can get ahold of a microscope so I'll try that too. I was also already considering cold coconut oil, so it's good to hear you've found it helpful. I started to give her water yesterday and will continue to do so.
Penny's a tough girl - I just hope I didn't start all of this too late, between being out of town and then taking care of my partner with Covid!

There's rarely a time when I don't wish I had done something better. We just do the best we can, and hopefully it's good enough. The important thing is you're doing it now.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not at all it almost seems fuller, although she didn't have access to food overnight.

She needs to be given some fluids if she's not drinking on her own. Tube or syringe fluids into her. If you are going to the vet, have them show you how. There's loads of Youtube videos about how to tube and syringe fluids into chickens.

Offer her wet mushy feed or you can tube a little wet feed into her, but she needs hydrated very well first.

Treat the crop symptoms.

Treatment for crop
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

How to tube
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/

How to syringe
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[amyduck]

She needs to be given some fluids if she's not drinking on her own. Tube or syringe fluids into her. If you are going to the vet, have them show you how. There's loads of Youtube videos about how to tube and syringe fluids into chickens.

Offer her wet mushy feed or you can tube a little wet feed into her, but she needs hydrated very well first.

Treat the crop symptoms.

Yes, I gave her water last night and this morning it's drizzling for a change in CA! She wanted to go out so I let her because she sometimes prefers drinking rain water - which she did, so now her crop is fuller! But I've dried her off and will work on her crop. I'm also going to get some safeguard paste into her just in case she has worms...
Thanks!