Possible egg bound? Cocci?

[ImNotYogi]

Can you get a close up of her behind so I can see if she looks bloated in the belly?

Thats the best I can do tonight. Its dark out and I have nowhere inside I can safely take a photo. It was shortly after a soak.

 

[ImNotYogi]

She looks the same as she always has.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Okay, was able to catch her and abdomen did feel very fluidy. I hope I was feeling in the right place, right under the ribcage.
She's in the bathroom now in a crate. Now I don't think the reddish poop was from her. As I was trying to catch her I saw her poop a little. It was light green with white. But a lot seemed to be running down her back feathers. Could an egg have broken inside of her? Would she show more symptoms if one had?

I may have missed it-when was the last time she laid an egg?

If her abdomen feels like it has fluid in it, then she may have Ascites. Sometimes it can be a combination of Egg Yolk Peritonitis or other reproductive disorder and the fluid is accumulating in the abdomen.

I agree with Kathy, the poop is not normal. Having that tested is always a good idea.
Sadly, I have seen poop similar to that in my own girls and posted by others here on BYC. With mine, they had egg masses in the abdomen and eventually I had to put them out of there misery. If this is her first time having troubles, she may bounce back with supportive care. Keep her drinking, add vitamins to her water and see that she is eating.
You can give her a soak to clean up her bum if she is not lethargic-the abdomen is better seen when the feathers are wet, so if you can, take some photos.

I'm very sorry, keep us posted.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I may have missed it-when was the last time she laid an egg?

If her abdomen feels like it has fluid in it, then she may have Ascites. Sometimes it can be a combination of Egg Yolk Peritonitis or other reproductive disorder and the fluid is accumulating in the abdomen.

I agree with Kathy, the poop is not normal. Having that tested is always a good idea.
Sadly, I have seen poop similar to that in my own girls and posted by others here on BYC. With mine, they had egg masses in the abdomen and eventually I had to put them out of there misery. If this is her first time having troubles, she may bounce back with supportive care. Keep her drinking, add vitamins to her water and see that she is eating.
You can give her a soak to clean up her bum if she is not lethargic-the abdomen is better seen when the feathers are wet, so if you can, take some photos.

I'm very sorry, keep us posted.

Im not entirely sure when her last egg was laid. A few weeks ago? With the cold weather and her age, I didnt think anything of it. Shes just not a consistent layer. Dont think she ever really was.

This morning theres more normalish looking poop so I'll take that as a good sign. I'll do what I can for her. Hoping for the best but I dont want her to suffer either.

This is the first hen Ive had that has shown signs like this. Others have either seemed to drop dead without warning (that I saw) or they seemed suddenly off at night and were dead by morning.

Poop is still abnormal but closer to "normal" than the one last night. Most of the water was what I couldn't dry her from the soak I gave her last night. Im soaking her again this morning before work.

View attachment 1284318

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Your photo is not working

I'm glad to hear that she is having more normal poops.
It can be very frustrating and disheartening when they are not doing well. Usually when mine seem to be perky enough to rejoin the flock, I do that asap. If you feel that she needs to monitored more closely, a wire kennel in the run works well too (makes it easier to re-catch them). For mine, I usually see that they are eating/drinking well, remaining relatively active/interacting with the flock, roosting and that their crop is emptying. Any signs of lethargy, I separate them for a day-offer extra care, re-access them and see how it goes.

She may not have any more problems for a while, it's just hard to know with chickens. I'm not a vet nor an expert, but sometimes I feel that when they have an "episode" -this is when a yolk has dropped into the abdomen or something similar. She may also be coming back into lay after her winter break and is trying to get some things worked out. For such a small animal, chickens are complicated, their inter-workings are actually fascinating to me. I only understand a little of it, but am constantly learning.

Please keep us posted on how she does.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I'll hold out hope as long as shes still eating, drinking, and relatively active. I kept her inside last night and shes still in the bathroom. Will let her out when I get home. Shes still alert. I hope the soaks help her. They seem to a little as far as poop goes. She doesn't seem to have issue breathing at least like cases of suspected ascitis.
Yes, biology and pathology are just complicated no matter what.

Should I give calcium? Gave some yesterday but unsure continue or not
And by how much.

I'll try again with the photo. So still on the abnormal end of things but closer to normal than last night's

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'll hold out hope as long as shes still eating, drinking, and relatively active. I kept her inside last night and shes still in the bathroom. Will let her out when I get home. Shes still alert. I hope the soaks help her. They seem to a little as far as poop goes. She doesn't seem to have issue breathing at least like cases of suspected ascitis.
Yes, biology and pathology are just complicated no matter what.

Should I give calcium? Gave some yesterday but unsure continue or not
And by how much.

I'll try again with the photo. So still on the abnormal end of things but closer to normal than last night's

View attachment 1284379

That's a lot of urates in the poop. Is there any way you can take a sample for testing?

Extra calcium for a couple of days won't hurt. I usually crush a TUMS and add it to chopped egg and give it that way. TUMS does not dissolve in water. You can also use 1/2tab of Caltrate if you have that on hand. I would only give it once a day for 3days total and see how it goes.

With Ascites, the abdomen would be bloated and feel like it has fluid-sometimes you can see yellow(ish) fluid under the skin. Reproductive disorders all have similar symptoms-bloat, fluid, swollen, sometimes hard abdomen. With mine, they were more bloated and firm/hard. Upon internal inspection, they had egg matter and some masses inside, not much fluid at all. Each case can be a little different.

Thank you for reposting the photo. I know it's unsettling when they are not doing too well and it leaves a feeling of helplessness. A vet, if that's an option, can perform xrays to see if there are masses in the abdomen, but I hear it's expensive.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I already cleared out the pad. The closest avian vets are 1-2 hours away. I dont have the means or the time off to take her. And I hate that since I make sure my other animals see the vet and now Im dealing with a rescue dog. Chickens get the short end of the stick in that regard.
Her abdomen is obviously squishy. It does leave a feeling of helplessness. I can do what I can to help her and do what I have to so she doesnt suffer unnecessarily. Ive only done that once with a barnevelder with terrible leg issues.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I already cleared out the pad. The closest avian vets are 1-2 hours away. I dont have the means or the time off to take her. And I hate that since I make sure my other animals see the vet and now Im dealing with a rescue dog. Chickens get the short end of the stick in that regard.
Her abdomen is obviously squishy. It does leave a feeling of helplessness. I can do what I can to help her and do what I have to so she doesnt suffer unnecessarily. Ive only done that once with a barnevelder with terrible leg issues.

Some dog and cat vets will perform a fecal for you. I just now noticed you are in NC
NC has 4 Veterinarian Diagnostic Labs-Fletcher, Elkin, Raleigh and Monroe. If one of those is close by, you may want to take a sample to them. As far as I know, they accept walk-ins of samples. http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/ncvdl/ I have yet to use them, since I do my own informal necropsies, but the WNC is not too far for me to drive a chicken or sample to if needed. Pricing seems a bit more reasonable too.

I'm like you though, vet care is too much $$ for chickens. I usually do ask, some people have that option. I do what I can for them at home and if they are suffering, I put them out of their misery.

 

[ImNotYogi]

Raleigh is the closest at nearly 2 hours away.
Avian medicine is a specialty so that just adds to the cost. Not to mention many people dont bring birds in to begin with unless they spent thousands on parrots or something exotic. People already think vets price gouge as it is. I think I'd be more willing if one of was closer.