- Thread starter
- #11
Okay, got it!
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Lily is a two year old RIR, although she is lighter than my other RIR's. I have no idea what her weight is, as I don't have a scale. she feels fairly heavy, but she seems a bit emaciated around her keel bone. I'm assuming that most of her weight is from her enlarged abdomen.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
For the past two weeks or so, she has been hunched over with her tail low to the ground. Two days ago, I noticed her breathing had become labored, like a fish out of water. Now she will either stand very upright like a penguin, with her head reaching high up. Or, she will huddle down low with her wings out and tail bobbing. Her abdomen is extremely swollen and somewhat firm.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
The stance and swollen belly for about two weeks, the labored breathing for two days. Greenish/whitish diarrhea for at least a month.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, not like this. I have had poor egg production from the flock for quite some time, and a recent lice infestation. I am treating for worms this month, with the second dose this coming Sunday.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Not anything that I can tell. At the end of March I had some very alarming fleshy/bloody egg shaped things on the poop board for a couple of days, not sure which hen it was. It seemed to resolve itself.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I have absolutely no idea. This spring I have been trying really hard to improve my management practices, as the condition and egglaying of my hens seemed subpar.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Lily is eating and drinking just fine, although the drinking has been not so good since I brought her inside. I have been giving her a mix of Layena and Flock Raiser mixed with milk and water. I also gave her some scrambled egg mixed with yogurt. I have been switching their feed around a bit for the last couple of months, as the had become very picky. I've also eased up on giving them any table scraps, and have pretty much eliminated scratch from their diet. They have free feed oyster shell and grit,although they don;t seem to pick at it very much. I was letting them out to free range a few times a week, but nixed that when I discovered the lice infestation. We were getting some mice coming into the run at night, and I found a couple dead ones that had obviously been picked at by one or more of my chickens.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
She has had greenish diarrhea off and on for at least the last month.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I treated the flock for lice with the Adams Flea and Tick Mist just after I noticed her tail dragging. On Mother's Day I administered Wazine to them. Yesterday, I brought her inside and gave her a bath and probed inside her vent. Nothing happened and nothing changed.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Unfortunately, I cannot find a local vet that has experience with chickens. Even so, I couldn't afford one. This leaves any treatment up to me. I am really nervous about trying to drain her belly, even with the very exact instructions given by Country4Ever. I don't have any antibiotics, I'm not sure where to get them, and I'm not sure if I could afford them. The feed stores around here don't seem to carry anything for chickens other than feed and shavings. I had to order my wormers online. I guess if I decide that I am unable to drain any fluid, I would like to know what the n=most humane thing to do for her would be.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I don't have a picture, I think her condition is pretty well described above.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Lily lives with five of her sisters in a 4x8 house with tow windows and plenty of ventilation, with an attached 17x8 foot run. I use pine shavings in the house.
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Lily is a two year old RIR, although she is lighter than my other RIR's. I have no idea what her weight is, as I don't have a scale. she feels fairly heavy, but she seems a bit emaciated around her keel bone. I'm assuming that most of her weight is from her enlarged abdomen.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
For the past two weeks or so, she has been hunched over with her tail low to the ground. Two days ago, I noticed her breathing had become labored, like a fish out of water. Now she will either stand very upright like a penguin, with her head reaching high up. Or, she will huddle down low with her wings out and tail bobbing. Her abdomen is extremely swollen and somewhat firm.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
The stance and swollen belly for about two weeks, the labored breathing for two days. Greenish/whitish diarrhea for at least a month.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, not like this. I have had poor egg production from the flock for quite some time, and a recent lice infestation. I am treating for worms this month, with the second dose this coming Sunday.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Not anything that I can tell. At the end of March I had some very alarming fleshy/bloody egg shaped things on the poop board for a couple of days, not sure which hen it was. It seemed to resolve itself.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I have absolutely no idea. This spring I have been trying really hard to improve my management practices, as the condition and egglaying of my hens seemed subpar.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Lily is eating and drinking just fine, although the drinking has been not so good since I brought her inside. I have been giving her a mix of Layena and Flock Raiser mixed with milk and water. I also gave her some scrambled egg mixed with yogurt. I have been switching their feed around a bit for the last couple of months, as the had become very picky. I've also eased up on giving them any table scraps, and have pretty much eliminated scratch from their diet. They have free feed oyster shell and grit,although they don;t seem to pick at it very much. I was letting them out to free range a few times a week, but nixed that when I discovered the lice infestation. We were getting some mice coming into the run at night, and I found a couple dead ones that had obviously been picked at by one or more of my chickens.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
She has had greenish diarrhea off and on for at least the last month.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I treated the flock for lice with the Adams Flea and Tick Mist just after I noticed her tail dragging. On Mother's Day I administered Wazine to them. Yesterday, I brought her inside and gave her a bath and probed inside her vent. Nothing happened and nothing changed.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Unfortunately, I cannot find a local vet that has experience with chickens. Even so, I couldn't afford one. This leaves any treatment up to me. I am really nervous about trying to drain her belly, even with the very exact instructions given by Country4Ever. I don't have any antibiotics, I'm not sure where to get them, and I'm not sure if I could afford them. The feed stores around here don't seem to carry anything for chickens other than feed and shavings. I had to order my wormers online. I guess if I decide that I am unable to drain any fluid, I would like to know what the n=most humane thing to do for her would be.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I don't have a picture, I think her condition is pretty well described above.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Lily lives with five of her sisters in a 4x8 house with tow windows and plenty of ventilation, with an attached 17x8 foot run. I use pine shavings in the house.
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