2/10 Respiratory or something else? - SHE IS NOW SICK - suggestions welcome -is-there-a-chance-a-production-breed-will-never-produce-an-egg-see-pics

[Bawkbok]

I'm thinking of you! I know exactly how you feel. Hopefully the meds will help her improve and you won't have to do what I did today.

I know this is a sucky subject - what method did you use? This will be my first experience and I don't want to muck it up by causing an injury and not succeeding, if you know what I mean.

 

[WingItRanch]

I know this is a sucky subject - what method did you use? This will be my first experience and I don't want to muck it up by causing an injury and not succeeding, if you know what I mean.

WARNING: GRAPHIC

I do know what you mean. I'll preface this by saying this my first time culling. Others may have better advice. I also don't know if your girl is beyond help like mine was but here's what I did:

I did a bunch of research and decided on using a tree branch lopper. I made sure to get a new sharp one that would be only for this purpose. It has to be able to open wide enough and you have to have enough leverage to be able to swiftly close it in one take. If you go this method, make sure not to get the ratcheting kind.

I'm small so I didn't feel comfortable attempting the broomstick method because I was afraid I would mess it up and she would suffer more. My partner is out of town so I had to do it solo. I also didn't want to get too up close and felt like a knife cut was beyond my mental capability. I got a traffic cone from TSC and cut the point off enough that my hand could reach in. I anchored it to a tree with the point facing down. I then gently turned her upside down in the cone and made sure her head was sticking out the bottom. She was so lethargic by this point she didn't react. Then I quickly did the deed so she didn't have to hang there for long.

Wow that was tough to write. It's still fresh in my mind. I'm not going to lie. It was very upsetting but I do believe it was the right thing to do in my case because my girl was obviously suffering.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Thanks everyone for your input. I let her free range again today to be a chicken. She does ok, walks slower than normal, used to do her cute little strut across the yard. She found some bugs and ate some weeds, but she is not eating any feed, or her favorite treats, or scrambled eggs, or mash, nothing. I cannot watch her slowly starve to death and I miss hearing her sweet little happy voice which has now gone silent. I'm already crying buckets knowing our time together is short and I'm going to have to find my big girl pants very soon to do that which must be done. It feels like murder to me but I know it's the right thing for my baby. Damn these birds anyway.

I am so sorry you and your girl are going through this. Hugs

 

[Eggcessive]

For a necropsy, I usually get a couple of the sharpest knives I can find, and scissors my help in splitting. Some use a disposable scalpel and blade. I just taught myself by trial and error. I would wear gloves, and stop to take pictures of the organs. That is not a typical looking lash egg that I have seen, but it probably is one. Enrofloxacin dosage is 10 mg per kg twice a day given orally for 5 days.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I just want to say I had a hen laying lash eggs, also has EYP. I took her to a vet and he treated her with Enrofloxacin. It took a long time but she did recover. She is now living happily with her sisters. She won't lay anymore, but she is such a sweetheart I don't mind at all. She also was refusing to eat. I looked into tubing her but she did finally eat some mash with meal worms dotted in. I wish you the best. I know it's not common for a hen to survive but it can happen. I also used oregano oil fyi and anything I could glean on these threads!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Golden Comet almost 9 mos. old, no eggs yet.

crop completely empty, drinking excessive amounts of water. Stood in the corner of the run without moving, head and neck retracted, for almost an hour.

Protested being held underside like it was uncomfortable. Belly felt large and soft but not squishy like full of water.

She is always drinking water

I found this by the water bowl this morning about an hour after they emerged. See pics below, both sides of whatever that is. Looks like it may be a lash egg? What is that tail thing?

Ok, I cut it open and there is no liquid at all, it's soft but firm inside. It has an organic odor - almost like an onion

It does look like an onion bulb, maybe garlic or some type of flower/plant bulb. Looks like there's evidence of root and the green is beginnings of the bulb sprouting.
Definitely not Lash Egg.

She's drinking a lot of water. Address that symptom. Begin treating as sour crop. Get coconut oil into her and start a yeast or fungal medication. Here's an article that will help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Do you have a compost or throw out compost/kitchen scraps?
Do you provide Grit (Crushed Granite) for the birds free choice?

The poop doesn't look very good. I'd consider deworming. Valbazen as suggested is a good choice.

Hard to say what's exactly going on with her, but those 2 things you can address. Could be there's an underlying condition that is at play and you will not discover that unless she doesn't make it and you either send the body for necropsy or investigate yourself.

 

[Eggcessive]

Good eyes as usual @Wyorp Rock !

 

[Bawkbok]

WARNING: GRAPHIC

I do know what you mean. I'll preface this by saying this my first time culling. Others may have better advice. I also don't know if your girl is beyond help like mine was but here's what I did:

I did a bunch of research and decided on using a tree branch lopper. I made sure to get a new sharp one that would be only for this purpose. It has to be able to open wide enough and you have to have enough leverage to be able to swiftly close it in one take. If you go this method, make sure not to get the ratcheting kind.

I'm small so I didn't feel comfortable attempting the broomstick method because I was afraid I would mess it up and she would suffer more. My partner is out of town so I had to do it solo. I also didn't want to get too up close and felt like a knife cut was beyond my mental capability. I got a traffic cone from TSC and cut the point off enough that my hand could reach in. I anchored it to a tree with the point facing down. I then gently turned her upside down in the cone and made sure her head was sticking out the bottom. She was so lethargic by this point she didn't react. Then I quickly did the deed so she didn't have to hang there for long.

Wow that was tough to write. It's still fresh in my mind. I'm not going to lie. It was very upsetting but I do believe it was the right thing to do in my case because my girl was obviously suffering.

Thank you so much for sharing this process. I know it was difficult to write this and I am so grateful for you sharing your method. It sounds like a better option than the cervical dislocation - or twisting the head with their eyes looking at you. I can barely stomach the thought of this. I'm sorry you went through that alone. You are brave.
I'll have to purchase a cone - didn't realize TSC carried them - and I don't think my loppers are strong enough - they are short handled and a cheaper off brand.

My girl was out ranging this morning, pecking, scratching, foraging and finding bugs. Tail is up, eyes are bright, she's alert and keeps up with the others. I just don't understand why she is not eating any of her favorites foods or feed. With her in this state and wanting to do her normal chicken things, I don't feel she's "ready" yet. She hangs with the others and actually flew across the yard this morning. With her level of will and activity, I don't think we're quite there yet. Poop is still unsatisfactory. Hoping the antibiotic will help.

 

[Bawkbok]

It does look like an onion bulb, maybe garlic or some type of flower/plant bulb. Looks like there's evidence of root and the green is beginnings of the bulb sprouting.
Definitely not Lash Egg.

She's drinking a lot of water. Address that symptom. Begin treating as sour crop. Get coconut oil into her and start a yeast or fungal medication. Here's an article that will help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Do you have a compost or throw out compost/kitchen scraps?
Do you provide Grit (Crushed Granite) for the birds free choice?

The poop doesn't look very good. I'd consider deworming. Valbazen as suggested is a good choice.

Hard to say what's exactly going on with her, but those 2 things you can address. Could be there's an underlying condition that is at play and you will not discover that unless she doesn't make it and you either send the body for necropsy or investigate yourself.

Thank you for your response and suggestions! They were in the garden boxes a few days ago which are actually empty except for some pepper plants. I wonder if she dug up an onion bulb where they were growing but I thought I harvested them all.
We do have a compost pile which is fenced but they love to scratch around the outer edge to get any bugs that might fall out.

I will definitely start the coconut oil today and treat for sour crop.
They have oyster shell and grit available at all times.

Hoping we can save her. Thank you again for your insight and advice.

 

[WingItRanch]

Thank you so much for sharing this process. I know it was difficult to write this and I am so grateful for you sharing your method. It sounds like a better option than the cervical dislocation - or twisting the head with their eyes looking at you. I can barely stomach the thought of this. I'm sorry you went through that alone. You are brave.
I'll have to purchase a cone - didn't realize TSC carried them - and I don't think my loppers are strong enough - they are short handled and a cheaper off brand.

My girl was out ranging this morning, pecking, scratching, foraging and finding bugs. Tail is up, eyes are bright, she's alert and keeps up with the others. I just don't understand why she is not eating any of her favorites foods or feed. With her in this state and wanting to do her normal chicken things, I don't feel she's "ready" yet. She hangs with the others and actually flew across the yard this morning. With her level of will and activity, I don't think we're quite there yet. Poop is still unsatisfactory. Hoping the antibiotic will help.

That's awesome to hear. Hopefully this means she's improving and just needs time for the meds to kick in.