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

[Eggcessive]

If her crop emptying it doesn’t sound like it is e impacted or sour. Now, she may have an obstruction farther down in the gizzard or intestines, but she may just have no appetite. She does sound like she is not ready to die, since she is active, wanting to be with her flock, and alert. Keep trying to tempt eating with soft cooked egg, wet chicken feed, canned cat food or tuna rinsed in water.

 

[TOMTE]

So glad that turned out to be a plant bulb and not a lash egg. It sure looked like one from the outside! Keep it up, she seems like a fighter!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

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.

Doesn't sound like she's on the way out.

Looking at her photos in your other thread, she looks to be in decent form.

I'd just keep watch on her, if she's drinking an excessive amount of water, address that symptom. Otherwise, it sounds like she's fairly active.

 

[Bawkbok]

Thank you all for your suggestions, input and feedback.
An update and a couple more questions if I may.

Diet: She refuses to eat tuna, sardines, scrambled eggs (a favorite), boiled chicken, or wet chicken feed (also a favorite). The only thing she is eating is the occasional bug when she can find one or when it's not stolen from her by another, sand, wood shavings from decaying wood logs from cut trees, and some weeds. It sounds like more than it is. She finally ate some snack treats (I know bad) comprised of organic seeds and black oil sunflower seeds. I was happy to see her take an interest in something. I only offered about a teaspoon of this.
They are only free ranging for approximately 90 mins to two hours am and pm.

Behavior:
I'm having to retrieve her and pick her up and carry her to the run. She no longer responds or reacts to the shaker cup for recall (odd).
She is no longer squatting and is now moving away from me on approach.
She spends a lot of time standing. see picture below taken within the past two hours. She assumed a weird stance with her neck curved, not the first time I've seen this in the past couple of days.
Her right leg seems to be a little bowed -- from bigger belly area?
Her poop still looks bad but is not all water -- white however, new pics from earlier are below.
I placed her in the sand bath pool today and she did sand herself for a bit.

Treatment:
1. I gave her a Dulcosate Sodium 100 mg around noon today. Pic below. I hope this is the correct product; the box says "softener laxative". Given her loose stools I think I'll not give her more of that. Although, they are sort of solid today vs. all liquid as earlier this morning.
2. The water is being treated with Enrofloxacin. Today is day 2 for that. I only have the powder. Would it be better to switch her to Amoxicillan pills so only she is receiving antibiotic vs. all three of them drinking the enrofloxacin water?

Questions:
1. Continue to Enrofloxacin powder or switch to Amoxicillan pills?
2. Treat her with Monistat for sour / impacted crop as suggested and give her coconut oil to help with crop issues?
3. Her comb is getting very floppy - I suspect from malnutrition?
4. The last time I saw her eat any feed / eggs, etc. was Sunday.
5. How do I address the icky poop?
6. I'm getting concerned about her lack of nutrients. Will a chicken really allow themselves to starve to death? What do we think is killing her appetite?
7. Her breast bone is very prominent - malnutrition?

She is far from ok but alert and minimally active. I'm not sure what the correct way forward is at this point for treatment.

Thank you all again for your help and insight. I appreciate all of you!

 

[Bawkbok]

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.

To ensure I get this right. If she weighs slightly over 4 lbs. - 4.016 - that would be about 1.8 kg, correct? So about 16 mg of powder dissolved in water twice daily for 5 days? Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The water is being treated with Enrofloxacin. Today is day 2 for that. I only have the powder. Would it be better to switch her to Amoxicillan pills so only she is receiving antibiotic vs. all three of them drinking the enrofloxacin water?

Are those photos from today?

Looks like a wrapped up membrane and perhaps some lash material was expelled.

I would not give the whole flock Enrofloxacin, only the sick bird. If you wish to just dose her then use the Amoxicillin, but the Enro is a stronger medication.
Amoxicillin dosage is 57mg per pound of weight given orally 2times a day for 7-10days.

I'd still continue to address the crop/digestive issue. See if she will eat her normal feed. Again, crop/digestive issues are often a symptom of an underlying condition. If she's suffering from reproductive problems, then this can cause the system to slow.

Not that unusual for them to be standoffish when being treated. They learn they are going to get handled or medicated and perhaps don't want to be bothered, don't like the meds or whatever. Sometimes you need change tactics and go out early, grab them before they come out in the a.m. to administer medications, then wait until dusk when roosting, grab them again for the second dosing.

 

[Bawkbok]

Are those photos from today?

Looks like a wrapped up membrane and perhaps some lash material was expelled.

I would not give the whole flock Enrofloxacin, only the sick bird. If you wish to just dose her then use the Amoxicillin, but the Enro is a stronger medication.
Amoxicillin dosage is 57mg per pound of weight given orally 2times a day for 7-10days.

I'd still continue to address the crop/digestive issue. See if she will eat her normal feed. Again, crop/digestive issues are often a symptom of an underlying condition. If she's suffering from reproductive problems, then this can cause the system to slow.

Not that unusual for them to be standoffish when being treated. They learn they are going to get handled or medicated and perhaps don't want to be bothered, don't like the meds or whatever. Sometimes you need change tactics and go out early, grab them before they come out in the a.m. to administer medications, then wait until dusk when roosting, grab them again for the second dosing.


View attachment 3992871View attachment 3992872

Are those photos from today? - Yes - photos are from yesterday. I also saw some forest green poop goo in the run prior to roosting.

Her comb is turning pale - almost white.

How do I treat her with enrofloxacin powder? Package calls for 1 teaspoon in a gallon of water. Assuming I draw some in an oral syringe and direct administer. Do you suggest a different method?

I dewormed her this morning first thing with Valbazen. I was going to stop the Calcium as I don't think it's really helping - she's had the supplement for four days.

The Amoxicillan is only 10 mg so that's kind of pointless as I'd have to give her too many pills. Thought I had a higher strength but I don't.

With her activity level, desire and will to integrate, roam about and peck at the ground (not really finding bugs), I can't get my heart to the point of cull. There are no avian vets anywhere in this county so that's not even an option. I've checked around and there are no vets willing to see chickens --- what's up with that?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd continue the Calcium Citrate+D3 for a full 7 days.
That is a shell membrane that was expelled, looks like to me. Also the other white mucousy/pus like material looks like Lash Material. Calcium can help with the contractions and help expel material.

I don't know how much Enrofloxacin water to give her. Most buy the liquid and give a direct oral dose of 15mg/kg.

Work on hydration, keep her drinking. Since the water is medicated, she may not be drinking very well, so if necessary, syringe the water into her.

Worming probably won't hurt, and worms can contribute to decline in weakened birds, but I'd say they are not her main problem. Something reproductive is.




https://jedds.com/products/enrofloxacin-10?_pos=1&_sid=c9606a1f0&_ss=r

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you give her the enrofloxacin water all day long in a dog crate with food also? It is hard for me to calculate the oral dosage with the powder form.

 

[Bawkbok]

I ordered enrofloxacin liquid - not sure when it will arrive.
I'll continue with the Calcium - thank you.
Her poop earlier was brown liquid - back to watery so I don't know if the brown color is an improvement over the yellow, white, green and clear or if the white substance poop from earlier pics are better since they were more solid.
I'm leaving them in the run today as the wind is very strong gusting from the WNW at 12 mph and it's a very chilly at 62 compared to warm 83 and still yesterday. I tarped out the north side to break the wind a bit.
On a happy note, she took some bites of scrambled egg today so yay. I'm doing the happy dance on that.