2 year old barred rock limping - update, necropsy

[chuckzoo]

From some of the postings I have read people have had success with Vitamin B supplements. A good source would be Brewers Yeast. It is worth a try.

Best wishes.

 

[jrabbit]

thanks. the irony is that over the summer, we decided we need to sell our house and move. One of the hardest parts of that decision has been knowing that I had to re-home my chickens. We found a new home for them, and I've been stalling because I love my girls. But now that there will be only 1, I think we need to find someone else who already has a couple hens. It seems silly to get any more hens, given the circumstances.

We will EVENTUALLY be living on a farm, but that's a couple years away. I will sure miss having my own hens and eggs.

Our remaining hen is the most friendly/docile of the original 5. She's a black sex-link who is laying 1 egg every other day. Hopefully, I can find a flock for her to join.

Our vet will do a courtesy necropsy on the one who died at Christmas - to see if there is an obvious cause, such as egg-block. But it's doubtful that there will be any specific cause identified, and it's too late to even consider doing a toxin test. oh well.

--janis

 

[jrabbit]

Well - an update. My vet is a specialist, and she always has interns at the clinic, who do random things in the spirit of extended education. Anyway, they did a fecal on Beatrix and found: sporulated rods. They are a cause of clostridium - which is an intestinal disease related to (not closely) botulism.

So, is it a confirmation? no. They would have to do further testing. BUT, it's a potential. I didn't write down the medicine, but she is going to fill a prescription for me to give both hens. It will be twice a day for 2 weeks - should see improvement in a week. I'm willing to try it.

crossing my fingers!
--janis

 

[Miss Lydia]

You'll at least have the vision of what you'll want to do once you get that farm, I am sorry you had this experience and I know it will benefit you all down the road, Hopefully you'll find your girl a nice home, and maybe have some closure on you one hen at least. I hope the meds work and these girls get back to being healthy. please keep us updated.

 

[jrabbit]

the med is metronidazole ... the vet ended up being able to do a once daily dosage, and it was fairly easy to give it.

They didn't enjoy me holding their beaks open, but they did ok

I put her in the coop, and the first thing she did was eat ... always a good sign in my book.

thanks again

 

[Miss Lydia]

Eating is a very good sign.

wanted to ask did the vet say how they could have picked this up?

 

[BigIslandChicks]

sorry for your loss on the others. Hope your girls do good with the meds.

sending you some

and aloha

 

[jrabbit]

Sadly, Beatrix died during the night.

I gave her a bath yesterday, and she seemed perky enough. While inside, she devoured the yogurt I gave her and pecked at the chicken feed. She seemed in good spirits.

Her comb had started to look dry and less bright on Friday - so my layman's opinion is that she was just getting weaker. I'll call my vet to see how mech a necropsy will cost, but we don't actually have space in the fridge for her - how sad is that?

thanks for all the support. Now, I need to look for a home for Amanda - breaks my heart.
--janis

 

[Miss Lydia]

Jrabbit, so sorry you lost Beatrix, I know how sad this is and now you have to give up the only one left, I sure hope you can find a good home for her, I'll be thinking about you and hope things go better soon.

 

[jrabbit]

necropsy revealed that Beatrix had cancer - ovarian.

We are medicating remaining hen for the clostridium spores then going to get 2 more chickens after her 2 weeks on the medicine. All 3 hens will be going to a new home in a month or so.

thanks for all the help!
--janis