2 year old hen. Persistent loose poop and pasty butt. Did not respond to Nyastin. More details and pics in post.

[CrspyChkn]

How is she doing today?

 

[TropicalChickies]

How is she doing today?

A little better. I started her Amprolium yesterday in case she has cocci too. And it seems to be helping. It's touch and go. Thank you so much for asking.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Hey folks, so here's an update on Butchie. After a week of aggressive treatment (Amprolium for possible cocci, Fendendazol for worms, and Clotrimazole 2% for yeast), she is making remarkable improvements.

We live in a remote forest in Ecuador. No fecal tests here for chickens, so when general symptoms like "foamy diarrhea" present, I have to do what I can.

I'm also acidifying the drinking water 2 days per week and giving her probiotics and a small amount of mineral electrolyte once a day via syringe.

Anyway, she's back with the flock, eating with them, bossing around the pullets, scratching in the leaves, but not eating dirt -- which probably really contributed to her problem. Like that great article by @TwoCrows, we have very alkaline soil with all kinds of fungi and molds. This is a rainforest after all.

Although I had given the flock two rounds of dewormer six weeks ago, I strongly suspect now that she was reinfested. I'm going to follow up this dewormimg with Albendazol in 10 days just in case she has a more resistant tapeworm or nematodes.

Now that's she's not actually dying, I can focus on what's still wrong with her:

1. She has a yeast or fungal growth on her face. It's flaky and smells sweet and musty, not sour. I'm cleaning it with diluted white vinegar and dabbing it with Clotrimazole, and that's helping, bit it's not gone yet.

2. Her gizzard/small intestine area feels a bit hard. I'm hoping it's not a tumor. Could be a hernia from straining to poop these past two months. Or could be a partial blockage. She is pooping, still a bit runny, but with solids now.

Her crop is working well.

I've read about the success some people have had here with a molasses flush for blockages further down in the gizzard. I bought animal feed grass molasses yesterday. Anyone want to chime in on how they've used molasses and what for? And if it worked?

Thanks much for all the great info here. I've brought back two hens from death's door following advice given here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I bought animal feed grass molasses yesterday. Anyone want to chime in on how they've used molasses and what for? And if it worked?

I'm not sure what is in animal feed grass molasses? Is it sugarcane molasses or? I don't mean to sound dumb...

For sugarcane or sorghum Molasses what we use for cooking/baking/eating here in the U.S. the flush is 1 teaspoon Molasses mixed with 1/4 cup warm water. The hen would drink all. This acts as a laxative/flush. Of course, provide fresh water afterward like you did with the Salt flush you used with Cleo.

Butchie is looking better though and I'm glad to hear she's improving. Sometimes it really is hard to know what treatment or combination of treatments have made the difference.

I agree with you, I'd keep up with the Clotrimazole on her face and see how that goes.

Now Butchie has a Youtube Fan too! Cleo better watch out

 

[TropicalChickies]

I'm not sure what is in animal feed grass molasses? Is it sugarcane molasses or? I don't mean to sound dumb...

For sugarcane or sorghum Molasses what we use for cooking/baking/eating here in the U.S. the flush is 1 teaspoon Molasses mixed with 1/4 cup warm water. The hen would drink all. This acts as a laxative/flush. Of course, provide fresh water afterward like you did with the Salt flush you used with Cleo.

Butchie is looking better though and I'm glad to hear she's improving. Sometimes it really is hard to know what treatment or combination of treatments have made the difference.

I agree with you, I'd keep up with the Clotrimazole on her face and see how that goes.

Now Butchie has a Youtube Fan too! Cleo better watch out

Sorry it was a typo. I meant animal feed GRADE molasses. It's basically unsulphured blackstrap. Here they sell it in 5 liter tanks at the animal feed stores because people use it for their cows and horses too

 

[TropicalChickies]

Hello there. Butchie update. After two weeks of showing some improvement, Butchie has diarrhea and pasted vent again. I seriously don't think it can be worms, I've dewormed her twice with Albendazol over two weeks, following dosage exactly.

Recently I finally located Acidified Copper sulphate and started it yesterday. I'm very very carefully measuring 1/4 teaspoon into a gallon of water each morning.

The other six hens are fine. Poor Butchie has yellow poop and white pasty gunk on her butt constantly. I clean her twice a day. When I do see her poop, it's a big mushy splat.

Thing is, she eats well and goes around with the flock. She pecks on the pullets. Her comb is a little flopped over, but it's red and her tail is up. She's not standing around hunched over, she's active.

But she's had this diarrhea for four months now, and the ACS is my last hope.

One other thing I haven't tried is metronidazole. I have some on hand for giardiasis (we live on the tropics and you never know..)

Should I try that too if the ACS treatment doesn't work?

At this point, I'm of course thinking her kidneys just might not be working. But I'm trying to cure her, she's very sweet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the update.

I would finish the ACS, then get some probiotics into her, see if she improves with a little time.

If she doesn't, then treating for Giardia may be in order.

Very possible she may have some organ dysfunction, and this is as good as it gets, but you never know.

It is good that she's eating/drinking well, active and giving pullets a hard time. Go Butchie!

 

[TropicalChickies]

I will do that. Have you used ACS to good result? I'm being extremely careful about measuring the dosage, there are so many warnings about toxicity on the internet, I'm a little nervous about it. But I've also read it has been effective for cases like Butchie's...

Will update in a week or so. Thanks again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, I've used it for Sour Crop and it worked fine. No adverse effects that I noted. I too was careful with measurements and duration of treatment.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Yes, I've used it for Sour Crop and it worked fine. No adverse effects that I noted. I too was careful with measurements and duration of treatment.

Well, after 7 days of acidified copper sulphate and then a week with probiotic water, Butchie still has runny poo. Sigh. But she has improved in other ways. There's no more white gunk stuck to her vent area. She doesn't have a cheesy smell anymore. I've been treating the white flaky fungus on her face, comb, and wattles with antifungal drops twice a day and definitely winning that battle. Her skin is really clearing up. Her poo is not foamy or green or bloody, it's just loose and muddy.

She's still eating very well, active and bossy, no breathing problems. But now she's finishing up her molt and has been sitting to lay an egg for the past five days. She sits for two hours or so and then gives up. She looks sad about it, poor thing. There's nothing wrong with the coop or nest, she just hasn't put her egg yet (I hope). She has a deep red color flushing her face so I know she's ready, but no egg. So I guess this is the test to see if she is getting better slowly or has reproductive issue.

I will do that. Have you used ACS to good result? I'm being extremely careful about measuring the dosage, there are so many warnings about toxicity on the internet, I'm a little nervous about it. But I've also read it has been effective for cases like Butchie's...

Will update in a week or so. Thanks again!