4 Year Old Hen w/ Runs and Lost Weight-update, swollen abdomen! Help

[VARIETYPACK]

I have a 4.5 year old Auracana hen who is doing poorly. She has lost weight (her breastbone is very prominent under the feathers) She has runny poop that is sticking to her feathers (I had to wash her back end last night, and I think it smelled a little worse than normal?) She is still walking around, has bright eyes, feathers normal and not ruffed up, no runny nose or sneezing, comb a normal color. She is a little weak, not running with the flock, just hanging out, sitting near the house, wanting to go to sleep by herself instead of jumping on her roost at night . Yesterday she did come when I brought some yogurt out, and she ate it, but she didn't run like the others. This morning she wasn't interested in the yogurt. Are antibiotics or a worming in order?
Karen

 

[shelleyd2008]

It sounds like she has worms to me. pm threehorses and see what she says, she knows her stuff!

 

[VARIETYPACK]

Ok, it looks like the problem is more serious. She has perked up some, and is walking around with the others, eating drinking and pooping normally. However, on flipping her over, I see her lower abdomen under the vent is swollen and squishy. It is not hot or hard. it looks like there is a long scab or abrasion scabbed up. I don't know if it is the cause or a result of her bigger belly scraping on the roost. I am guessing she is egg bound or something? I gave her a warm soak, and cleaned the abrasion, but don't know what to do now, help!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I'm sorry, I wish I could. I know almost nothing about chicken illnesses though. I would think if she were egg-bound her abdomen would be hard?

 

[Elite Silkies]

Get some rubber gloves and mineral oil, ky or some lubricant and feel in her vent.

You can put about 5 or 6 drops of mineral oil in her vent. You can also give her a shot of calcium (read that calcium shots can help them pass an egg) Boil some water and put a tea bag in it, then hold her over the steam, make sure you don't have her too close, it will burn her. The tea steam will relax her muscles.

Repeat every 20 minutes until she passes the egg. Do not repeat calcium injections. If you can't get the injections, give her some tums (that's what another member on here recommends)

Hope she gets better.

 

[VARIETYPACK]

Unfortunately, I am beginning to think she might have ascites, or "water belly" I don't think the prognosis is good. I will try the antibiotics anyway.

 

[VARIETYPACK]

Thank you Cammy and Shellyd for taking the time to help. I at least don't feel so helpless

knowing there is someone out there listening....
Just looking for any more ideas and bumping this up...
She seems the same today, maybe a little perked up. Still walking, drinking, eating (although not eating as much as usual) Any other thoughts anyone? I got some Tetracycline powder from Tractor Supply, it was the only one I could find for poultry. I have her penned seperately with some of the antibiotic in her water and also some vitamin/electrolyte in there. I wormed them all with Wazine when I first started noticing her behavior, before the swollen belly.

 

[threehorses]

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about the problems you're having with your old gal. I hope I can help to help you.

First, personally I would take her off of the antibiotics particularly if she's getting 'a little bit'. The type of symptoms you're describing usually aren't treatable with 'mycins and sometimes can be increased with it (due to the fact that it'll kill the good bacteria while doing nothing to decrease the bad bacteria).

What I would do is this: First, thoroughly examine her for lice and mites. This may take a few look-see's at night, off the roost, as mites travel at night. I'd more highly suspect regular lice as she's not really gone down in health.

I very strongly suspect that the sores youo're seeing, and her redness and her swelling at her abdomen below her vent, are due to the droppings clinging. They cause the sort of irritation and spot infections that are like that. I also think there's possibly a yeast infection (fungi actually) both topical and systemic due to three things:

a) her age
b) possibly laying issues (or increased need for some supplements)
c) a bacterial imbalance in her digestive tract; and
d) a lowered immune system either due to worms, to any of the above, or to some other issue.

First, I would treat the immediate problems:

- Give her 1 teaspoon of yogurt daily for 10 days, no less - or - another probiotic like an acidophilis capsule/tablet or Probios probiotic powder for livestock.

- Use organic apple cider vinegar in her water at a rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon as her sole source of water for 10 days.

- Give her a *one-time-only* gentle flush to cleanse her digestive tract and make a 'clean slate' onto which you will then be applying good bacteria through probiotics or yogurt. Ingredients: 1/8th teaspoon molasses, 1 tablespoon applesauce (baby food is the easiest), 1 teaspoon of yogurt or another probiotic powder (1/4t), cooked oatmeal. The applesauce cleanses the digestive tract and makes good bacteria happy. The molasses will flush out lingering paralyzed worms. The yogurt/probiotic replaces good bacteria in the now clean slate. The oatmeal sooths and birds like it.

- I would cleanse her vent area, the sores, with either nolvasan or chlorhexidine cleanser (very diluted in warm water for either). I would think wipe them once with a solution of water and iodine make into a solution the color of very weak iced-tea. Pat that dry and then apply the following, mixed: 50% Neosporin ointment, 50% lotrimin cream.

The neosporin (and the iodine pre-wipe) will kill bacteria, the lotrimin will help with yeast/fungal problems due to moisture and/or a systemic Candida infection.

- Reapply the hybrid ointment/creme daily for 7 to 10 days.

- Give her 3 drops of polyvisol baby vitamins without iron in the beak for 7 days. If she'll eat that on egg yolk, a bite, give it that way for your ease. Just make sure she gets it daily. The vitamin E within will help with inflammation and has anti-oxidant properties. The D might help with some egg issues. The over all vitamin package will help with her immunity while she's going through this.



I have a question - is this hen laying? Is she currently on a diet of laying pellets with oyster shell available? If not, make sure she does. I like the higher protein laying feeds like 18 or 20 if you can get it. (I use game bird breeder for 20%)

You can also put a little honey in a wet treat - a bit of honey, the yogurt, egg, whatever you can get her to eat with the yogurt in it. The honey might give her a little energy.

 

[VARIETYPACK]

Quote:
Thank you so much! You are giving me hope for my henny.

I wormed them all with Wazine 3 days ago. I haven't seen any evidence of worms in the droppings yet. She did have some tiny mites, so I dusted them all this morning. She lays mainly in the spring. Hasn't laid in a couple of months. I chalked it up to her age and the hot dry summers here, production of all of them goes way down. I will give her the flush now. I have already been giving them yogurt daily for the last few days. They all get lay pellets, and a little scratch here and there. They also free range, and get some bugs/weeds/etc.

Let me know if you have any more thoughts.

Thanks a million,
Karen