Adopted 6mo hen in quarantine - not laying & blood in stool by 2nd week

[Cinnaminute]

Last night before I went to bed I got a chance to put some red bits from one of her poops in some water. I poked and prodded at it with a stick. The material did come apart in a very fibrous way.

I think my biggest concern then is why she's shedding intestinal lining in every poop for several days in a row. Change of diet, perhaps?

I'll still be looking into getting a fecal test done and continue keeping a close eye on her in the coming weeks. Glad this isn't as serious as I thought. I'm being quite paranoid I guess. My first experience with intestinal shedding and it has to be with a bird I'm unfamiliar with and have in quarantine!

The poop looks to have intestinal shedding, it won't hurt to treat for Coccidiosis if you wish, but getting a fecal float is best.

If she has limited vision due to her crest, then trim it so she can see.

Yes, stress and being picked on by the flock can affect egg production. Hopefully once she's eating well and is not under so much stress, then she will resume laying. Polish are not production birds, so she may not lay a lot of eggs to begin with.

Vaccinations are usually done at hatch, so I wouldn't bother at 13wks.
Each person really should do their own research and come to a conclusion about whether vaccinating chicks is something they wish to do or not. Marek's vaccine is the most common, it may help limit the formation of tumors, but does not prevent infection from the virus.

Thank you for your very informative reply! I deeply appreciate it.

I do plan on trimming her feathers so she can see very soon. I've been reading up on how to hold the chicken to do this and found a great post here on BYC about it. A little nervous, it being my first time and her not fond of being touched. I'm spoiled by how used to handling my EE pullets are.

As for vaccinations, I knew my EEs weren't given Marek's vaccine and I'm fine with that, for better or worse. It's just, how the prior owners of Ella were telling my mother that they vaccinated their whole flock except Ella, it made me worry that there was perhaps some other vaccine that chickens might need that I missed in my research these past 5 months. What in the world would they be vaccinating mature chickens against?

I raise polish birds. Which do you have? They can be flighty so that behavior is normal and some are more so than others. I personally trim the feathers on their crest so they can see. "Make sure you can see the eyes". At first I was afraid to give them a Good feather cut, but now, I do it routinely. This will help with the flightiness, allows them to find the food and water easily and it allows them to see who's coming up on them. Plus, it will settle them down because they can see!!
Listen to the advice from Wyorp Rock.
Please post pics of your new girl.

Ella is a White Crested Black Polish bantam. Thanks for your info! I'm very nervous about trimming them for the first time. Her flightiness along with how little she was handled by her prior owners makes me even more nervous. But I plan on putting my fears aside in the next few days and just doing it. I found when she was dust bathing one day, she got so cozy that she didn't mind me touching her. Like she was in some kind of trance. So maybe I can let her get comfortable like that again and then get a good hold on her to trim her.
Also, I love how you trimmed yours! It looks really good! I don't think Ella is going to look quite as nice when I'm done, but as long as it's decent and she can see I guess, haha. Here's pics of Ella:

 

[Vickischics]

Last night before I went to bed I got a chance to put some red bits from one of her poops in some water. I poked and prodded at it with a stick. The material did come apart in a very fibrous way.

I think my biggest concern then is why she's shedding intestinal lining in every poop for several days in a row. Change of diet, perhaps?

I'll still be looking into getting a fecal test done and continue keeping a close eye on her in the coming weeks. Glad this isn't as serious as I thought. I'm being quite paranoid I guess. My first experience with intestinal shedding and it has to be with a bird I'm unfamiliar with and have in quarantine!


Thank you for your very informative reply! I deeply appreciate it.

I do plan on trimming her feathers so she can see very soon. I've been reading up on how to hold the chicken to do this and found a great post here on BYC about it. A little nervous, it being my first time and her not fond of being touched. I'm spoiled by how used to handling my EE pullets are.

As for vaccinations, I knew my EEs weren't given Marek's vaccine and I'm fine with that, for better or worse. It's just, how the prior owners of Ella were telling my mother that they vaccinated their whole flock except Ella, it made me worry that there was perhaps some other vaccine that chickens might need that I missed in my research these past 5 months. What in the world would they be vaccinating mature chickens against?


Ella is a White Crested Black Polish bantam. Thanks for your info! I'm very nervous about trimming them for the first time. Her flightiness along with how little she was handled by her prior owners makes me even more nervous. But I plan on putting my fears aside in the next few days and just doing it. I found when she was dust bathing one day, she got so cozy that she didn't mind me touching her. Like she was in some kind of trance. So maybe I can let her get comfortable like that again and then get a good hold on her to trim her.
Also, I love how you trimmed yours! It looks really good! I don't think Ella is going to look quite as nice when I'm done, but as long as it's decent and she can see I guess, haha. Here's pics of Ella:

Shes Beautiful! She has a lot of black in front then white going down her back. Just trim all the black section. Don't feel bad if the first cut is choppy. Sometimes, it's best to handle her after she roosts. You can wrap a towel around her and work with a head lamp. Make sure your scissors are sharp and make quick snips.
Then place her back on her roost. If you do it during the day, feed her scrambled eggs afterwards. This will calm her stress/anxiety of being handled. Talk sweet to her the entire time. Perhaps have someone else hold her while you do the sniping. The feathers will be a blunt cut your first time. She won't care because she will be able to see and run around like crazy!!!
Please post an "after" shot. Lol

 

[Cinnaminute]

Just a quick update: all good news.

She is shedding much less intestinal lining now both in quantity and occurrence. Just one poop so far today had it and it was a very tiny amount.

I also trimmed her feathers. She needs them trimmed even more but she can see a whole lot better now. Gave her some blueberries after to calm her. She's a lot nosier and more confident. She's been visiting me and spying on me. Found her on top of the aquarium already and that's pretty high up, haha.

Thanks again everyone for your help. I'll return later to update if anything else happens with her during her quarantine.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Wonderful news!

 

[Vickischics]

Just a quick update: all good news.

She is shedding much less intestinal lining now both in quantity and occurrence. Just one poop so far today had it and it was a very tiny amount.

I also trimmed her feathers. She needs them trimmed even more but she can see a whole lot better now. Gave her some blueberries after to calm her. She's a lot nosier and more confident. She's been visiting me and spying on me. Found her on top of the aquarium already and that's pretty high up, haha.

Thanks again everyone for your help. I'll return later to update if anything else happens with her during her quarantine.

GREAT JOB!!! She's happy already!! That's a BIG TAADAH!!!

 

[cynesthesia]

My Polish took about 8 months to lay her first egg. RIP PomPom

 

[Cinnaminute]

Just wanted to post a final update. Ella is doing great! She's a lot crazier now that she can see. She also seems to have taken a liking to The Giver of Food Stuffs (aka me) as now she'll come sit next to me, look at and peck my phone screen, try to eat my hair., and wipe her beak on my arm.

Her quarantine is over. She still sheds intestinal lining every so often still but I guess that's just normal. I've been slowly introducing her to my flock. My EE's are scared of her antics! And she's taken advantage of that, deciding it'd be fun to chase them around. So it's a work in progress. Thanks again for all the advice here! Just wanted to post a final update on her here.

My Polish took about 8 months to lay her first egg. RIP PomPom

RIP as well. I bet she was a splendid bird! Thank you for the info. I think Ella is 7 months now but I won't really expect any from her until another month or so.

 

[bhwms]

Are birds like humans in the sense that blood in the stool is red if undigested and black/tarry if digested?

 

[SmiYa0126]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @azygous hen had excessive shedding of intestinal lining, still shedding, but much less. Any suggestions?

I'm wondering if she has an out of balance of bacteria in her gut or maybe worms, does she have any undigested feed in her poo? Can you give her some plain yogurt with live cultures?

 

[azygous]

Reading this thread from the beginning, I agree with @SmiYa0126 that a pathological gut bacteria may be present. I would have started her on amoxicillin at the point where the intestinal shed was becoming chronic. Worms as well as coccidia can cause inflammation of the intestines and excessive shed. It's a symptom of possible infection starting. The dose is 250mg per day for ten days. Most pet stores and feed stores carry Aqua Mox or fish mox.

I would also worm the chickens to be safe.