Another sick hen..same symptoms

[micstrachan]

Good news! Keep the updates coming.

 

[vantain]

Can you post pictures of her next poops?

Her crop cleared last night! Woohooo.

When I went to check in her this morning, she had a few small piles of normal poop. I gathered it up, and here it is.

 

[casportpony]

Her crop cleared last night! Woohooo.

When I went to check in her this morning, she had a few small piles of normal poop. I gathered it up, and here it is.
View attachment 1998006

That looks much better! How does she look?

 

[vantain]

That looks much better! How does she look?

She's very alert, eating her normal feed this morning. I gave her some scrambled eggs along with her feed. Her tail is up, and she is making a lot more noise. I think she wants out of that wire kennel, and to be with her two little friends.

It is supposed to get up to 40 today, before plunging down into the single digits tonight. I may take her out later to just spend a little time with them, and then return her inside for tonight. I'm guessing it will still be better to keep her inside for a few days to make sure the crop is working properly and she has regained her strength?

As for her care now, I have stopped the Miconazole, since here crop cleared. I did give her a dose of the Enrofloxacin last night, and wondering if I should continue that, just to be sure there wasn't another issue.

I did look more closely at her poop, and it does appear normal. There was grit, sand, and normal processed stuff in there. I'd feel better knowing she can clear it for a second night at least. I know she really hates being inside, and I know she would love to be with her friends.

Any other advice for post care to make sure things continue? I probably should give her some probiotics, and can mix some in her water. I also heard that giving some buttermilk in her feed might also help?

 

[casportpony]

She's very alert, eating her normal feed this morning. I gave her some scrambled eggs along with her feed. Her tail is up, and she is making a lot more noise.

That is wonderful news!

As for her care now, I have stopped the Miconazole, since here crop cleared. I did give her a dose of the Enrofloxacin last night, and wondering if I should continue that, just to be sure there wasn't another issue.

I think I would continue both medications for two more days since you don't know if the enrofloxacin played a part in her recovery or not. If it did, and you stopped treatment now, the bacteria might return. Two days past cessation of illness is what my vet advises.

I did look more closely at her poop, and it does appear normal

Her poop does look pretty good, though I thought I spotted something with a little tinge of blood.

Any other advice for post care to make sure things continue? I probably should give her some probiotics, and can mix some in her water. I also heard that giving some buttermilk in her feed might also help?

Some people say to do this, I am lazy and never do.

It is supposed to get up to 40 today, before plunging down into the single digits tonight. I may take her out later to just spend a little time with them,

I think a little outside is okay. Make sure she doesn't eat a bunch of rocks, grit, dirt, or grass though.

 

[vantain]

She also seems to be a bit choosy in her feed. I had switched them to Purina Flock Raiser about 6 weeks ago. They have oyster shell available at all times. I mixed their other feed which was Purina Layena pellets, into the new feed and they are now 100% on the Flock Raiser as of a week ago. The feed I gave this girl still had a few of the pellets in it from the last of the Layena..and she picked out ONLY the pellets. The flock raiser is crumbles. I had noticed her pickiness in the feed for a couple of weeks, and am now wondering if she has not actually been eating as much of the flock raiser as I thought.

The reason I went to Flock Raiser was because I want to add new birds to the flock in the spring, and wanted to be on one feed by the time that happens.

Here is a picture of her from a few minutes ago. You can see she dumped her feed out trying to sort out the pellets.

She also had two new piles of poop in there, so she is processing finally.

 

[vantain]

That is wonderful news!

I think I would continue both medications for two more days since you don't know if the enrofloxacin played a part in her recovery or not. If it did, and you stopped treatment now, the bacteria might return. Two days past cessation of illness is what my vet advises.

Her poop does look pretty good, though I thought I spotted something with a little tinge of blood.

Some people say to do this, I am lazy and never do.

I think a little outside is okay. Make sure she doesn't eat a bunch of rocks, grit, dirt, or grass though.

She can't eat grass, as they are in an enclosed run.

 

[casportpony]

and am now wondering if she has not actually been eating as much of the flock raiser as I thought.

Maybe not. Strange, most like crumbles better than pellets.

She also had two new piles of poop in there, so she is processing finally.

She looks great! Hard to believe she was so sick a few days ago.

 

[vantain]

Thanks to everyone for suggesting and even pushing me a bit to bring her inside. I do believe the warmth and rest helped so much. I would have left her outside, but in the hospital crate I had originally. Now I am convinced like many of you said, that she would likely have become hypothermic while trying to also deal with this.

I will be waiting a couple of days to make sure she is clearing her crop normally for a couple more nights before figuring out how to acclimate her back outside.

 

[Henry&Friends]

I will be waiting a couple of days to make sure she is clearing her crop normally for a couple more nights before figuring out how to acclimate her back outside.

I wouldn’t know about reintegration in a flock of three, but since she’s only been away since Monday/Tuesday, they might just take her back in and she might not have troubles with the temperature. I had a hen a few weeks ago who got ripped open down the side, and she was in my basement for about two weeks. I cleaned her up, applied triple antibiotic ointment, and bandaged her skin flap back on. I gave her food, water and a nest, and left her on a tarp for easy poop clean up. On the second week, she began walking better and laying eggs again. At the end of the second week, I decided there wasn’t anything else I could do for her— my parents didn’t want a chicken in the basement and the chicken was probably Lonely, so I moved her outside to the chicks enclosure (now integrated) with food and water. She stayed in the chick run for a total of five minutes, then broke out and joined all the chickens. Other than a scuffle with the guineas (who want to scuffle with everybody) she just walked over and retook her place. I’ve got a dozen free ranged chickens, so maybe they just didn’t notice??? Anyways watch when you let her back out, because the rest might not even mind her return (they might even miss her!)