Black Locust Seed Pods

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

My chickens have been obsessed with eating seeds from these pods all over my yard. After weeks, I finally figured out the source yesterday evening: black locust trees which are toxic to animals.

I can't free range them without them encountering and wanting to eat the seeds, and while everyone seems fine, my RIR--who is most obsessive about eating them--has been having diarrhea/watery poop with some shed intestinal lining in it daily. Not extreme, but something that has me on alert. She's eating, drinking, and energetic--but I'm wondering, could this be the after effect of all the seeds she's eaten?

I'm scared to let them out of the run now, and they'll be so mad at me for it!!

 

[azygous]

Just a few pods shouldn't cause more than a little runny poop. But if a chicken pigs out on them, it can cause inflammation of the intestines and that can get infected and cause enteritis, a serious bacterial infection.

The symptoms of enteritis are diarrhea, excessive intestinal shed and it progresses to bleeding. If these symptoms are present, an oral antibiotic, preferably sulfa, would be wise.

An effort must be made to rake up the pods or you could eventually lose a chicken or two.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Just a few pods shouldn't cause more than a little runny poop. But if a chicken pigs out on them, it can cause inflammation of the intestines and that can get infected and cause enteritis, a serious bacterial infection.

The symptoms of enteritis are diarrhea, excessive intestinal shed and it progresses to bleeding. If these symptoms are present, an oral antibiotic, preferably sulfa, would be wise.

An effort must be made to rake up the pods or you could eventually lose a chicken or two.

My RIR, who eats the most (she's obsessed with them), has been having runny poop with some shed intestinal lining for the last few days. She's eating, drinking, and energetic and there is not any bleeding in her poop, yet. I've not let them out today, so the last she had some was yesterday afternoon.

Should I observe and treat with an antibiotic if she gets worse? Which sulfa abx do you recommend that is readily available without an rx? I have baytril and fish mox on hand.

 

[azygous]

Probably they are okay and just have the intestinal upset. But order this (no prescription) . Start the flock on it if you see any increase in intestinal shed or blood. https://jedds.com/products/trimethoprin-sulfa-medpet?_pos=1&_sid=6f5dddb34&_ss=r It goes in the drinking water.

Sulfa is preferred for intestinal infections. It should only be given for the recommended period, though, so follow the package instructions.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Probably they are okay and just have the intestinal upset. But order this (no prescription) . Start the flock on it if you see any increase in intestinal shed or blood. https://jedds.com/products/trimethoprin-sulfa-medpet?_pos=1&_sid=6f5dddb34&_ss=r It goes in the drinking water.

Sulfa is preferred for intestinal infections. It should only be given for the recommended period, though, so follow the package instructions.

Thank you so much! Fingers crossed it will pass as they take a break from grazing. But I'll order this to have on hand just in case. I keep looking out at my RIR and she is acting like a normal chicken.

I won't let them out until I've been able to rake up the pods. Luckily, everyone's taking their winter break from laying, and they are far less demanding/fussy during this time (so no one will be staging a coup from being locked up).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@azygous I hate to bother you, but you've made the mistake of being very helpful! I've been monitoring Willow, my RIR, and her intestinal shed continues. There's always some in her overnight poops (usually present in one of multiple) and then some expelled in her daytime poops (again, not in all but some). I don't see signs of outright bleeding, just very textbook-looking intestinal shed. Beyond that, the vast majority of her poops are a good color and consistency, with only a few slightly waterier than normal. She's still filling up her crop and emptying it overnight; and she's still active.

I'm confused on how to proceed. I've ordered the meds you recommended but they won't be here for some days. In the meantime I am considering deworming her with Valbazen--I'd planned to earlier in the Fall but my vet encouraged me not to based on a fecal of hers which was clean (though it also had lining in it). However, if she's inflamed from possibly ingesting toxic seeds, would deworming exacerbate the issue? Do you think it'd help or at the very least not hurt?

Thanks so much for your help now and always.

 

[azygous]

Chronic intestinal shed is not normal, especially if it's excessive. Bleeding does not need to occur for it to be a sign of bacterial infection. Treatment with an antibiotic is wise and will not be harmful.

You may add worming and coccidiosis treatments to the antibiotic and it will not be harmful in any way.

A worming med anesthetizes the worms so they detach from the intestinal wall. It's not a poison. The worms are then mostly absorbed into the chicken's intestines as protein. You may see a dead worm in the poop, but it means nothing if you don't.

The coccidiostat likewise is not a poison. It blocks B-1 thiamine to cut off the nutrients that support coccidia life cycles.

Do not give any vitamins with thiamine in them during the coccidia treatment. Be sure to do a second round of worming and coccidiostat a week after finishing the first round of the coccidiostat and two weeks after the worming.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Chronic intestinal shed is not normal, especially if it's excessive. Bleeding does not need to occur for it to be a sign of bacterial infection. Treatment with an antibiotic is wise and will not be harmful.

You may add worming and coccidiosis treatments to the antibiotic and it will not be harmful in any way.

A worming med anesthetizes the worms so they detach from the intestinal wall. It's not a poison. The worms are then mostly absorbed into the chicken's intestines as protein. You may see a dead worm in the poop, but it means nothing if you don't.

The coccidiostat likewise is not a poison. It blocks B-1 thiamine to cut off the nutrients that support coccidia life cycles.

Do not give any vitamins with thiamine in them during the coccidia treatment. Be sure to do a second round of worming and coccidiostat a week after finishing the first round of the coccidiostat and two weeks after the worming.

I'll give her the first does of valbazen tomorrow, since I understand it's best on an empty stomach. The sulfa med hasn't shipped yet, but I can start her on fish mox or baytril.

Will the trimethoprim sulfa take care of cocciodiosis? Treating the water will be difficult due to freezing temps the rest of this week/weekend that will require me to frequently de-ice and refresh their water, plus they may hide in their coop and drink a little less. I'm wondering if I should direct dose corid. Everyone else seems perfectly fine, and she would, too, were it not for her poop.

 

[azygous]

You may direct dose Corid. In fact, a drench dose of around .5ml undiluted Corid once a day for three days will hammer any coccidia and followed up with several oral syringes of the Corid treamtment water over the day on the freezing days should work.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

You may direct dose Corid. In fact, a drench dose of around .5ml undiluted Corid once a day for three days will hammer any coccidia and followed up with several oral syringes of the Corid treamtment water over the day on the freezing days should work.

Since all the treatments are safe and dont interact negatively, I suppose I'll give it a go from every angle (valbazen, corid direct dose, sulfa med). My vet is out of town for the next week, so she's in my hands now, for better or worse.

I'll post updates to close the loop. I just went out to check on them and of course she's running around and pooped a centerfold-quality poop.

Thanks for everything!