brachy spira and yeast infection

[PaulettesMama]

Hello, this is my first post and I've searched for information already but am still confused about my situation. I have a hen who has had chronic diarrhea for most of her adult life (she's one and a half years old). She is otherwise very healthy, never lost weight, great appetite, lays an egg almost daily no other symptoms of something wrong. Her only symptoms are constant diarrhea, watery, sometimes milky, sometimes explosive, and her constant thirst for water, she also regurgitates the water after chugging a whole bunch. I have taken her to the vet multiple times and have tried treatments but I'm not sure treatment is working and almost have made things worse. This is what's been done so far: the vet did a gram stain found brachy spira bacteria in her crop which she thinks is the root of the problem. I treated with denagard twice but did not see much improvement. When tested again to see if brachy spira were gone, there were actually less of them but the denagard caused a yeast infection even though I give daily probiotics. I just finished treating the yeast infection with nystatin and went to a different vet to get the gram stain done to see if the yeast was gone which he says it is. So now my dilemma is do I treat with denagard again to try to clear the brachy spira and then risk another yeast infection and a never ending cycle of diarrhea and medicine or do I just let her be at this point as she is otherwise very healthy. In summary, the first vet seems very focused on finding a problem and giving medicine while the second vet seemed to think as long as she's okay otherwise to maybe just let her be, and now I'm very conflicted. It is getting to be a bit much to be at the vet every other week getting a gram stain done to see if the medicine is working and then finding out there's another problem every time. Does anyone else have experience with a chicken with chronic diarrhea or brachy spira and have any suggestions?

 

[Eggcessive]

I have never treated brachyspira, but if she is acting fine, I would just keep giving some probiotics in her food or water. Sour crop is hard to treat. For the runny droppings, you might want to try a small amount of cooked rice mixed in some buttermilk, or a little cottage cheese occasionally, since those may firm up droppings. Chopped apple—not applesauce—also contains pectin which can firm up droppings. Just try a little to see if it helps.