Bright Yellow Poop - Sick Polish Bantam Hen

Clucktown

Songster
11 Years
Feb 24, 2013
120
158
231
Charleston, SC
Hello - I am hoping to get some advice to guide me in the right direction. This morning, I noticed my 2 year old Polish Bantam hen, Meghan, not acting in her usual curious, frisky manner . She was slow to come out of the coop and just stood around with no interest in eating, only drinking. Crop was not impacted, no signs if mites, and no lesions in mouth, nose, vent or eyes. I did notice a few small scabs on her wattles and ear lobes, but to be honest, I never see them because of her head feathers, so who knows how long they have been there. Her eyes are clear and breathing normal. Tried yogurt, scrambled eggs, and mealworms to no avail. My Outlook reminder popped up a few days ago that she is due for her 6 month worming (Valbazen), and was planning on taking care of that in the next few days. Rest of flock is healthy. She is finishing up a molt and looks beautiful, but her poop this evening caused me pause. It was bright yellow and foamy. I am attaching a photo. She has not laid in several months, but assumed that was due to molt and less daylight. Any advice would be much appreciated. This is my daughter's favorite hen and we all want her to get better soon. Thank you!


 
Could you take in a few of her fresh droppings to get a fecal float for coccidia and worms, and check if they can also do a gram stain? Valbazen is a ver good wormer since it gets most worms with a dosage of 1/2 ml, and repeated in 10 days. Do the scabs look like fowl pox from mosquitoes? A picture of those might help to identify it. Very bright yellow droppings can sometimes be a sign of E.coli or egg material from internal laying or egg peritonitis, and more rarely, blackhead (histomononas) which is more a disease of turkeys. I would gather some droppings for the fecal float, and then worm her and the rest of your flock. I would probably start some vitamins and electrolytes in her water since she is not interested in eating, and keep trying to coax her with some egg and some wet feed. If you suspect coccidiosis, then Corid (amprollium) would be the drug to use.
 
Thank you very much for the post. There is no bloating or enlargement in her abdomen - could internal laying still be a concern? The scabs are more indented and not raised like the ones I see posted. Not pus filled. Will worm tomorrow and will follow with Corid and then Baytril if no improvement. Hens have been on Quick Chick since infancy. What are the symptoms of E. Coli? Any good threads ? Thanks again!
 
Thank you very much for the post.  There is no bloating or enlargement in her abdomen - could internal laying still be a concern?  The scabs are more indented and not raised like the ones I see posted.  Not pus filled.  Will worm tomorrow and will follow with Corid and then Baytril if no improvement.  Hens have been on Quick Chick since infancy.  What are the symptoms of E. Coli?  Any good threads ?  Thanks again!


Worm with Valbazen or Safeguard, not Wazine. Okay to give wormer, Corid and Baytril at the same time. If it's blackhead, you will also need metronidazole (fish-zole, Meditrich, Flagyl or API General Cure). FYI, blackhead and E. coli together are common in turkeys, peafowl and other gamebirds, so I almost always treat for both when I suspect it in one of mine, which sadly is several times per year.

The Safeguard dose I use for the cecal worm is 0.23ml per pound orally and repeat in 10 days. For capillary worms it's 0.23 ml per pound for five consecutive days.

In addition to the medications mentioned above, I also provide supportive care that includes a 80-85 degree cage, tubed fluids and tubed food.

-Kathy
 
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Thanks - have always used Valbazen. Still in the mid-upper 70's here. Any good links on tubed feeding? I am terrified I will aspirate the hen. Thanks!
 
Thanks - have always used Valbazen.  Still in the mid-upper 70's here.  Any good links on tubed feeding?  I am terrified I will aspirate the hen.  Thanks!


This thread has some good videos and pictures. If you decide you want to try, you can call me and I'll talk you thru it on the phone. Have taught many people here how to tube and they all agree that it was much easier than they thought it would be.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

-Kathy
 

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