Chicken perpetual diarrhea, comb lesions

[guest226]

My 4 year old easter egger finished a rough molt a month ago. Around then she developed crop stasis. she would only poop water and undigested food. After antibiotics and supportive care she recovered and her crop sped back up. For a while her poop was normal and solid but about a week later it became very wet again, but digested. Her poop is brown and I think has maybe been firming up (?) It leaves a big wet patch in their roost sand every night. There are no white urates in her poop.

I’ve been feeding not too many treats. No corn, soy, dairy, or excessive protein. All my other hens have normal poop.

I had my hens on flock fixer digestive support/electrolytes for a bit then I took them off. It’s been around 2-3 weeks off of it diluted into their water. I often put it in their water for 3-4 days then take it out sporadically.

Besides the poop her crop empties well and she eats well. Her behavior is also pretty normal. She isn’t laying eggs as it’s winter and she molted recently, so her comb is a bit pale. She did start to drink lots of water, maybe because of the diarrhea.

Here’s a picture of her poop. I think it’s cecal poop? But it’s usually thinner in constancy than this and just goes splat out of her. this is a good poop. It often just looks like a wet stain in the dirt.


Her comb is also not a huge worry of mine, but I know she does not get bullied very badly, yet she recently has been getting many big wounds in her comb that scab. I’m sure it’s just pecking injuries.

Sorry for the long rant, if anyone could give me a bit of advice on what to do

I also have another thread about her crop stasis scare. she had a blue comb and it was scary she recovered and is doing fine, just with some setbacks

 

[Debbie292d]

I looked at your other thread. This is the same chicken, I assume. Did you ever find out about ACS? Here's a thread explaining it.

Have you wormed your flock recently? I just ask so that could be ruled out of any of the situations she's been going through. In over eight years of owning chickens, I've never wormed mine, but never found a reason to either.

I don't know if you're still going to try treating her with ACS or already did by now, but when I had a chicken that just always seemed to be the trouble child, I started back up with fermenting grains, and that took care of her issues in just a few days. This provides prebiotics, probiotics, and a host of vitamins and minerals.

Mine rarely ever get anything besides their Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve for scratch and Kalmbach's Flock Maker crumbles. I set out a dish of oyster shell for the laying hens.

Scrambled eggs are the only other treat they get every couple of weeks besides things from the garden when it's summer. Most of these are free-range as well, so get their grit too that way.

If she's somewhere she's not getting grit, there's another idea.

 

[guest226]

I looked at your other thread. This is the same chicken, I assume. Did you ever find out about ACS? Here's a thread explaining it.

Have you wormed your flock recently? I just ask so that could be ruled out of any of the situations she's been going through. In over eight years of owning chickens, I've never wormed mine, but never found a reason to either.

I don't know if you're still going to try treating her with ACS or already did by now, but when I had a chicken that just always seemed to be the trouble child, I started back up with fermenting grains, and that took care of her issues in just a few days. This provides prebiotics, probiotics, and a host of vitamins and minerals.

Mine rarely ever get anything besides their Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve for scratch and Kalmbach's Flock Maker crumbles. I set out a dish of oyster shell for the laying hens.

Scrambled eggs are the only other treat they get every couple of weeks besides things from the garden when it's summer. Most of these are free-range as well, so get their grit too that way.

If she's somewhere she's not getting grit, there's another idea.

Yes, this chicken had crop stasis 2 months ago. I gave her one dose before I went on vacation, then another dose 7 days later. I know with safeguard it is ideal to do a 5 day round, but I couldn't't with the schedule of my vacation. I was thinking later if nothing else works then maybe.

Do you think it would be better to try ACV, or 'Flock Fixer" powder, which contains prebiotics, probiotics, and electrolytes? I know its a bit unlikely, but now I'm a bit paranoid about kidney or liver issues, although she doesn't consume lots of salt regularly and is not obese or overweight.

She also drinks so much water!!! This morning her crop was flat and completely empty, then by 11 am she had filled up her crop with mostly water and some food.

My hope is that this is whats going on.
Digestive disturbance/gut imbalance --> diarrhea --> mild dehydration and excess water drinking

then the cycle continues.