Chicken resting on haunches

[MarlaMac]

Hello.

I have a Black Australorp chicken who is occasionally sitting on her haunches. I noticed this twice today. Once when she was drinking and again when she was eating.

She is between 2 and 4 years old. Her comb and wattles look good. She is eating and drinking. I haven't noticed her standing by herself or away from the flock.

She eats Kalmback Flock Maker 20% non-gmo crumbles and gets "treats" 2x weekly. The "treat" is 4 eggs with a splash of olive oil and pro-biotics mixed in. These 4 eggs are shared among 13 layers, a rooster, a 15-week old cockerel and 6 12-week old pullets pullets. The chickens also get watermelon on hot days and sometimes I mix some greens in with their egg treat.

We are experiencing heat wave in central Texas. Our feels like temps have been hovering around 100 degrees for the last 2 weeks. Night time temps cool to around 72-78.

I am on the final leg of corid treatment. I did 5 days, then off for 7 days and just finished the 2nd day of the final 5 day treatment.

I brought her in to monitor her poop tonight. She had a normal poop when she was sitting in the bathtub awaiting her hotel accommodations. Then I found this in her crate just now. It is kind of sticky and dark and it does smell, but not over powering. I think it is a cecal poo, but tomorrow will bring more that I can look at.

I immediately gave her a 1/2 b complex and and 400mg vit e tablet, clean water (w/o corid) and some crumble in the crate. My thought was vitamin issues b/c of the corid, but I am unsure.

Tomorrow, I will check her crop first thing to make sure it is empty.

What else should I do? If I do not want her taking in corid I will have to keep her separate from the flock until Sat morning. I can put up a temp space for her outside so she is still part of the flock for most of the day.

Any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, the poop looks like Cecal.

Did your flock have Coccidiosis? One or more of them sick?

Possible the Corid is causing some issues, but feed should have B1 and B2 in it, so she should be getting the daily nutritional values she needs. The contraindications between B1 (Thiamine) and Corid is when "Excessive" amounts of B1 in high doses are given, this *may* reduce the efficacy of Corid (Amprolium). The drug books do not state what "Excessive" is, so this is why we normally suggest to omit "Extra" vitamins that contain B1 when giving Corid.

That said, it's possible she's not getting what she needs, so I would give the B-Complex and Vitamin E to see if it helps. Be sure the B-Complex has B2 (Riboflavin) which is for leg health. B1 (Thiamine) compliments Vitamin E, so the complex also needs to include that.

When was the last time she laid an egg?

I'd also check her over for lice/mites, that her crop is emptying, any hidden injuries (legs/bottom of feet too) and take note if she's starting to molt.

Hopefully she'll improve with being separated out with food/water and vitamin therapy. There are so many things that affect them, it can be hard to know sometimes.

 

[MarlaMac]

I agree, the poop looks like Cecal.

Did your flock have Coccidiosis? One or more of them sick?

Possible the Corid is causing some issues, but feed should have B1 and B2 in it, so she should be getting the daily nutritional values she needs. The contraindications between B1 (Thiamine) and Corid is when "Excessive" amounts of B1 in high doses are given, this *may* reduce the efficacy of Corid (Amprolium). The drug books do not state what "Excessive" is, so this is why we normally suggest to omit "Extra" vitamins that contain B1 when giving Corid.

That said, it's possible she's not getting what she needs, so I would give the B-Complex and Vitamin E to see if it helps. Be sure the B-Complex has B2 (Riboflavin) which is for leg health. B1 (Thiamine) compliments Vitamin E, so the complex also needs to include that.

When was the last time she laid an egg?

I'd also check her over for lice/mites, that her crop is emptying, any hidden injuries (legs/bottom of feet too) and take note if she's starting to molt.

Hopefully she'll improve with being separated out with food/water and vitamin therapy. There are so many things that affect them, it can be hard to know sometimes.

Thank you for your reply.

No lice/mites and nice flat crop this morning. I don't see any injuries and it doesn't look like she is starting to molt. I don't know when she laid last. I can't tell by eggs who is doing what b/c they are all Australorps.

I did a float test, but it did not confirm Coccidiosis, but I took the sample from a girl I had isolated for another reason she died). I had several that exhibited symptoms (hunched over, puffed up, ruffled feathers - never saw bloody stools though). So, I decided I needed to treat.

Here is her array of poop this morning. I am thinking yellow around the one poop is the b vitamin extra.

My husband and I said we think we are entering a new stage in chicken keeping - the part where we start loosing them. My oldest girls are between 4-5 years old, then I have some 2 year olds and some 12 week old pullets. Why did I think they would live forever?

This morning she is on her feet (but she was like that yesterday off and on). I am wondering if the heat is playing havoc on her. It has been REALLY hot and humid. I take measures to make them comfortable, but there is only so much I can do in 100 degree plus temps.

I will continue the vit therapy for a few days and see what happens.

She didn't eat much of her wet-mash crumble this morning, but gobbled down a part of an egg when we set it in with her.

Thank you, again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My husband and I said we think we are entering a new stage in chicken keeping - the part where we start loosing them. My oldest girls are between 4-5 years old, then I have some 2 year olds and some 12 week old pullets. Why did I think they would live forever?

The vitamins can tint the poop a little.

The heat can really bring them down, so hopefully if this is the issue she will bounce back fairly quickly with being cooler and getting hydrated along with the vitamin therapy.

You had a float test, was it checked for worms too?

You and your husband are right, you are entering a new stage. It can be unsettling to start losing a few in one year, sometimes within the same age group that started out together, maybe even 1-2 in a different "age bracket". I can feel like you're doing something wrong or perhaps a disease is present. Often it's just something reproductive that is causing a decline which is heartbreaking, these hens are so sweet.
Do take time to investigate if you lose another just to give yourself more info and hopefully some comfort/acceptance too. If possible, have a necropsy through the state lab or if you are up to it, do your own.

 

[MarlaMac]

More poop from this morning. I don't think I see any invaders, but the yellow liquid again.

The vitamins can tint the poop a little.

The heat can really bring them down, so hopefully if this is the issue she will bounce back fairly quickly with being cooler and getting hydrated along with the vitamin therapy.

You had a float test, was it checked for worms too?

You and your husband are right, you are entering a new stage. It can be unsettling to start losing a few in one year, sometimes within the same age group that started out together, maybe even 1-2 in a different "age bracket". I can feel like you're doing something wrong or perhaps a disease is present. Often it's just something reproductive that is causing a decline which is heartbreaking, these hens are so sweet.
Do take time to investigate if you lose another just to give yourself more info and hopefully some comfort/acceptance too. If possible, have a necropsy through the state lab or if you are up to it, do your own.

Thank you.

Yes, the float test tested for anything in the tract. Nothing was present. I plan on taking another sample (hers) to the vet tomorrow for another float test just for a peace of mind.

She is eating/drinking. I will take her out this evening to "be" with the flock when they come into the back yard.

Also, will continue the vit therapy through Friday and let her back with the group on Sat morning, or into coop when the rest of them are in and settled.

Yes. Plan on doing a necropsy with the next one I lose.