Chicken will not stop drinking water

[Cindyloo]

I noticed my hen was acting funny the other day, she was just showing signs. I kept an eye on her the whole day, when I noticed she wasn't getting back to normal that evening I picked her up. Immediately she started throwing up water, her crop was so full of water, just picking it up caused it to over flow in a way. She's separated, just kinda that usual sick chicken symptoms, just, not wanting to do much because she's not feeling well, a bit puffed up. Her combs not as bright, nor her face. Poop is obviously extremely watery, very little actual poop bits in it. She had access to water for the first day alone, until she just would not stop drinking, so I took it away. I've been giving a pea sized amount of Monistat in her beak incase its some type of yeast in her crop daily, this is the second day. I also am giving her nutridrench. Getting the Monistat in her beak is hard, so she's still fighting. She's one of my girls who prefers to be alone and do her own thing, so she still tries to get away from us, which is another good sign she's fighting. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be causing this? I plan on worming her with topical Ivermectin Friday incase its worms, but I'm holding out to see if she improves with the Monistat.

 

[azygous]

You may have stumbled on the problem. Often, excessive drinking is a sign of a blockage. It could be worms or it could be an impacted gizzard or crop.

There's a danger in worming if there's a blockage, though. If there are so many worms they form a blockage when they are alive, when they die, they can form an even worse blockage, sending the hen into shock and she could die.

I would hold off on the worming until you're sure what kind of blockage this is. What would be of great help is to take a poop sample from her to your vet and ask for a fecal float. It will tell you exactly what kind of worms and how large a load she has. Then you can prepare her with electrolytes and grit before worming to prevent shock.

While you get the poop tested, it would help to give her oil and grit in case the blockage is something other than worms. I like coconut oil since you can chill it and stick it in her beak without having to syringe it.

 

[Cindyloo]

Well, its not lash, maybe the start of it. It turns out tried to lay an egg, it broke inside of her and rotted. I got the egg shell and a majority of the rot out. Here's what I did:
I set her on a treatment of fish zole. 1 pill a day for 5 days, today was her last treatment. Fish zole can fight against Lash egg bacteria. I also gave her about 130 mg of Calcium dissolved in water for 3 days to help her push anything else out that may have still been up in her oviduct. With the water and calcium + when I stopped the calcium I gave her molasses to help try to get her to gain weight/ have energy. I also gave her any eggs that happened to crack from my other hens. She was given a warm water and Epson salt bath too. She's stopped the excessive drinking and now is eating on her own. She was outside for a good hour and is thriving right now. I will still be giving her molasses and will be keeping a close eye on her, she'll still be separated.

 

[Saaniya]

I noticed my hen was acting funny the other day, she was just showing signs. I kept an eye on her the whole day, when I noticed she wasn't getting back to normal that evening I picked her up. Immediately she started throwing up water, her crop was so full of water, just picking it up caused it to over flow in a way. She's separated, just kinda that usual sick chicken symptoms, just, not wanting to do much because she's not feeling well, a bit puffed up. Her combs not as bright, nor her face. Poop is obviously extremely watery, very little actual poop bits in it. She had access to water for the first day alone, until she just would not stop drinking, so I took it away. I've been giving a pea sized amount of Monistat in her beak incase its some type of yeast in her crop daily, this is the second day. I also am giving her nutridrench. Getting the Monistat in her beak is hard, so she's still fighting. She's one of my girls who prefers to be alone and do her own thing, so she still tries to get away from us, which is another good sign she's fighting. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be causing this? I plan on worming her with topical Ivermectin Friday incase its worms, but I'm holding out to see if she improves with the Monistat.

Throwing up is pretty normal because I see it when they drink alot and bend down and water comes out.. it is more often noticable in summer then winters .

But it could be a sign of overloading yeast Infection I don't have Antifungal for yeast Infection I give Moringa Olifera Supplimentry Herb That Is Natural Anti Fungal .
Because Medicine u can use in emergency iy affected the liver alot

 

[Cindyloo]

Alright, so there is a development to this and I'm not sure what to do, or where to take this. Today I was feeling and looking her over after getting home and I feel this large lump in her abdomen. So, I think the blockage of whatever it was, was coming out. So, I get her, a syringe with water and I give her an enema. I watch for a bit and she poops a few times, I don't see that whatever I felt that was hard was coming out. So I think, well, whatever it is, egg or something she may have ate, I can feel for it. So I glove up, put her on a puppy pad, lube my hand and I go in. At first when feeling it, I think, okay, this is worms. So I got a grip and I very gently and slowly pull, looking to see if she strains, or anything that would be a sign to stop, like if it was wrapped in her intestines. Its not, I pull out a piece because it began to fall apart. Its like this.. odd shell piece, thick, kind of rubbery and it smells horrible. I get out the other piece that kinda fell off and at this point my heart sinks because it looks like lash egg. This is not the whole think, I still feel a big hard lump in her abdomen. I've never had lash egg in my 10 + years of owning chickens, looking it up all these horrible things come up, like telling my to cull this girl, then my entire flock? I'm not sure about other people, but I love my flock, they all have their personalities, they are my babies and my life. I can cull this girl if I really have to, but I dont want to, but if this is a huge lash egg she can't pass, I feel I might have to, especially if she's in pain. She's lost weight too, I had a feeling it was something with her oviduct the 2nd day when she didn't lay an egg. I want to try to save her, anyone have any ideas?

 

[Peas4Ducks]

Ah, I’m so sorry. I had never heard of lash egg, but I just read about it and it sounds awful.

The articles I read suggested that antibiotics, prescribed by a vet, can help in some cases. Do you have an avian vet nearby? Unfortunately, it does sound like her case is possibly progressed past the point of that helping.

And I don’t think you need to think about culling your entire flock as this point.

I feel similarly about my chickens—I’m very attached to them and all their different personalities. So far we have only lost one to illness, and it was very painful to watch. I scheduled a vet appointment to have her put down, but she died the night before.

Warm thoughts for you and your chicken.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

First of all, we do not give enemas to hens. Their reproductive tracts are shared with their pooping channels. Enemas on humans clean out their colon. Enemas on hens just force bacteria from their cloaca up the oviduct. This hasn't helped your hen.

It may be moot, though, if this lumpy material is indeed lash material. It would indicate advanced reproductive infection. If you aren't ready to euthanize her, you can try a round of a broad spectrum antibiotic. Do you have any on hand?

 

[Kellow1]

Well, its not lash, maybe the start of it. It turns out tried to lay an egg, it broke inside of her and rotted. I got the egg shell and a majority of the rot out. Here's what I did:
I set her on a treatment of fish zole. 1 pill a day for 5 days, today was her last treatment. Fish zole can fight against Lash egg bacteria. I also gave her about 130 mg of Calcium dissolved in water for 3 days to help her push anything else out that may have still been up in her oviduct. With the water and calcium + when I stopped the calcium I gave her molasses to help try to get her to gain weight/ have energy. I also gave her any eggs that happened to crack from my other hens. She was given a warm water and Epson salt bath too. She's stopped the excessive drinking and now is eating on her own. She was outside for a good hour and is thriving right now. I will still be giving her molasses and will be keeping a close eye on her, she'll still be separated.

I sure hope you can save her!