Chicken Xrays... Not sure exact what the problem is... Any Suggestions

[Veggie4life55]

It started a while back where I thought she was getting egg bound and the finally passing the egg or parts of the egg.

Then 2 Thursdays ago she was eggbound with just a solid yolk. I don't normally step in.Right at her vent opening. I normally let them do as much as they can before I step in but I noticed her comb was very very pail. Plus I was afraid she was going to prolaps. She was deyhdrated and the yolk was pretty stuck so we soaked her in water for 20minutes. Then a little while later I helped her remove it. That night she developed an air bubble above her right wing. It was pretty big and was just air... The next morning the bubble was very small so I thought it was just a ruptured air sack. After the bubble disappeared we put her back into the enclosure with the other chickens....

We noticed that she started acting egg bound or just not feeling well. So we brought her in and put her in a dog crate with the heat lamp. she started acting better. She was still eating and drinking. But her bowl movements are very runny and wet. some of them are just urites and clear what appears to be water... So we took her food so we could check her crop in the morning. It appeared to have gone down alot over not. But I don't think it was completely empty. So for the next day we only gave her water and raw egg hoping everything from her crop would leave...The last few days she has been acting well. Not fluffy not anything unusual.. .She still isn't laying eggs though. So I took her to the vet because I thought she was internally laying. he belly feels distended aswell..

The first thing I noticed yesterday when I picked her up is she has lost alot of weight... I can really feel and actual pinch her keel bone... So is only 4lbs and should be around 6 I would think... They examened her, swabbed her crop to check for fungus, did an ultrasound looking for internally laid eggs (non found), did xrays looking to see what else we can find out... Her bones are not solid and are very spotty... She needs more calcium even though we give her calcium.. So I am assuming she is not absorbing it properly. We have her on a good food the Purina Sunfresh. The vet thinks her crop is much bigger than normal. But the only chickens he has seen are mine . He is used to working with small birds, raptors, and at the aviary in Pittsburgh.... So does her crop look big because I think it is bigger than the other chickens as well...??
He also said the round opaque dot in the xray around her tummy could be metal and she could be suffering from metal toxicity but she is in an enclosure so I wouldn't know how she would get metal...
So right now she is being treated for Sour crop with an antifungal medication and antibiotics just incase we have missed a bacterial infection... She was also given a parasite injection and an anti dairhha injection, which hasn't really helped.... He also said since her bones look like this it could be some rare disease but wouldn't know for sure without testing...

I am just wonder what you all think... are we missing something.... Please read my blog page to to make sure I didn't forget to mention something here... It also has her Xrays from yesterday...

http://respectlifeeatveggies.blogspot.com/2011/05/gaia-chickens-1st-vet-appointment.html

this link is her being egg bound and her vent swollen and protruding with the stuck yolk...
http://respectlifeeatveggies.blogspot.com/2011/04/gaia-egg-bound-chicken-2.html

 

[dawg53]

The only thing that I can recommend is that you add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (ACV) per gallon of water. ACV is an acidifer which helps in calcium absorption and lower gut PH to help with bacterial issues. Also, when you soak her in warm water... the warm water expands her innards. Massage her underside to hopefully help the stuck egg move along toward her vent area. You can apply a little olive oil inside her vent to make it easier to lay.

 

[Veggie4life55]

Thank you.. The yolk was stuck 2 weeks ago and we did get it out. But I will check with the vet to make sure the vinegar will not effect any of her meds... The ACV from the Farm stores right?

 

[rancher hicks]

Since you are feeding her raw egg I'll assume you are a vegan? Also she appears to be a "production" red? Am I right?

These particular birds are prone to health problems due to inbreeding and all that goes with it. As for the "sour crop"? It's my personal opinion that this can arise though not always when there is not enough "insoluble" grit given. This is not an area to try to cut costs on. Insoluble grit is needed to "grind" up grasses and grains in the crop. To little and things get stuck and ferment, hence the "sour" smell.

I'd advise stopping all food and give only grit and water for a few days till things move along. ACV will not help sour crop.

Seems to me that just as Mrs. Pompfrey was over doing the treats with Tricky woo many chicken folks over do things with their pet chickens. The commercial industry has jumped on the band wagon and is now offering alot of unnecessary treats and doo- dads for chickens.

Hope things improve.

Rancher

 

[Veggie4life55]

I am a vegetarian... but the only animal product I do eat is our chicken eggs.... But I don't mind sharing... We have always given some of our chicken eggs to them..specially when they are sick...

Yes she is a New Hampshire Red but has been at our house her whole life and has been raised on a good feed, along with extra calcium, and extra grit.... I haven't skipped giving her grit... what ever they need they get... but I have also never given her ACV...ACV for her calcium loss to help with absorption... not her crop issue.... So for the calcium issue would it be the farm store ACV?

our chickens have a flock block now... But I just got it the other day and it is the first one I have ever bought. and I only purchased it because we have two roos fighting that I am trying to get to stop. o yeah and it didn't work and I had to separate them.... So other than that they get spinach, blueberries, strawberries, a few grapes ever so often, lettuce..stuff like that so I don't think it would actually hurt them... I am not really sure what treats and do dads you are referring too... ?

I am going to take her food tonight and check her crop in morning to see how it feels again.. I think I might offer her some extra grit in the morning.. and eggs in the evening.... I don't want to totally take her food because she has lost so much weight...

Thank you for the info and if you think of anything else please let me know!

 

[Okie Amazon]

Wow! I was a veterinary technician for many years (including quite a few years with an avian vet) and I have NEVER seen bones like that in a radiograph! Not even in sunflower seed addict African Greys, who are notorious for calcium deficiency. They look almost porous. IMO you need to get her on Cal-phos or something close to it in her water ASAP. Did the vet not give her a calcium injection? Those bones are absolutely frightening. I can't believe she hasn't had spontaneous fractures just walking around.

 

[Veggie4life55]

He didn't mention a calcium injection but I will mention it when he calls and also see if there is anything else I can give her.where do I get the cal Phos for her water?.. It is funny that you say sunflower seeds because our chickens were eating alot of them a while back... They loved them and would eat all they could find.... I just liked it up and read about them causing issues with birds.. I had so idea I feel so stupid for letting them eat them....

( I did speak with our vet about her bones and he said because she is a laying hen and she is not digesting her food properly that is why her bones are so messed up right now. He said with the amount of seeds I was giving her it shouldn't have hurt her. he also said that the ACV will help stop yeast growth in her crop and does help with calcium absorption. He doesn't want to give her a calcium shot because he said it is easy to over do calcium and kill them. If she was having muscle twitches then he would give her some but since she is acting fine he isn't as worried about that at this time. )

but she really acts like nothing is wrong ... she has never showed outward any problems with walking or pain... I know it really scares me... i just want to know what I can do to make it better! So if you can give me any more info please do! Thank you