constipated hen

[THELMA]

Hi

Just an update visited the vets and she is not egg bound. He has found some kind of lump he put a needle in it and drew off some uck he is not sure what it is. He has given me antibiotics and a stool softner hoping it is just an abcese. Fingers crossed this will clear it up otherwise it is x rays and surgery and then I would have to make a decision at that time wether to go that far

 

[LynneP]

Wow- well, you know the location of the distress, and that in itself is empowering. I understand what you're saying about how far to go.
Best of luck! Please let us know when there is some resolution!

 

[THELMA]

JUST AN UPDATE not sure what going on she still eating and drinking but her poops just not right sometimes black sometimes green and very runny. She is quiet lively at the moment. Do you know if the antibiotics would cause this sort of poop? Put her out with the others for a short time today as the weather was reasonably good but one of them took a chunk of feathers out of her how quickly they forget each other. As she is still not on top of the world seperated them by a partition and she managed to have a good dig around and fresh air will try again tomorrow if she still alert.

 

[LynneP]

Both antibiotics and sloughed-off infection can add colour to poops, Thelma. You should begin to see normal ones in another 48 hours or so. She sounds good- how long will she be on the meds? Offering yogurt or kefir in her feed can add healthy bacteria back to her gut which may be damaged by the meds.

The green droppings may contain bile from reduced food intake while ill. I'd keep her with a partition away from others until all trace of infection is gone. You'll need to identify any eggs later too, and not eat them.

Here's a good droppings resource-

http://happyhenhouse.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=poop&action=display&thread=6492

 

[THELMA]

Thanks for that the vet did not say how long for the antibiotics prob give her five days.
Giving her probiotic just to help a little. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

my ee has recently gone through being egg bound and i couldn't feel it in her either. but she was seriously HOT feeling when i tried to pick her up-giving her a bath helped to calm and bring the temp down some, and antibiotics seems to stave off any infection. i think the egg had broken inside her and i couldn't feel it because of that. next morning she let it loose and it was completely broken but seemed to be a soft shell too.

in hearing that the vet was able to pull out some fluids from her, maybe it could be the remains of a broken or soft shell egg too. how did the doc see what it was that they were getting the fluids from? did they use a scope or just a visual?

i found that they seemed to like apple sauce, yogurt and anything that you could give them mixed with water to make it mushy.

 

[THELMA]

Hi
Not sure how the vet did it as he took her out off the room to test the lump I heard her squeek and she was very stressed afterwards so I take it he put needle in her somewhere. He also mentioned the possibility it could have been a mass of hard feces. Without tests and operations he was making his best guess.
Still no sign of any proper poops they are very few and far betweens and then still odd coloured and runny. She is still eating and drinking but really not keen on layers pellets perfers cabbage and corn. Because I feel it is better she eats I am kinda giving in to her a bit to keep her strength up do you feel it would be better to withdraw other food to see if it forces her to eat the layers. She also objects to eating from her dish and is more inclined to eat if I scatter the food around so she can peck around.

 

[LynneP]

Well, you're probably not concerned about eggs. She could certainly have grower feed moistened with water or yogurt to get a nutritional balance back. I think the key is to keep her hydrated, active and happy as she recovers...

 

[THELMA]

Really dont know what is going on with her still no proper poops but she is lively enough she spends the night in a dog cage and during the day goes out in the run partitioned off weather permitting. She is pottering around digging and trying to get in with the others. Will just keep her warm at night and see what happens. Whilst she seems lively and not in pain will go with it although my gut instinct is that something is defo wrong.

 

[THELMA]

Got a problem with one of my small bantams. She was looking a little puffed up today so caught up with her tonight and her crop is very swollen. It does not feel hard but spongy and very enlarged. Dont seem to be having much luck this week any advise would be appreciated.