EMERGENCY whats wrong with my hen?

[mavis4]

So on the 4th of February my hen laid and egg with no shell however it was still sort of an egg if you know what i mean. It was hard and no squishy or anything and it also had a bit of his ' insides ' on it. I'm not too sure what it was. ( i will attach a picture below ) so once he passed that she really perked up and starting acting his normal self again. So its been 2 weeks since that egg and it was the last time she has laid so she hasn't laid a single egg for two weeks. A week after the last shell less egg we took her to the vets. They gave her some metacam and batryil. It did absolutly nothing to be honest she stayed the exact same. I then started to bathe him daily with warm water and epsom salts as well as giving her calcium tablets. she still hasn't perked up and still hasn't laid an egg. I am really worried about her and don't know what to do. All the vet wants to do now is put her to sleep and I'm not willing to give up yet. Any suggestions i would really appreciate. 

SYMPTOMS:
Lethargic 
Not eating much
Runny and few poos 
Not much energy 
Hunched up
On his own not with the others 

 

[mavis4]

 

[lutherpug]

I'm not an expert by any stretch but my first questions would be about what you are feeding-specifically, are they on layer feed with an appropriate amount of calcium. Are you offering oyster shell?

Answers to those questions will be helpful for others that comment.

Good luck

 

[Yemimah]

I learned from my own chicken dealings that coccidiosis really affects egg production and quality. I can only guess it is because it causes such an imbalance in their system of absorption . It is a parasite infection I am addressing in my reply. I mean you can only guess this far away and I recently had to deal with so much of this. So this is my experience. Some of my hens had eggs looking like this.For me it is always one of my next forms of defense for the flock if time and nutrition are not addressing things. I usually deworm, Corid is sulfur based coccidiostat that won't hurt if it does not help.Coccidiosis is a micro worm. I think farmers of old used to mix in common garden dusting sulphur but you can overdose them. With the Corid you can dose her safely. I would only mix up her dose per pounds in a little water and slowly syringe it to her. Also give any ill animal electrolytes the same way. Mix according to directions with warm not hot water and syringe it to her. Unless you have video surveillance in your coop you do not know how much she is eating and drinking. When a human goes to the hospital for emergency care they give them a IV called a wringer to super hydrate the patient. Why? Because dehydration will often kill before the disease. Help her get Hydrated . It is important.

 

[mavis4]

I'm not an expert by any stretch but my first questions would be about what you are feeding-specifically, are they on layer feed with an appropriate amount of calcium. Are you offering oyster shell?

Answers to those questions will be helpful for others that comment. 

Good luck

We are feeding layers pellets. Oyster shells constantly.

 

[mavis4]

I learned from my own chicken dealings that coccidiosis really affects egg production and quality. I can only guess it is because it causes such an imbalance in their system of absorption . It is a parasite infection I am addressing in my reply. I mean you can only guess this far away and I recently had to deal with so much of this. So this is my experience. Some of my hens had eggs looking like this.For me it is always one of my next forms of defense for the flock if time and nutrition are not addressing things. I usually deworm, Corid is sulfur based coccidiostat that won't hurt if it does not help.Coccidiosis is a micro worm.  I think farmers of old used to mix in common garden dusting sulphur but you can overdose them. With the Corid you can dose her safely. I would only mix up her dose per pounds in a little water and slowly syringe it to her. Also give any ill animal electrolytes the same way. Mix according to directions with warm not hot water and syringe it to her. Unless you have video surveillance in your coop you do not know how much she is eating and drinking. When a human goes to the hospital for emergency care they give them a IV called a wringer to super hydrate the patient. Why? Because dehydration will often kill before the disease. Help her get Hydrated . It is important.                                                                                                                                    :cd

Okay do you know where I can get some of that in the uk fast ?

 

[Yemimah]

No. But you could take the risk with gardeners dusting sulphur. If you are scientific you may be able to figure out the dose. My friend had an old book about chickens with the ratio it he never forwarded it to me. You mix the dust into dry feed. Please not too much. If you choose to use this old method let me say that you are assuming liability . I am only giving advice . If you use it that is your choice. The other stuff should be available in your country but you will have to search for it through farmers supply and hatcheries. It is amprolium . That is the name of the sulfite chemical. In the states the brand name is Corid and it is a cattle dewormer that is safe for chickens. Read all dire tions.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So on the 4th of February my hen laid and egg with no shell however it was still sort of an egg if you know what i mean. It was hard and no squishy or anything and it also had a bit of his ' insides ' on it. I'm not too sure what it was. ( i will attach a picture below ) so once he passed that she really perked up and starting acting his normal self again. So its been 2 weeks since that egg and it was the last time she has laid so she hasn't laid a single egg for two weeks. A week after the last shell less egg we took her to the vets. They gave her some metacam and batryil. It did absolutly nothing to be honest she stayed the exact same. I then started to bathe him daily with warm water and epsom salts as well as giving her calcium tablets. she still hasn't perked up and still hasn't laid an egg. I am really worried about her and don't know what to do. All the vet wants to do now is put her to sleep and I'm not willing to give up yet. Any suggestions i would really appreciate.

SYMPTOMS:
Lethargic
Not eating much
Runny and few poos
Not much energy
Hunched up
On his own not with the others How does her abdomen feel - hard, soft, squishy, bloated, fluid filled/
Can you post a picture of how she stands?

From the symptoms you describe she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascties, Salpingitis, cancer or tumors. Symptoms can include loose droppings, loss of appetite, weight loss, hunched up/penguin stance, swelling of the abdomen from egg matter or fluid in the abdomen, difficulty walking and labored breathing.

Since she did not respond to pain medication and antibiotic treatment (Metacam and Baytril), then most likely supportive care is the best you can do. Offer her some poultry vitamins and some chopped egg or tuna along with her normal feed. Keep her hydrated.


IF you feel like she may have Coccidiosis - then either take a fecal sample to your vet for testing of cocci, worms or bacterial infection or treat her with CORID (Amprolium). ASK YOUR VET to give the correct medication.


JUST A NOTE - AMPROLIUM (CORID) is not a sulfa based medicine. Amprolium is a anticoccidial drug (coccidostat) that is used to only treat Coccidiosis. Sulfa based drugs (Sulphonamides) have and still are used to treat certain strains of Cocci, but can be used to treat other conditions/illnesses are prescribed by medical professionals. Please do not use a product that is not specified for treatment of illness. Contact your vet for more assistance or check with your local feed store to see what coccidostats are available.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/46/drugs/


Peritonitis and internal egg laying issues:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/6-causes-of-chicken-swollen-abdomen.aspx
http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/

 

[mavis4]

How does her abdomen feel - hard, soft, squishy, bloated, fluid filled/
Can you post a picture of how she stands?

From the symptoms you describe she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascties, Salpingitis, cancer or tumors.  Symptoms can include loose droppings, loss of appetite, weight loss, hunched up/penguin stance, swelling of the abdomen from egg matter or fluid in the abdomen, difficulty walking and labored breathing.

Since she did not respond to pain medication and antibiotic treatment (Metacam and Baytril), then most likely supportive care is the best you can do.  Offer her some poultry vitamins and some chopped egg or tuna along with her normal feed.  Keep her hydrated.


IF you feel like she may have Coccidiosis - then either take a fecal sample to your vet for testing of cocci, worms or bacterial infection or treat her with CORID (Amprolium).  ASK YOUR VET to give the correct medication.


JUST A NOTE -  AMPROLIUM (CORID) is not a sulfa based medicine. Amprolium is a anticoccidial drug (coccidostat) that is used to only treat Coccidiosis.   Sulfa based drugs (Sulphonamides) have and still are used to treat certain strains of Cocci, but can be used to treat other conditions/illnesses are prescribed by medical professionals.  Please do not use a product that is not specified for treatment of illness.  Contact your vet for more assistance or check with your local feed store to see what coccidostats are available.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/46/drugs/


Peritonitis and internal egg laying issues:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/6-causes-of-chicken-swollen-abdomen.aspx
http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/

Her abdomen feels hard(ish) but squishy as well if that makes any sense! She went in the nesting box however She didn't really look like she was going to lay. She led on the side. I'll attach a pic of her in there and how she stands .

[/IMG]

 

[mavis4]

Her abdomen feels hard(ish) but squishy as well if that makes any sense! She went in the nesting box however She didn't really look like she was going to lay. She led on the side. I'll attach a pic of her in there and how she stands .

[/IMG]