First sick Chicken! Please help me figure this out (pictures)

[wiss0023]

About five days ago I noticed my Cuckoo Maran (aprox. 6 months old - not laying yet) limping pretty good on her left leg. I looked her over could see no sign of bumble foot, mites, scales, or any apparent injury. Assuming it was just a strain, I just monitored her for the first two days. By the third day, I noticed she was staying under or in the coop most of the day, still no sign of injury or bumble foot etc. (we have no high roosts, rocks or rough terrain), so I kept her in the coop/run during the free range time to keep her from too much activity. She seems to be eating/drinking fine, and will stand on the foot, but often keeps it tucked up under. This morning when I went out to feed/water the chickens (I have six) I noticed a creamy colored discharge from her back side. This is the first sign of anything other than the foot, so I am really concerned. I brought her inside, washed her back side, removing all the discharge and put her in a dog kennel in our basement with bedding, water and food. While washing her vent area I noticed one area of her vent is red and swollen, but not bleeding. Attached are pictures of her from this morning, bearing weight on the leg (but still limping heavily), the discharge, two of her droppings from this morning, and the swollen vent. Also, it is about 40 degrees outside, and this is WI, will it do harm for me to keep her inside to monitor her more closely for a few days? She is fed organic laying feed, some scratch generally before nightfall (only about 1 to 1.5 cups thrown out for all six chickens), I just ran out of oyster shell, but generally they have a dish of it in their run, and of course fresh water daily, and some fruit and veg from kitchen scraps when I think of it (usually just grapes, tomatoes, apples and bananas). They free range generally about 2 hours a day, except when rainy. Any and all input would be really appreciated. This is my first sick chicken. Thank you!

 

[retoid]

I just went out to refill the feeder and water in my coop for my 3 chickens, one of my chickens had been having the same problems with her bum, similar to the pictures you posted. Nothing wrong with her feet though. We recently got really cold weather, in the high 20's, snow on the ground. The two other chickens are fine but the one with the pasty bum was staying below the coop in the open area not moving to much, I moved her up into the upper area under the heat lamp, where it's around 50 degrees and I cam back an hour later to find her down below again standing in the snow. This time I closed off the lower area and she ended up perching all day I figured she'd be fine. Well this morning when I went to check on them she was laying on her side stiff and dead

Not sure what caused this but I'd like to know and if there is a prevention for this in the future with my other chickens.

 

[wiss0023]

Quote:
Sorry for your loss. I sure hope that doesn't happen here. Hoping someone will give us some good advice.

 

[retoid]

For more informational purposes, I had noticed my chicken had been acting strange on Saturday morning, I did not notice anything wrong Friday night. On Sat. morning I noticed she was making strange noises, like a wheezing noise coming from her rectum. Her feathers were dirty and spread out more than normal around her rear end and dirty like in the photo you posted above. It was definitely red and flared as well. She had not laid any eggs during.

 

[chkn]

I wonder if she could have a kidney infection? Have you tried antibiotics?

 

[wiss0023]

Quote:
I have not tried antibiotics . . . what do you recommend? Where would I get them (vet?), Could this be coccidiosis? Thanks for your input.

 

[sheeshshe]

mine has been this way for 2 months now. someone mentioned to me yesterday or sat. about a possible yeast infection. perhaps look up symptoms of that? search for yeast infection on here?

 

[allieloveschickens]

poor chicky, maybe she is egg bound, or has an egg broken inside her? There are a lot of threads on here about egg bound hens, if you do a search maybe it will come up with something that will help. Good luck!

 

[wiss0023]

I'm hoping I can get just a little more input on my sick chicken. I have had her inside for three days monitoring her behavior. she is alert, not puffed up or drowsy, but rests most of the day (she is just laying down, but gets up to eat, drink etc., talks to me when I come down the stairs, and does not seem to mind being away from the others). She is still limping badly on her leg (the three days inside almost seem to have made her a little stiff, I suppose from not using the leg a whole lot), and her droppings are mostly cream colored and wattery, every couple of droppings have a little brown/green and are firmer. allieloveschickens . . . I felt her abdomen to see if I could feel anything that seems like an egg, and could not (although I am new at this I gave it my best shot), she does not seem to be trying to pass an egg, and there is she is not swollen. What else should I look for when eggbound? Sheeshshe . . . I read up on some posts on Yeast infection, and this is a distinct possibility, but I do not smell any odor with her droppings . . . would this be a sign of something different, or if she had vent gleet would it definately smell? Any responses are much appreciated! She seems very stable, despite the limping and discharge . . . I just want to get her better. I put a little apple cider vinigar in her water yesterday and today, and tried to feed her yogurt, but she wouldn't have it. Thanks everyone! Your input is great!

 

[Miss Lydia]

You could try clipping the feathers around her vent. Maybe give her a good soak in some warm water sometimes if theres a egg in there it helps them relax so they can pass it. I had a brahma hen discharging like that earlier this fall and I trimmed her feathers good. Shes fine. If you read up on vent gleet it should tell you if theres a smell. If you do decide to do antibiotics be sure to feed her yogurt or probiotics to prevent yeast infection. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Just be sure to dry her in a warm area if you do the soak. I am wondering if she got pecked on the vent that made the sore place? you might try some neosporin on it. Have you wormed them? or seen any thing that looks like worms?