Flick - 4 year old who is very much not herself

[MandS]

Hi

As was suggested, I am creating a post purely about Flick. She is a 4 year old Red Sexlink. She has not laid for months now and went through a period about 2 months ago where her crop was not clearing well. With massage and water, it cleared and she seemed to perk up. Vet put her on antibiotics and since then, she has not really been any better. She is mostly inactive, standing around hunched up. She will have moments of activity where she scratches around and will still on occasion, maintain her position of head of the coup.

As was suggested, here are some photos.

Her now usual just hunched up look

Poop - this is about as thin as a pencil

This is one she stood on before I could photograph it

It looks like her digestive system is working, but she is eating so little and has lost a lot of weight. We gave her mashed egg with live yoghurt, which she eats little amounts of but generally has no interest in pellets, scratch corn or treats. She's even turned a worm down!

Have given her 4 days of vitamins - Nettex multivit, but it makes no noticeable difference. She just looks very tired and worn out.

Any thoughts as to what we can do next?

 

[honeythechicken]

It might be Egg Peritonitis. I had a hen that had exactly the same symptoms and she was sadly diagnosed with it and kidney problems, but the poops look different . Good luck!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi

As was suggested, I am creating a post purely about Flick. She is a 4 year old Red Sexlink. She has not laid for months now and went through a period about 2 months ago where her crop was not clearing well. With massage and water, it cleared and she seemed to perk up. Vet put her on antibiotics and since then, she has not really been any better. She is mostly inactive, standing around hunched up. She will have moments of activity where she scratches around and will still on occasion, maintain her position of head of the coup.

As was suggested, here are some photos.

Her now usual just hunched up look
View attachment 1738926

Poop - this is about as thin as a pencil
View attachment 1738925
This is one she stood on before I could photograph it
View attachment 1738927
It looks like her digestive system is working, but she is eating so little and has lost a lot of weight. We gave her mashed egg with live yoghurt, which she eats little amounts of but generally has no interest in pellets, scratch corn or treats. She's even turned a worm down!

Have given her 4 days of vitamins - Nettex multivit, but it makes no noticeable difference. She just looks very tired and worn out.

Any thoughts as to what we can do next?

Can you feel her abdomen for swelling/bloat or fluid (between the legs toward the vent)?
I agree with @honeythechicken her stance reminds me of hen that is having reproductive issues. Egg Yolk Peritonitis, cancer, Internal Laying, tumors and Salpingitis can be common in laying hens. http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx

Sometimes they do go up/down and have periods of time when they seem a bit active.
You will want to check her over for lice/mites since birds that don't feel well usually do not preen and take dust baths that often.
Supportive care of encouraging her to eat/drink, the vitamins...basically what you are doing is par for the course. Monitoring the crop to see that it is emptying in the mornings. Often a crop problem is a symptom of an underlying condition like reproductive disorders - inflammation somewhere else in the body makes it hard for the digestive process to function properly.
Quality of life does need to be considered. I watch mine closely. Once they stop eating/drinking and seem to have no interest, I give them a very short period of time to see if there's an indication of improvement, if there isn't, then I put them out of their misery.

If you lose her and want to find out what was going on, have your vet or agriculture lab perform a necropsy or if you are up to it, do an informal one yourself. It can be informative and educational.

 

[honeythechicken]

http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/
This could help to identify if its Egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[MandS]

HI

Thanks for the replies.

Her abdomen is normal. Not bloated with ascites or has any eggs in it.

Based on what I know and also the link you kindly provided, it doesn't appear to be this. She has been like this now for about 3 or 4 weeks. Her vent is spotless and her general condition is very good (ie she looks very tidy and normal apart from her stance).

She was on antibiotics about 2 months ago and it is after the antibiotics that she seemed to be down (although she picked up for a while). As mentioned, the antibiotics were after an impacted crop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

HI

Thanks for the replies.

Her abdomen is normal. Not bloated with ascites or has any eggs in it.

Based on what I know and also the link you kindly provided, it doesn't appear to be this. She has been like this now for about 3 or 4 weeks. Her vent is spotless and her general condition is very good (ie she looks very tidy and normal apart from her stance).

She was on antibiotics about 2 months ago and it is after the antibiotics that she seemed to be down (although she picked up for a while). As mentioned, the antibiotics were after an impacted crop.

Right, I understand about the antibiotics. Since it doesn't appear to you to be reproductive, it would be a good idea to see the vet again.
Hope she gets better soon.

 

[honeythechicken]

Is she still lethargic? Does she eat and drink enough? If possible, weigh her.

 

[Debby in france]

Hi MandS, a little off the line of ideas but have you checked her poop for worms ? I have a hen, Susan, who is off colour and I dug about in her poop and found what look like eggs. I Verm-x pellet my girls each month but have just sent off for some Flubenvet just to be sure. I'm hoping this is the problem and not peritonitus. Best of luck.

 

[honeythechicken]

Like @Wyorp Rock said, she should also go to the vet again.

 

[MandS]

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry, I should have mentioned, she was dewormed in January (flubenvet) and she had a poop culture taken about 2 months ago which was clear of parasites.

Right, I understand about the antibiotics. Since it doesn't appear to you to be reproductive, it would be a good idea to see the vet again.
Hope she gets better soon.

I think that's probably right. Although I also think he is scratching his head as the bloods show nothing and the poop is clear. If it is an infection that didn't respond to the other antibiotic, then maybe (clutching at straws) Baytril might catch it.

We gave them sweetcorn today on the cob. She annexed one and spent ages pecking it and eating the corn. Lasted about half an hour, then she went back to being lethargic, but it does show that when she's motivated, she will do things.

One thing that almost describes this totally, is she is a very inquisitive chicken, fast and dominant. Now she looks like she is slow witted and takes time to react to things. At 4 years old, she isn't really that elderly but it might be that this breed doesn't live that long. Terribly sad, she is the last of a clutch that my daughter hatched.