Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I just posted this on the Emergency/Illnesses forum. No, I did have her on my lap to cut off the poopy feathers and didn't think to do that. I did notice she was subdued some but didn't see this behavior until a few minutes after she was down. They've gone to roost now, and I'm not inclined to disturb her, but on the other hand I also fear the worst. She has been the one that has laid long, barely shelled eggs, and since they are all hardly laying now I have backed off on giving them calcium, and they are on All Flock. Maybe that's been a mistake. Would you take her off roost to do these things if you were me?

Sure hope she is ok, it does look like she is straining. Hopefully someone on the forum can help with advice

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes, me too, I try to learn and prepare and then feel at such a loss when it's actually happening!
Well I could try to feed them some yogurt and calcium. Because the coop quarters are small it will disturb everyone for me to open the back and figure out who is Peanut, feel her and get her to eat. The pills I have are huge, not those mini-pills I see one can get. I'm checking the camera now.

you can crack the big pills in half and they can easily swallow a half at a time. Look for posts by Azygous - she has most experience and is really sensible. Tag her to your post in the illnesses thread.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

you can crack the big pills in half and they can easily swallow a half at a time. Look for posts by Azygous - she has most experience and is really sensible. Tag her to your post in the illnesses thread.

I'll tag her. I am soooo resisting figuring out how to give a pill to a chicken right now though I have read about it. I'm going out there though, at least with some yogurt with extra calcium in it - I can see who I think is Peanut. She is between her friends, trying to sleep with head down but her rear is rhythmically heaving every six seconds or so. Poor baby!

 

[Marie2020]

I'll tag her. I am soooo resisting figuring out how to give a pill to a chicken right now though I have read about it. I'm going out there though, at least with some yogurt with extra calcium in it - I can see who I think is Peanut. She is between her friends, trying to sleep with head down but her rear is rhythmically heaving every six seconds or so. Poor baby!

Maybe use a syring, if you diluted the pill in water.

@RoyalChick do you think that would be easier.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'll tag her. I am soooo resisting figuring out how to give a pill to a chicken right now though I have read about it. I'm going out there though, at least with some yogurt with extra calcium in it - I can see who I think is Peanut. She is between her friends, trying to sleep with head down but her rear is rhythmically heaving every six seconds or so. Poor baby!

Honestly giving a pill to a chicken is very, very easy. I get nervous with liquids and syringes - though those aren't that hard either. But pills are laughably easy.
Break your pill in half.
Hold chicken on lap or counter top. Constrain wings with towel or just hug her close to you.
Pry open beak - that is the hardest bit.
Pop pill in towards the side - like in her cheek if she had one.
Tell her she is a good girl.
Repeat.
I have no idea why, but once it is inside their beak it just goes down the hatch.

 

[RoyalChick]

Maybe use a syring, if you diluted the pill in water.

@RoyalChick do you think that would be easier.

Personally I think pills are the easiest. Once in the mouth they just swallow them down.
Wish my cats were that easy!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

You must be Newfoundlanders - if it has fur feathers or fins we eat it!

No, your just a transplanted Kentuckian or hillbilly.

 

[bgmathteach]

Peanut is seriously ill I think. She had mild diarrhea that I noticed a few days ago, but her behavior and stance has been normal looking. This evening before roosting she was periodically standing and rhythmically sort of heaving and straightening as if to poop or lay, and a bit of stuff drips out. She even really strains once in a while and makes a pitiful faint scratchy sound and her eyes close some. I'm thinking she is in great pain and has an infection in her. My heart is breaking. A couple of times the spell would break and she would act normally and even preened vigorously a bit. She moved toward the coop and then stood and did this again until she went up to roost. Can I help her?
I have Baytril 10% oral solution and Amoxy-Tyl powder in my supplies, might that help? I have no experience with this.

I also took a video of what she is expelling, seems to be pale yellow ooze mixed in with gray stuff (like liquid poop) but unless you want to see it I'll hold off.

Hopefully someone else has seen this and responded. However, she might be egg-bound. Sometimes, if the egg isn't far enough down for the vagina to start turning inside out and blocking off the intestinal track...the force of the contractions can squish some poo out. cecal poo looks yellowish.

Can you feel an egg there? Gently lift her/hold her, and feel abdomen..and, with a lubed finger...if you aren't sure with the feeling the abdomen, insert one finger into her cloaca. If she is egg bound, you should feel the egg with your finger going in 1inc at most. If she is egg bound, sometimes a warm 'sitz bath' and some gentle lubing around egg/cloaca may help. Also, if she is egg bound, try to give her some calcium. (mashed tums made into a slurry with water is a start. @RoyalChick or @Kris5902 and/or @BY Bob can probably give more specific assistance and or other suggestions if she isn't egg bound.

 

[featherhead007]

Hopefully someone else has seen this and responded. However, she might be egg-bound. Sometimes, if the egg isn't far enough down for the vagina to start turning inside out and blocking off the intestinal track...the force of the contractions can squish some poo out. cecal poo looks yellowish.

Can you feel and egg there? Gently lift her/hold her, and feel abdomen..and, with a lubed finger...if you aren't sure with the feeling the abdomen, insert one finger into her cloaca. If she is egg bound, you should feel the egg with your finger going in 1' at most. If she is egg bound, sometimes a warm 'sitz bath' and some gentle lubing around egg/cloaca may help. Also, if she is egg bound, try to give her some calcium. (mashed tums made into a slurry with water is a start. @RoyalChick or @Kris5902 and/or @BY Bob can probably give more specific assistance and or other suggestions if she isn't egg bound.

And good luck with Your hen.

 

[Sally PB]

Pry open beak - that is the hardest bit.

I've read on BYC that if you pull down on the wattles, a chicken will open its beak.