Guinea Hen with diarrhea and soiled vent

[Grojo111]

Since you can't catch her, it would be hard to direct oral dose her with a dewormer or apply the Pour On which requires handling too.

There's Safeguard Aquasol, that goes in the water, but I believe you need a total flock weight of 22lbs in order to get the proper dosing correct.

So! I think I'd try Safeguard Mash (link below) or use Wormout Laying Hen Solution (goes in water).
These may be the easier options for you to try since it seems she's determined not to be caught/handled.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/

https://jedds.com/products/laying-h...Q1qCkGLXA2rzaR6xeo3jtOfw3nW382Zm4EooJ65_uDLLO

Thank you very much.

 

[Sydney65]

Thanks again. You are correct in that I haven't actually seen any worms, and am now leaning towards mites, due to the soiled vent and watery poop. She is doing much better and acting normally. I did add the ACV to their water for 4 days, but have stopped now, although I've added probiotics to the water for the past 5 days, and mixed some minced garlic into their greens to help in case it's mites. She's a big bird, but I have no idea on her weight. We've had them for 3 years, and I thought they were male and female, although I've never seen them mating at all. She has always laid sporadically, and usually for just a couple of months in spring, which might mean she's getting older. I do hate to treat for something on a hunch, so I'm still watching and trying different natural approaches.
Here's an older pic. Winnie is the white one. Can you tell the sex by looking?
I really appreciate the info. Everyone here have been very helpful.

Sexing by look is 50/50. By look, I'd think Winnie is female & the coral blue male, but looks can be deceiving & I've been wrong before. My guess is based on her helmet slanting backwards while the blue's is a straight triangle. Males generally walk more upright while hens tend to keep their body horizontal.
The only certain way to know is to go by sound-or see who lays an egg and who doesn't. Winnie's call should be a two syllable sound. We all hear something different, some hear "buckwheat." I hear "come back! Come back!" The male call is -not that. Lol. Some say it sounds like "chee." It seems to me that my boys whistle or trill, & the hens do not.
The easiest way to differentiate is to pull up some videos on youtube of male/female calls. Once you hear it, you know.
You'd have to watch for a very long time without blinking to catch them mating. The hen will be wandering around grazing while the male settles on the ground near by pretending to be uninterested while sending out "I'm a stud" vibes. The hen will run past the male giving notice that she's interested, lower herself,spreading her wings. He runs up behind her & then it's over.
Probiotics are good, you might add some electrolytes if you think it's from the heat. Mine love watermelon & celery when it's hot,& have free run in the herb garden. They also like lamb's quarters, chickweed, dandelion, clover, creeping charlie, purslane, & clover, among others too numerous to name.
I keep meaning to try to to get more info on onions, bc it's said that they cause a bleeding disorder, and mine love to get bites of the onion stalk behind my back, just like chives. So I wonder if it's the actual ONION & not the greens.
Good Luck!

You may have this same list. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=byc-newsletter

 

[Sydney65]

Asked & answered:
Both the actual onion and its green tops (scallions or spring onions) are toxic to poultry. The toxicity comes from compounds like thiosulphates that destroy red blood cells, leading to anemia and other health issues. While small amounts might not cause immediate harm, excessive intake can be dangerous,leading to anemia and other health issues.
Small amounts of onions or their greens might be okay in a mixed diet, but they should not be a major part of a chicken's diet. Symptoms of onion poisoning include digestive upset, lethargy, anemia, pale combs and wattles, decreased egg production, and even sudden death."

 

[Grojo111]

Sexing by look is 50/50. By look, I'd think Winnie is female & the coral blue male, but looks can be deceiving & I've been wrong before. My guess is based on her helmet slanting backwards while the blue's is a straight triangle. Males generally walk more upright while hens tend to keep their body horizontal.
The only certain way to know is to go by sound-or see who lays an egg and who doesn't. Winnie's call should be a two syllable sound. We all hear something different, some hear "buckwheat." I hear "come back! Come back!" The male call is -not that. Lol. Some say it sounds like "chee." It seems to me that my boys whistle or trill, & the hens do not.
The easiest way to differentiate is to pull up some videos on youtube of male/female calls. Once you hear it, you know.
You'd have to watch for a very long time without blinking to catch them mating. The hen will be wandering around grazing while the male settles on the ground near by pretending to be uninterested while sending out "I'm a stud" vibes. The hen will run past the male giving notice that she's interested, lower herself,spreading her wings. He runs up behind her & then it's over.
Probiotics are good, you might add some electrolytes if you think it's from the heat. Mine love watermelon & celery when it's hot,& have free run in the herb garden. They also like lamb's quarters, chickweed, dandelion, clover, creeping charlie, purslane, & clover, among others too numerous to name.
I keep meaning to try to to get more info on onions, bc it's said that they cause a bleeding disorder, and mine love to get bites of the onion stalk behind my back, just like chives. So I wonder if it's the actual ONION & not the greens.
Good Luck!

You may have this same list. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=byc-newsletter

Thanks for the help. I know Winnie's a female because I've seen her lay an egg. I agree that Phinnie is likely a male because there are so few eggs, and only Winnie makes the annoying double honk lol.
The biggest problem right now is the poopy vent. It was drying up but now looks wet and disgusting again. I think the liquid hits the ground, and the poop sticks to her vent feathers, but I can't catch her and hosing her bottom doesn't work because she just scoots away. I'm going to keep adding garlic to the feed hoping it's mites and they will eventually jump off once she's got enough in her system. Sadly, I don't have many options, but at least she's eating and acting normal for the most part.

 

[Grojo111]

Well, we managed to catch her yesterday, using a butterfly net. We soaked and bathed her in a warm bath with a little Dawn dishwashing soap for about 10 minutes. She seems to have some swelling on one side of her vent, but I really don't know what it should look like. It felt soft, and a little distended. I strained the bath water and didn't see any sign of worms or mites. Maybe Ascites or something else.
She's eating okay but still watery poop, although she dropped a big solid one after we lifted her from the bath. I've enclosed a couple of graphic butt pics.
All I can do now is hope she comes through it, whatever it is.

 

[Sydney65]

Well, we managed to catch her yesterday, using a butterfly net. We soaked and bathed her in a warm bath with a little Dawn dishwashing soap for about 10 minutes. She seems to have some swelling on one side of her vent, but I really don't know what it should look like. It felt soft, and a little distended. I strained the bath water and didn't see any sign of worms or mites. Maybe Ascites or something else.
She's eating okay but still watery poop, although she dropped a big solid one after we lifted her from the bath. I've enclosed a couple of graphic butt pics.
All I can do now is hope she comes through it, whatever it is.

Heh, I'm impressed you caught her with a net. When mine see me pick up the net it sets off a chain reaction of alerts warning each other to RUN!!!!! Hence, it's an expensive decoration that only gives the IMPRESSION that I am in control.
I don't suppose you penned her for future easy access? What you did was helpful. I'd cont doing it, trading out the Dawn for Epsom Salt, which would clean and reduce inflammation, where as the Dawn might be too drying/irritating - & then follow up with Veterycin spray.
@Wyorp Rock - I am not experienced with prolapsed vents, but looking at pictures, wondering if this is that?

 

[Grojo111]

Heh, I'm impressed you caught her with a net. When mine see me pick up the net it sets off a chain reaction of alerts warning each other to RUN!!!!! Hence, it's an expensive decoration that only gives the IMPRESSION that I am in control.
I don't suppose you penned her for future easy access? What you did was helpful. I'd cont doing it, trading out the Dawn for Epsom Salt, which would clean and reduce inflammation, where as the Dawn might be too drying/irritating - & then follow up with Veterycin spray.
@Wyorp Rock - I am not experienced with prolapsed vents, but looking at pictures, wondering if this is that?

Thank you kindly. I still am not certain what I'm dealing with, but am trying to help her as best I can. Adding a pouch with Oregano and other herbs to the drinking water, and giving them a small amount of garlic mixed with their food. Catching her wasn't easy but I'll do it again after a few days assuming I can.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't think she's prolapsed, but there is quite a lot of tissue swelling/inflammation around the vent. (I had to research/check that Guinea Fowl females are very similar to chickens).

If possible, I'd give her soaks in epsom salts as suggested. Inspect the tissue around the vent, see if there's any signs of impacted feathers that may be a cause of the swelling.

 

[Grojo111]

I don't think she's prolapsed, but there is quite a lot of tissue swelling/inflammation around the vent. (I had to research/check that Guinea Fowl females are very similar to chickens).

If possible, I'd give her soaks in epsom salts as suggested. Inspect the tissue around the vent, see if there's any signs of impacted feathers that may be a cause of the swelling.

Thanks. She didn't roost last night, probably due to pain. I feel so bad that I can't help her, and am left to just watch her and hope for a miracle. I will try and soak her in epsom salts on Friday when my wife can help me, assuming she makes it till then. She's still eating, but moving slow and making a chirping sound that is new for her.
I wish there was a way for me to help her along when the time comes. I hate seeing any animal suffer.

 

[Grojo111]

Heh, I'm impressed you caught her with a net. When mine see me pick up the net it sets off a chain reaction of alerts warning each other to RUN!!!!! Hence, it's an expensive decoration that only gives the IMPRESSION that I am in control.
I don't suppose you penned her for future easy access? What you did was helpful. I'd cont doing it, trading out the Dawn for Epsom Salt, which would clean and reduce inflammation, where as the Dawn might be too drying/irritating - & then follow up with Veterycin spray.
@Wyorp Rock - I am not experienced with prolapsed vents, but looking at pictures, wondering if this is that?

Thanks. I'll try that.