- Oct 8, 2010
- 832
- 388
- 241
I’m wondering if anyone can assist me in figuring this illness out. First I think I should bring up the unusual signs, which are that when I palpitate (feel around for lumps) my hen’s abdomen, if I get to a certain point she bears down suddenly as if laying an egg and strains as if pushing. I also noticed she seemed to be straining to poop before, but not bearing down, but just that she seemed to be irritated in the back end and there were little droplets of waste nearby. I also noticed her tail is awry, meaning it is pointing to the left (looking at her from the backend).
How I noticed she was sick a few days ago is is that she started to cough and sneeze and I heard gurgling noises. She also was lagging behind the flock. After examining her I also noticed her crop is full of liquid and brought her inside for quarantine and examination. She has been off food for 4 days now, but seemingly still has strength (she’s always been a large healthy bird- she is a 7 years old Giant Jersey). I’ve put Denagard 12.5% in her water, given her one oral dose of anti-fungal creme daily by mouth (emergency situation so I opted to try it) and have been giving her one shot of Tylan 50 at 1cc every day. Nothing has helped! I’m at my wits end. She’s not drinking or eating at all except a nibble here and there. It looks as though despite the oral anti-fungal it’s doing nothing to clear up her crop. If I handle her, her breathing gets erratic, she struggles to breathe, gurgles loudly and her face color changes a bit to a brackish color.
Given all I’ve observed, I don’t think she has sour crop, but maybe a secondary respiratory issue and I’m guessing now the main issue might be a blockage in her intestines? I don’t feel any fluid build up or lumps or bumps anywhere. Her poop was of a normal consistency before but is now just very small tiny bits that are green in color (from not eating). I really feel it’s some thing intestinal, some sort of blockage, which is why her crop is not emptying, maybe? I was wondering if it’s possible that a chicken can be given an enema....not that I really want to do that, but I would try if it might help her. At this point I feel it’s the only option I have left to try other than surgical (if that would help), but there’s no way I’d get her to a vet on time and since she’s been sick and off food for days now I’m certain she’d not be strong enough to get through surgery or be able to wait until I get an appointment with the vet.
So, in short, I’m asking does anyone know what it could be I’m seeing with her and do you have any suggestions as to what might help cure her? Secondly, can you give a hen an enema and if so, how...and would you recommend that I do that for my hen? I really feel that the gurgling and coughing is from a secondary infection, possibly MG (hense the Denagard) since she is a part of one of my flocks that had it (I suspect because they all responded to denagard...I never had it tested). I somewhat feel that if it was only respiratory she would have responded to the Tylan by now. She really bears down hard (gets into egg laying position and pushes) when I press on a certain place in her abdomen right below her thighs.
Please help if you’ve got any ideas. Thank you to all for reading and any advice will be greatly appreciated.
How I noticed she was sick a few days ago is is that she started to cough and sneeze and I heard gurgling noises. She also was lagging behind the flock. After examining her I also noticed her crop is full of liquid and brought her inside for quarantine and examination. She has been off food for 4 days now, but seemingly still has strength (she’s always been a large healthy bird- she is a 7 years old Giant Jersey). I’ve put Denagard 12.5% in her water, given her one oral dose of anti-fungal creme daily by mouth (emergency situation so I opted to try it) and have been giving her one shot of Tylan 50 at 1cc every day. Nothing has helped! I’m at my wits end. She’s not drinking or eating at all except a nibble here and there. It looks as though despite the oral anti-fungal it’s doing nothing to clear up her crop. If I handle her, her breathing gets erratic, she struggles to breathe, gurgles loudly and her face color changes a bit to a brackish color.
Given all I’ve observed, I don’t think she has sour crop, but maybe a secondary respiratory issue and I’m guessing now the main issue might be a blockage in her intestines? I don’t feel any fluid build up or lumps or bumps anywhere. Her poop was of a normal consistency before but is now just very small tiny bits that are green in color (from not eating). I really feel it’s some thing intestinal, some sort of blockage, which is why her crop is not emptying, maybe? I was wondering if it’s possible that a chicken can be given an enema....not that I really want to do that, but I would try if it might help her. At this point I feel it’s the only option I have left to try other than surgical (if that would help), but there’s no way I’d get her to a vet on time and since she’s been sick and off food for days now I’m certain she’d not be strong enough to get through surgery or be able to wait until I get an appointment with the vet.
So, in short, I’m asking does anyone know what it could be I’m seeing with her and do you have any suggestions as to what might help cure her? Secondly, can you give a hen an enema and if so, how...and would you recommend that I do that for my hen? I really feel that the gurgling and coughing is from a secondary infection, possibly MG (hense the Denagard) since she is a part of one of my flocks that had it (I suspect because they all responded to denagard...I never had it tested). I somewhat feel that if it was only respiratory she would have responded to the Tylan by now. She really bears down hard (gets into egg laying position and pushes) when I press on a certain place in her abdomen right below her thighs.
Please help if you’ve got any ideas. Thank you to all for reading and any advice will be greatly appreciated.
