Health of a Cream Legbar - she won't give up.

[Chicken NoName]

Hi,

About 8 weeks ago we 'rescued' a cream legbar from a pretty ugly unscrupulous breeder. Lot's of saying the right things but most likely did none of them.

We were new to keeping hens so a little green in our assessment. We had 4 existing very happy very healthy birds from a great breeder and wanted to add 2 blue layers. After a few calls we found a breeder relatively close and went and bought a cream legbar and an in house hybrid they've developed which lays blue eggs(she doesn't BTW but that's not the point).
Firstly the Cream Legbar was in a state, I was about to walk away but the compassion got the better of me and I felt so sorry for her & decided I'd give her at least a chance. She was in an enclosure for in my opinion 4-6 birds with 20 at LEAST.
The back of her neck was scabbed and bald but she seemed alert and held herself well.

Upon getting them home and during the integration it became apparent she had a respiratory problem which we've since had dealt with by the vets in the form of two injections, the vet also identified an issue with her eye(soon to be eyes) which was causing what can best be described as a sty on the lid but the eyes were kind of foamy, the vet said it was due to the congestion from the infection releasing pressure in way it could(think proper sinus head cold). I duly did what any softy would do and every day a.m & p.m bathed her eyes in boiled warm salty water and applied the drops the vet prescribed.

Well anyway her yes have recovered, the chesty cough or sneeze cleared up.
The problem now is in the last 48 hours she has started to molt quite heavily and is dropping mustard colour liquid poos every time. Nothing solid at all.

I've read that during the molt it's quite a stress on the body and it has been very warm for the least two weeks also - they have plenty of shade and clean water. The whole flock were wormed two weeks ago with flubavent and monthly I do a week long Apple Cider Vinegar cycle in the water.

For the most part she eats, drinks and over the last week especially is the most sprightly I've seen her.
My question is what next? Is she getting better do we think or I am fighting a lost cause. Very reluctant to give up on her as we've come so far and I'm pretty determined to make sure she get's better.
She hasn't laid(as you'd think) since we've had her and interestingly her comb seems to be looking a better colour as in it's going from the pasty pink to a bit redder which I think is not a bad overall health indicator.

Any thoughts on this? Would be keen to hear experiences or comments please but really(dare I say it) don't want go back to the vets anymore with this one.

Thanks,

 

[Judy]

It's distressing to read you've had the bird to a vet, yet she was integrated with your flock, and you don't mention that the vet tested the bird to find out which respiratory disease this is. These are viral diseases, highly contagious, and the chicken will never be fully cured. She will remain contagious and can pass her disease to the next generation via her egg. You will need to keep a closed flock, never letting chickens or hatching eggs leave your property. It is strongly recommended that any new birds be quarantined for at least 30 days, well away from an existing flock, to prevent spreading any disease to the existing flock. Frankly, many experienced chicken keepers will cull any birds who appear to have one of these diseases, and in the case of some of them, the state will require culliing and disinfecting. I'm sorry.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Chicken NoName]

Thanks for this, the hens will never come in contact with a rooster and are purely layers.
The vet did ask if she was for breeding or laying and seemed happy that as she was only a layer to not go into more detail or do further tests.
I'm pretty sure it was a fairly generic antibiotic administered.
The vet did say if no improvement in two weeks to have her put down but here we are at two weeks, she seems better(ish) with the excption of constant yellow runny poo and feather molt.

 

[ten chicks]

Thanks for this, the hens will never come in contact with a rooster and are purely layers.
The vet did ask if she was for breeding or laying and seemed happy that as she was only a layer to not go into more detail or do further tests.
I'm pretty sure it was a fairly generic antibiotic administered.
The vet did say if no improvement in two weeks to have her put down but here we are at two weeks, she seems better(ish) with the excption of constant yellow runny poo and feather molt.

Here is a link to the poop chart,hope this answers some of your questions.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[MuddyBootsPA]

So sorry to hear you are going through this. If it was me, I would give it another week or so & see how she is doing. I am a softy too & if it looks like there is improvement I would probably keep going until I felt like there was nothing else I could do. If what you are doing is working, then keep at it, at least for a little longer.