Help! Chicken has been very sick need to know what to do.

Phoenix Collins

Chirping
Sep 9, 2021
47
57
89
I have a four year old bird who's named Lightning. She is my gentle giant and quite literally too. She was supposed to be a 7lb bird, but lost quite a bit of weight. She was 3lbs when she first got sick on September 8th of last year. Took her to the ER Vet doctor and doctor didn't seem entirely like he knew what he was doing to tell you the truth. He gave her amoxicillin and painkillers. Then after the amoxicillin she started having liquid yellow poop and barely ate.

4 weeks later
Finally found a vet that knew what they were doing. Found out that she had a bacterial infection in her gut. It was clostridial organisms that cause necrotic enteritis. They told me she looked bad enough that she had a low chance of survival and said that she was getting old for a chicken. She looked pretty sick too. They said that amoxicillin can cause resistance which makes it ineffective. They gave me a an antibiotic that was called tylosin. Said that it was well known to work on chickens without causing resistance. Told me to get probios and and greek yogurt and incorporate it into her diet. To help replenish the healthy bacteria and to help fight the bad. After the medication she started eating again. Was mixing the probiotics with scrambled eggs (chilled so I didn't kill the probiotics) and gave her some yogurt. Had to force feed her some of the yogurt. Used a needleless syringe. She was on the antibiotics for 16 days 1/8th of a pill. After antibiotics she seemed fine for a couple of weeks. Then she started declining again and started laying lash eggs.

A month later
Went back to the vet found out that she had the less of the clostridials but she still had most of it. Another round of tylosin except doubled. Decided that I was no longer going to give her her pills mixed with water anymore because I accidentally drowned her. Gave her CPR to save her. Started sneaking it into corn and shrimp a night. Ate it no problem. She started doing amazing and I could feel her gaining weight. She stopped wanting the probiotics though. She didn't like the taste.

A month later
The last four days of meds she started declining again. Stopped eating completely and started sleeping all the time.

March 2nd till recent
Took her back to the vet she no longer had bad bacteria but had crop stasis. Grrrr. Got her on two kinds of meds for that. She's still alive today but is walking wobbly and is acting very tired. She started eating again on her own and drinking water. I have been singing to her and giving her kisses and pets frequently throughout the days and telling her I love her. I have been playing the wonder woman theme song (from new movies with guitar) for her when she decides she wants to walk to bed at night. Small tiny improvements but is still sleeping a lot.

Saved this info until last because I had a lot to tell you about the past 5 months. Everyone has been concerned with liver and kidneys issues. She's had green poop. Didn't want to draw blood because they were worried it would push her to her death. She's been having a hard time keeping her temperature up. Put heron the heating pad when she gets cold. I bought milk thistle tea and dandelion root tea and put one bag of each in a 24 oz jar and have been giving her maybe five ml at morning and night. Honestly don't know what I am doing with this stuff. Giving her nutri-drench too. Poop really stinks now and she's been acting extra lethargic. Help! I can't cull. She's fought for too long on her own. Sorry for the book.

She died about an hour ago March 14th at 11 pm.
 

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I'm sorry, can you edit this into a clear time line of symptoms and treatments since this started?
We will do our best to help you through this.:hugs
I don’t think any of your vets quite know what they're doing with chickens, most don't. 4 is about 30 in chickens years, and
it sounds like she might a reproductive that's gone too far, the green poops are from lack of eating.
I know it's really, really hard to put down a pet but its usually kinder not keep a suffering pet alive for our own sake. I'm sure one of the vets can do it.
 
I'm sorry, can you edit this into a clear time line of symptoms and treatments since this started?
We will do our best to help you through this.:hugs
I don’t think any of your vets quite know what they're doing with chickens, most don't. 4 is about 30 in chickens years, and
it sounds like she might a reproductive that's gone too far, the green poops are from lack of eating.
I know it's really, really hard to put down a pet but its usually kinder not keep a suffering pet alive for our own sake. I'm sure one of the vets can do it.
Lightning died tonight before midnight. She left this world on her own.
 
I have a four year old bird who's named Lightning. She is my gentle giant and quite literally too. She was supposed to be a 7lb bird, but lost quite a bit of weight. She was 3lbs when she first got sick on September 8th of last year. Took her to the ER Vet doctor and doctor didn't seem entirely like he knew what he was doing to tell you the truth. He gave her amoxicillin and painkillers. Then after the amoxicillin she started having liquid yellow poop and barely ate.

4 weeks later
Finally found a vet that knew what they were doing. Found out that she had a bacterial infection in her gut. It was clostridial organisms that cause necrotic enteritis. They told me she looked bad enough that she had a low chance of survival and said that she was getting old for a chicken. She looked pretty sick too. They said that amoxicillin can cause resistance which makes it ineffective. They gave me a an antibiotic that was called tylosin. Said that it was well known to work on chickens without causing resistance. Told me to get probios and and greek yogurt and incorporate it into her diet. To help replenish the healthy bacteria and to help fight the bad. After the medication she started eating again. Was mixing the probiotics with scrambled eggs (chilled so I didn't kill the probiotics) and gave her some yogurt. Had to force feed her some of the yogurt. Used a needleless syringe. She was on the antibiotics for 16 days 1/8th of a pill. After antibiotics she seemed fine for a couple of weeks. Then she started declining again and started laying lash eggs.

A month later
Went back to the vet found out that she had the less of the clostridials but she still had most of it. Another round of tylosin except doubled. Decided that I was no longer going to give her her pills mixed with water anymore because I accidentally drowned her. Gave her CPR to save her. Started sneaking it into corn and shrimp a night. Ate it no problem. She started doing amazing and I could feel her gaining weight. She stopped wanting the probiotics though. She didn't like the taste.

A month later
The last four days of meds she started declining again. Stopped eating completely and started sleeping all the time.

March 2nd till recent
Took her back to the vet she no longer had bad bacteria but had crop stasis. Grrrr. Got her on two kinds of meds for that. She's still alive today but is walking wobbly and is acting very tired. She started eating again on her own and drinking water. I have been singing to her and giving her kisses and pets frequently throughout the days and telling her I love her. I have been playing the wonder woman theme song (from new movies with guitar) for her when she decides she wants to walk to bed at night. Small tiny improvements but is still sleeping a lot.

Saved this info until last because I had a lot to tell you about the past 5 months. Everyone has been concerned with liver and kidneys issues. She's had green poop. Didn't want to draw blood because they were worried it would push her to her death. She's been having a hard time keeping her temperature up. Put heron the heating pad when she gets cold. I bought milk thistle tea and dandelion root tea and put one bag of each in a 24 oz jar and have been giving her maybe five ml at morning and night. Honestly don't know what I am doing with this stuff. Giving her nutri-drench too. Poop really stinks now and she's been acting extra lethargic. Help! I can't cull. She's fought for too long on her own. Sorry for the book.

She died about an hour ago March 14th at 11 pm.
Hi Pheonix Collins
So sorry to hear about Lightning and her struggles over the last few weeks and months, we all do our very best for our beautiful girls, and it is evident in your post how much you loved and cared for her.
I'm writing this now as I lost my Dottie last night too (I used to call her my gentle giant, top of the pecking order but never ever mean).

I took the decision to take her to be PTS yesterday, she was just getting more and more weak. Similar issues to Lightning: lethargic, wobbly on her feet, sleepy, and she had no interest in food/water over recent days.
The vet said that the bright green very smelly and very watery poo she'd had was likely kidney problems, and that there was "probably more going on too".
I'd been drip feeding her with a recovery solution mixed with egg yolk every couple of hours over the weekend and this week, but she just wasn't interested in anything, and none of the antibiotics the vet had prescribed, or the electrolytes were touching her either.
Dottie was around 7 years old, I had her for 3 years, I loved her dearly and am so grateful to have known her. She had the best life with me, she was adored and treated like a chicken princess. She'll always be in my heart.

You've given Lightning everything you could, sometimes its just their time.
But that time is never easy for us. She was blessed to have been so well cared for and obviously loved. x
 
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@Phoenix Collins
The second vet(s) that you saw knew what they were doing, rest assured. The treatments they recommended were spot on.
Lightning was special and you did everything possible that could be done. I'm sorry for your loss.

@Cheshire Chickens
I'm sorry for your loss as well. Dottie will always bring you fond memories. I wish you the best.
 
Hi Pheonix Collins
So sorry to hear about Lightning and her struggles over the last few weeks and months, we all do our very best for our beautiful girls, and it is evident in your post how much you loved and cared for her.
I'm writing this now as I lost my Dottie last night too (I used to call her my gentle giant, top of the pecking order but never ever mean).

I took the decision to take her to be PTS yesterday, she was just getting more and more weak. Similar issues to Lightning: lethargic, wobbly on her feet, sleepy, and she had no interest in food/water over recent days.
The vet said that the bright green very smelly and very watery poo she'd had was likely kidney problems, and that there was "probably more going on too".
I'd been drip feeding her with a recovery solution mixed with egg yolk every couple of hours over the weekend and this week, but she just wasn't interested in anything, and none of the antibiotics the vet had prescribed, or the electrolytes were touching her either.
Dottie was around 7 years old, I had her for 3 years, I loved her dearly and am so grateful to have known her. She had the best life with me, she was adored and treated like a chicken princess. She'll always be in my heart.

You've given Lightning everything you could, sometimes its just their time.
But that time is never easy for us. She was blessed to have been so well cared for and obviously loved. x
Thank you for your condolences. I'm sorry that it took me a while to respond had to grieve a bit before coming back here. I'm also sorry that you lost Dottie. Sounds like she was just about as spoiled as Lightning was. Lightning ran around the house with a diaper on and ate lots of fun yummy things like shrimp, tuna, strawberries, cheese, unsalted crackers, and so on. Lots of cuddles, kisses, and love too. So yes she really was living her best life. Her favorite time was Christmas. She used to love hanging out under the tree looking at all the pretty sparklies and colorful lights. I'm sure that Dottie was living her best life too. And again thank you for the condolences.
 
@Phoenix Collins
The second vet(s) that you saw knew what they were doing, rest assured. The treatments they recommended were spot on.
Lightning was special and you did everything possible that could be done. I'm sorry for your loss.

@Cheshire Chickens
I'm sorry for your loss as well. Dottie will always bring you fond memories. I wish you the best.
Thank you for the reassurance and condolences. Apologies for the delayed response. Had to grieve before coming back.
 

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