Help- Took to vet and am now confused

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm confused too. I don't understand why your vet would prescribe an antibiotic for both chickens if only one had a fever, or why she would prescribe an anti-inflammatory if she felt that reducing their calcium intake would solve the problem. I'm not meaning to second-guess a professional, just trying to understand.

 

[Tracyree]

I'm confused too. I don't understand why your vet would prescribe an antibiotic for both chickens if only one had a fever, or why she would prescribe an anti-inflammatory if she felt that reducing their calcium intake would solve the problem. I'm not meaning to second-guess a professional, just trying to understand.

Exactly why I’m confused. I’m guessing she’s just covering all the bases. It wasn’t an ideal situation, they had it set up like Covid-times where they come get the animal from the car and you have to stay in the car. She came out and talked to me after but it took me a bit to process what she said then I couldn’t ask any more questions because she was back inside. I did ask what about the rest of the flock if these need meds the rest probably do and she said hopefully the change in diet would sort them out (but then wouldn’t it the ones I brought in?). Like I said, covering her bases I think.

I figure I’ll change feed and give it a few days. If others don’t look right I’ll call her.

I had a bit of an epiphany tonight. I swapped their waterers the other day for heated ones. Their old ones were vertical
Nipples and the heated ones are vertical. I made sure a few were using them to show the others, but I wonder if they were drinking less. That would make their kidneys not flush calcium as well Tomorrow I’m going to add a heated bowl of open water with a splash of vinegar to help their kidneys.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well the one I grabbed “just in case” had a fever. The vet said their fecals were clear. She said they are both inflamed and prescribed meloxicam and an SMZ suspension (antibiotics) for them both.

Curious, what was the hen's temperature if she had a fever?
Did the vet say or was it on her paperwork?

One with a swollen abdomen - is this hen eating/drinking, laying eggs, active or is she acting sick?

noticed one had a swollen abdomen. We have a local vet that has chickens and treats chickens, so I took the one with swollen area in and grabbed another with poopy butt, “just in case”. Well the one I grabbed “just in case” had a fever. The vet said their fecals were clear. She said they are both inflamed and prescribed meloxicam and an SMZ suspension (antibiotics) for them both.

She suggested that they are getting too much calcium (she asked about oyster shell and said to remove it). I leave a bowl of it out all the time. I also give black soldier fly larvae as treats, probably over did that.

So why would calcium cause this?

They are all 9 months old. I did change their food lately and wonder if that triggered this. I have no idea.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

I think I’ll try and “all flock” for a bit?

Thats a good idea.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

I'm confused too. I don't understand why your vet would prescribe an antibiotic for both chickens if only one had a fever, or why she would prescribe an anti-inflammatory if she felt that reducing their calcium intake would solve the problem. I'm not meaning to second-guess a professional, just trying to understand.

I think she prescribed an anti-inflammatory because the chicken had damage caused by too much calcium. Taking away calcium would stop any more issues (hopefully) but wouldn’t reverse the damage already caused. As for the antibiotics, perhaps they thought it was bacterial or infectious, so prescribed some to the other chicken as a precautionary measure?
I'm not too sure either, just guessing!

 

[Tracyree]

Curious, what was the hen's temperature if she had a fever?
Did the vet say or was it on her paperwork?

One with a swollen abdomen - is this hen eating/drinking, laying eggs, active or is she acting sick?

The vet said she had a fever. She did not say what it was.

Hen with swollen abdomen. Laying, eating/drinking and acting ok. The messy vent feathers is what made me pick her up and look her over. The swelling isn’t ENORMOUS, but not nothing. It filled my cupped hand. The other hens were plucking her vent feathers when I sat her back down.

The vet seemed surprised I caught the symptoms as early as I did. She said their weight is perfect, feathers healthy. No parasites external or internal.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The vet said she had a fever. She did not say what it was.

Hen with swollen abdomen. Laying, eating/drinking and acting ok. The messy vent feathers is what made me pick her up and look her over. The swelling isn’t ENORMOUS, but not nothing. It filled my cupped hand. The other hens were plucking her vent feathers when I sat her back down.

The vet seemed surprised I caught the symptoms as early as I did. She said their weight is perfect, feathers healthy. No parasites external or internal.

Interesting.

Hopefully the medications will help.

 

[coach723]

Without being able to feel the abdomen myself, it's hard to know. Some birds, even the same breed or in the same hatch group, can be more prone to abdominal fat stores (genetics), which can make them feel bloated as well. Since she is laying, it doesn't seem like it's a reproductive issue. Not even sure if kidney issues would not interfere with laying. If you started them on layer at 20 weeks or so, that would be very fast for a problem to develop, not saying it couldn't, but seems less likely at their young age. It's still a good idea to provide an all flock type feed and offer the oystershell separately, there are many things that can affect them laying, so that way they only get what they need no matter what their laying status is. That is all I feed mine, chicks get one bag of starter, and then they are switched to all flock like everyone else.
Make sure you are not overdoing treats, anything other than feed. For those that may be prone to fat, that can really make it worse.

 

[Tracyree]

Without being able to feel the abdomen myself, it's hard to know. Some birds, even the same breed or in the same hatch group, can be more prone to abdominal fat stores (genetics), which can make them feel bloated as well. Since she is laying, it doesn't seem like it's a reproductive issue. Not even sure if kidney issues would not interfere with laying. If you started them on layer at 20 weeks or so, that would be very fast for a problem to develop, not saying it couldn't, but seems less likely at their young age. It's still a good idea to provide an all flock type feed and offer the oystershell separately, there are many things that can affect them laying, so that way they only get what they need no matter what their laying status is. That is all I feed mine, chicks get one bag of starter, and then they are switched to all flock like everyone else.
Make sure you are not overdoing treats, anything other than feed. For those that may be prone to fat, that can really make it worse.

Thank you so much! I switched them to layer a bit after 20 weeks. Most are NoT laying, but the two that I took to vet are. I get about 3-4 eggs out of 11

 

[2 Acres]

Interesting.

Hopefully the medications will help.

Worms??? I lost 2 RIR's to worms before I noticed it.