HELP! What is wrong? Droopy wing, beak down, Pictures..

[Msbear]

I tried pulling out her feathers around her neck and they aren't loose so maybe it isn't botulism but her poo is really nasty and smells putrid so I do believe she has some sort of toxin or bacteria. I woke up in the middle of the night and gave her some more water with electrolytes and this morning I hit her again with the epsom salts. I had a Dr. appt. this morning (due to have a baby any day now) and, when I got back, I did the crumbled mash and electrolyte water balls w/ honey. I put it in front of her and she actually pecked at it a couple times then tried to go to sleep. She absolutely would not peck at anything yesterday

I hope this is a good sign.

She is pooing runny black nastiness right now. I fed her lots of the mash balls and gave her a shot of water with vitamins and selenium and put her back with her baby. This afternoon I plan to do some boiled egg and yoguart with more electrolytes. I hope I'll have some good news soon.

 

[hippichick]

How is she today, Erin?

 

[Msbear]

She isn't much better but isn't worse either. She would not peck at anything today but she was zeroing in on the egg. I could tell she wanted to...

Her poo is more clear and runny and less fowl smelling. And her wings can flap. She tried to make a break for it when I was handling her and she hasn't attempted that since I found her.

She is still gobbling down the food as long as I put it in her beak. I have her outside in the flower garden under a big shade tree. (It has a picket fence around it so no other animals can get in and bother her.) Her little peep just hangs close and forages... Hopefully, we're on the upside.

 

[hippichick]

Good luck with her. Hoping she will be better tomorrow.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
If she's eating the egg, I'd sure let her have at it. Good on the better poop and the wings. A little progress is still progress.

For some reason, I didn't get a notification for the previous two posts but did this one (that's happened twice this week and is starting to make me a little peeved grrr). So I'm sorry about the late response.

 

[Dawning]

So I am very new and very late,

I came to post how my BO Rooster, well I am 98% sure he is a Rooster. Who has ALWAYs had a droopy wing and has been toppling at random for most of the time we have had him, he is about 3-4 months old. But he has now stopped being able to stand, so I read the posts, will look in to the advise given here, but can we get an update, is she doing any better. And can any one give me a recap in case I missed any good advise, and would anything be different for a Rooster. My other chickens- hens are good, but we are concerned about our little guy.

 

[Msbear]

Dawning, I am very sorry to hear about your rooster. 3 horses is the expert here.. maybe she can let you know something. The thing Im getting from botulism or any toxin is that it takes over rather quickly... Your roo sounds like he's slowly succumb to some sort of vitamin difficiency or something. I would go to TSC and get the vitamin pack.. you can use it for poultry/swine/ cattle, etc. and there should be a ratio for chickens on there. I'd mix that with water and get it in him right away then wait for 3 horses to get back with you. Good Luck

As for my little hen, we had a solid poo yesterday ...looked totally normal but she wasn't eating like she was the day before. And she's the same today. I put the food in her beak and she spits it out instead of swallowing it. The only thing I can get in her is the yoguart/meal/egg soup and Im keeping up with the water and electrolytes. Her poo is back to runny today.. Im assuming that is because she didn't have much in her yesterday. I will try to get as much of this down her as I can but Im really wearing thin. I started have contractions last night and have a feeling this baby is coming in the next couple of days and now the hen needs another bath as her poo is on her rear-end

Im going to clean her up today and trim her feathers and hope she gets better soon... keep y'all posted.

eta: I just went and kind of shoved the crumbles/honey mash down her... Once I got a few down, she started perking up a bit...

 

[ZRider10]

After reading this, I'm thinking maybe my pullet has botulism too. I found her if a very similar posture with her beak on the ground. With just gentle care she seems to getting better. How long do I need to isolate her from the group for?

 

[threehorses]

Zrider, what is gentle care/ what did you do to help? Unless you did a flush, then likely it wasn't botulism. There are many causes of weakness and lack of control of the wings, neck, etc. Botulism isn't actually as common as people are feeling it is. Toxins, however, can come from many sources and cause that sort of issue. And lack of vitamins (which sometimes can be confused with botulism as flushes and followup vitamin therapy are done) can also cause it. As can Marek's which is characterized by 'flaccid paralysis' which can include the neck. Birds can survive Marek's symptoms to become fully functional carriers - it is possible.

Did you try vitamin E, and could your bird have gotten into any wet feed? Any feed at the bottom of the feeder that isn't ever really cleared, high humidity? Feeding corn? Any mushrooms?

MsBear, what a perplexing set of conditions! Her poop gets better but she eats less, her poop gets worse but she eats better and perks up - all of the AND contractions! /hugs!!!

I'm wondering about another flush, but a molasses and applesauce one - a one-timer, with the usual vitamins/yogurt followup. Are you able to do that? And is it possible to get Organic apple cider vinegar for her water for a day or two? If it's not, that'll be understandable as she seems stablized at least which is good. And good job on getting more food into her - she apparently needed that. Orrr try a little honey in her 'glop' if you have it. That's how I got my recently not-quite-right hen to become more interested in eating.

Dawning: How long have you had the rooster, and did the symptoms occur as soon as you got him or was he purchased like that? Any possibility it was an injury? How old is he now? Did you try vitamin E therapy for neurological issues? Give. 400 to 700 IU vitamin E capsule's contents daily - give by slitting the end of the capsule and giving to the bird. Natural vitamin E (d not dl) is preferrable.
What is your rooster eating?

 

[Dawning]

Three horses thanks for your advise,
I went and bought vitimins and scratch today. So with the feed, and freash foods, grit, that I provide I am now confident if it is a vitiman issue that it will improve. I will find a vitimin E and get it in him, I am still considering a bacterial fluss that has been advised for the poor hen in this post, I figure it couldn't hurt. He does still drink, eat eagerly and can stumble around in short little waddle steps. Still no signs of pain or distress, he was tired tonight, poor guy can't blame him.
He was a little weak in his left wing when we got him home, but it was slight and not noticed when we picked him. I guess he was a Easter egg chick, I just remembered that. And we got him at about 8 weeks old, begining of july. And I have been in contact with his previous owner, and he had a hen go limp today. But it's been 2 months, and I have no Idea if they were from the same clutch. He says he has never seen it before, which is why he wrote me again in suprise. And he has a huge and diverse flock, peachicks, ducks and a huge free range area, with adequete conditions, there and here. And not meant to brag, but my 2 Hens are in Awesome form. Plump healthy and happy. They all came from the same place and now eat and live in the same area here, but I live in WA, we have alot of moisture here, plus I live in the mountains.

He was mobile 2 days ago, we left for the evening, came home he was in the coop, then next morning he was floping around his yard, so possibly an injury, but we covered every inch looking for injury, blood, or ticks. None found. I focus on the limp wing because it was odd, but a long time condition, and he occasional would fall down and then get right back up. Like I said a sec ago, now he does a stumble waddle flump number, couple of feet at a time.

Thanks for all this good advise guys.

Dawning:/