help with watery poop/possible vent issue

[Murphyslaw123]

Hi everyone,

My 20 month old RIR started pooping very watery stools yesterday and has not been interested in eating. She will drink. She assumed the uncomfortable position standing there with her tail down. Her vent looks a bit irritated to me and possibly swollen. She was the last to keep laying when they all started molting. She last laid on 12/24 (but had only been laying 2-3x per week prior). This morning underneath where she had been roosting was a lot of wet mucousy shavings and possibly 1/2 a distorted egg shell. The wet shavings could have been an egg, or the watery poop she's producing. I did get her to eat about 3 small bites of oatmeal this morning. Is it possible that she is/was egg bound and got some of it out? Do you think the vent is irritated because of this reason or just that she's been pooping water for the past 24 hours? Any ideas on how I can help her? FYI, they were wormed on 12/24 with valbazen.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her vent does look swollen like she was eggbound. She may have had an egg break inside her that was too big. I would put on a rubber glove with lubricant, and examine the inside of her vent for any egg or shell contents, and clean them out gently. You can also squirt in some weak white vinegar solution (5-10 ml) to cleanse the inside and help prevent infection. I don't know if she is having diarrhea because of the Valbazen and maybe drinking more water, or if it has to do with the egg problem.

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Thanks for the response! I have spent a lot of time with her this morning (she is in a dog kennel in the barn, in a room heated to about 55). It seems to me that her crop has way more food in it than what I've observed her to eat this morning. She has only had 3 or so small bites and I would say there's at least 1/4 to 1/2 cup in there. I'm irritated with myself for not remembering to check it first thing. I'm currently reading up on impacted or sour crop to see if she has any similarities. I have massaged the crop in case. She has been pooping, at least hourly. Seems that she is getting a little bit of solid in each poop. I have left her some bread soaked in olive oil but she is not interested in eating it.

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Update: Her crop is not emptying. All day yesterday I tried giving her a few cc's of olive oil orally and massaging, but this morning it is no different. There was however a lot of poop in the crate (mostly loose and mucousy). What else can I try!? Should I be feeding her or withholding food? I've had them for 20 months but this is the first time I can't seem to help one of them.

 

[Murphyslaw123]

She is continuing to poop, which is looking more solid than watery. But that crop is still full. She did eat a few very small bites of egg this morning, but beyond that has not been interested. Should I be feeding her or withholding food? I've been giving her 1-2 ccs of olive oil then massaging her crop (since yesterday). I'm not sure that it's helped at all. Should I still keep doing this?

 

[Murphyslaw123]

One more question. Since they were wormed on 12/24, could her digestion just be very sluggish from the valbazen?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Look up the sour crop cured with monistat thread...you may find it interesting.

I haven't dealt with sour or impacted crop and don't know much about these conditions. I hope you can get her crop clear. Don't forget to retreat with your wormer at 10 days I have read- and hopefully you are tossing eggs as these are off label and not intended for chickens or egglaying hens (see lots of threads on BYC if needed for this too).

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Thanks. I've read it. I'm just not sure if she is impacted, sour, or slow to digest due to the wormer. What would the harm be in trying this if she is impacted, not sour? (other than it not working)

 

[Eggcessive]

Is her crop full and squishy (sour crop) or full and hard (impacted crop)? Olive oil only helps for impacted crop, but both need massaging in a downward motion several times a day. The droppings look abnormal to me. Do you have a vet that would check her stool for coccidiosis, worms, and other organisms? The mucus and bright yellow in the poo is not good. Here is a link for crop problems: http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Thanks for the help. No avian vet available. Her crop is pretty full, like a hacky sack. I wouldn't say it's hard because i can move around what's inside it with gentle squeezing; yet it doesn't feel soft or liquidy either. No bad smell coming from her mouth. I'm no longer seeing the yellow in her poop. It's still a bit wetter, but she seems to be letting go of more solid waste with it. I'm going to keep working with her. I have a tube coming tomorrow and will try to get her some fluids that way, but was hoping for guidance with that first. I will keep reading. If she doesn't improve within a couple of days, I will put her down. I do not want her to suffer.