Help

[sara bb]

I have a 4 year old much loved hen & about 2 months ago she became unwell & went off the lay. I wormed her with Aviverm from the vet she picked up but slowly deteriorated. I rewormed her 6 weeks after the initial dose as I was advised by the vet to do & again she picked up but went back down again. I took her to the vet yday they have given her an antibiotic (Doxy) which she's had 2 doses of. She seems not a lot better.
Her symptoms are a very sticky smelly gleat, little to no appetite (she's only interested in moths & bugs), she seems to go in & out of trances with her eyes dilating. She'll come to & briefly eat before almost falling asleep on her feet. Plus she's quite huffy. And gets huffier after I've force fed her with a syringe. She hasn't lost weight but the vet said her muscle mass is declining.
The vet said if these antibiotics don't work by tomorrow they'll treat her for a fungal infection.
Does anyone have any idea what she could be suffering from? And is there anymore I can do for her? Plus how much food should I be giving her by syringe? It's quite a traumatic process

 

[mg15]

I hope she does not have egg peritonitis. having those rotten eggs
in her abdomen can cause a foul smell.
and her crop is she digesting all food during the nite
and is it flat when she is up in the a.m.?

 

[Sony57]

Hello Sara,

I have no answers for you but I feel for your pain. I really don't know what I would do, but really feel for you. I would try to make sure what you are giving her is in paste form since it is possible to drown a chicken using liquid form. If she wants moth and bugs that is what I would focus on. If she can eat on her own it is better than being given it forcefully.

 

[sara bb]

How would I know if it was egg peritonitis? And no I don't think she is digesting her food properly!! There certainly was food in her crop this morning. I'll check again tomorrow. The vet did check if she had an egg stuck but couldn't feel anything. I'm taking her back to the vet tomorrow it's very difficult though. They don't seem to know much about chooks

 

[mg15]

How would I know if it was egg peritonitis? And no I don't think she is digesting her food properly!! There certainly was food in her crop this morning. I'll check again tomorrow. The vet did check if she had an egg stuck but couldn't feel anything. I'm taking her back to the vet tomorrow it's very difficult though. They don't seem to know much about chooks

the way I found out was an X-ray of her abdomen. I have had two hens
have this awful egg peritonitis.

 

[sara bb]

And what was the treatment given for the peritonitis? Thank you for your help.

 

[mg15]

Well it depends on age sometimes.
I am looking for a great thread on BYC
but the idea is anti biotics with prednisone.
also some are spayed.