~~*HEN lethargic, yellow diarrhea, swollen chest: HELP SAVE A LIFE?*~~

[wermfud]

One of my golden laced wyandottes, "Noisy" is very sick. It started two nights ago and she is getting worse. I have separated her from the others in a small, mobile coop. We have started everyone on antibiotics. These are the symptoms:

- yellow/white diarrhea (a lot) and messy behind
- laid an egg with paper thin shell 2 days ago (while on roost)
- lethargic, will not move off roost
- when placed on floor she sits, not standing
- not eating anything
- swollen crop
- no respiratory distress, mucus, or crusting
- no discoloration of comb

Noisy is about 1.5 years old, we have 12 hens and they sleep in a 10' x 5' coop at night, and have a large pen to hang out in during the day.We just moved the pen and sanitized the coop last month. We have a lot of wild birds and wild animals around. Our hens eat store bought crumble feed with occasional oyster shell, scratch grains, and garden scraps.

These symptoms don't add up and I can't afford a vet.
I am mostly worried for the rest of the flock, who show no symptoms.

Any ideas what this might be?

 

[katrinag]

Try to massage her crop and see it that helps. Also try giving her olive oil soaked bread. That should help the crop.
Also you can add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinager to her water. It help clear things out.

 

[chickenlady]

Yellow poop can sometimes mean worms. Have you ever wormed them? Is anyone else showing any symptoms? Is her crop enlarged in the morning also (before eating anything?) And what antibiotics did you start them on? I wouldn't just arbitrarily put them on meds if you dont know what you are treating for yet.

 

[wermfud]

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[chickenlady]

How long exactly have they been on sulmet? This drug usually works pretty quickly. This will help in the case that it is cocci. Sometimes cocci can produce yellowish stools as well but with her age I wouldnt think cocci. Have you seen any improvement yet?

The redness and swelling of the vent may just be due to the diarrhea and not really a symptom, hard to say.

The poop is turning green now due to not eating or food not being processed properly in the gizzard. It is vital now to get fluids into her. I am assuming her crop is still large? She may not be able to absorb the water properly but you need to prevent dehydration which I'm sure is occurring already.

This is a really tough call as I hate to give medical advice so.....if this were my hen, here is how I would treat her:
I would isolate immediately, keep inside where it is warmer than outside.
I would immediately use ivomec eprinex pour on and treat for worms.
I would also start giving fluids subcutaneously. 1 - 2 cc at a time.
I would offer bread soaked with olive oil or syringe olive oil down throat and massage crop (downwards only).
I might also try an epsom salt flush.

The enlarged crop could be due to a blockage or due to worms, hard to say. The eprinex works very quickly so hopefully you could determine the cause quickly.

Again, this is how I would treat her (unless the sulmet has shown improvement over her condition). It sounds as if time is of the essence right now. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[wermfud]

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[chickenlady]

Give her another day on the sulmet. If you feel she looks better today, it may be working. You say her poop is more solid, any colors to speak of? Because of her age, you would not think cocci, but it very well could be. Has she eaten anything for you? Got my fingers crossed.

 

[wermfud]

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[chickenlady]

Keep up with the sulmet, sounds like it is working so far. Make sure you give the full dosage again tomorrow. Is she eating anything now?

 

[wermfud]

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