Hen not doing well overall *videos*

[bhawk-23]

Since this hen's problem began right after being wormed, I suspect she may be suffering from clogging from a heavy worm load and also from shock from being wormed, which happens when there's a heavy worm load.

What you can do is give her a molasses flush or an Epsom salt flush to flush the dead worms out of her digestive system.

Try the molasses flush first since it's easier. Mix one teaspoon of molasses in a fourth of a cup of warm water and have this hen either drink it all or syringe it into her. All of it.

It should work overnight. If she perks up and feels better and her crop starts moving material through it again, that's all you need to do. The sugar in the molasses will also treat the shock.

If it doesn't make a difference in her behavior, then I recommend the three-day Epsom salt flush. It has to be done twice a day for the three days and you would need to syringe half a cup at a time into her crop. It's very labor intensive, but it works well, and chickens tolerate this flush very well. I've given it to several chickens of mine, and they seem to be energized by it.

Alright, she is still doing better than 2 days ago but not the improvement I would have liked to see. I should probably start the salt flush.
Questions:
What is the ratio of salt to water? What salt exactly?
How much can you tube at one time? Will the full 1/2 cup amount fit in the crop in one go?
Thank you!

 

[azygous]

It's easiest to tube the solution into the patient since there is so much. It would take forever to syringe it in. Do you have a tubing kit?

 

[azygous]

If you are not prepared to tube, there is a more concentrated dosing. That would be one teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in one ounce of warm water dissolved and syringed into the crop. This concentrated solution will stimulate diarrhea, but it relies on the hen drinking plenty of plain water to keep hydrated to flush her intestines.

The best flush is one teaspoon of magnesium sulfate dissolved in half a cup of warm water and tubed into the crop two times a day for three days. This has much more capability to wash out the digestive track.

Plenty of fresh plain water needs to be provided since this can cause dehydration. The chicken normally will be energized by this and it should not cause any problems.

Here is how to safely syringe fluids. This applied to tubing as well.

 

[bhawk-23]

It's easiest to tube the solution into the patient since there is so much. It would take forever to syringe it in. Do you have a tubing kit?

Yes, I have a tubing kit. Apparently I can learn to be prepared lol

I worry about being able to tube by myself, I've had hubs here to hold that last time I attempted it. I also worry because when we tubed our girl with the crop blockage it would start to come back up after just a few oz. I didn't attempt again for fear of aspiration. I wondered if that had to do with an already full crop or if I was doing something wrong. She ended up needing surgery so I'm guessing it was too full to accept all the liquid.
She is having "contractions" like she is trying to poop but cannot. Would that suggest she has a mass of worms blocking her bowel? Some liquid has come out but she has not had a nice solid poop for at least the few days she's been inside.

Can I syringe part of the half cup solution to get things started? Fortunately, hubs will be home about 3 pm for 24 hrs. He can help as soon as he gets here and right before he leaves which will make me more confident in my abilities to attempt it alone. She is currently drinking quite well and is picking at her food. I have her outside of the crate so she has more freedom to walk around and gets her system moving.

 

[azygous]

Is her crop full now? Yes, it does seem entirely possible she has a wad of dead worms clogging her.

You can get started with the small dose solution. Give the one teaspoon of Epsom salts in one ounce of water to her to drink on her own. Then later, you can do the tubing solution. If she's managed to pass the clog before then, so much the better.

 

[bhawk-23]

Is her crop full now? Yes, it does seem entirely possible she has a wad of dead worms clogging her.

You can get started with the small dose solution. Give the one teaspoon of Epsom salts in one ounce of water to her to drink on her own. Then later, you can do the tubing solution. If she's managed to pass the clog before then, so much the better.

No, her crop is not full at all. I can barely feel it. I put her outside on Saturday, in a fenced area next to me while I weeded, and she came in with a full crop that night. It emptied by Sunday morning. It has not felt full since. But she is drinking well and picking at food. I have the wrong epsom salts so heading to CVS right now.

 

[bhawk-23]

@azygous

I am thoroughly confused on how I am going to tube over 60ml in one sitting. I know this should be basic knowledge for a chicken mom but I am not sure how it will all fit

Or I could have my measurements way off. Yikes!

Thank you!

 

[bhawk-23]

I was not able to syringe more than 2.5 ml of the more concentrated solution on my own.
I added some of it into applesauce with a tinge of molasses for taste. She has eaten a small amount. She has pooped twice since then, I'll attach pictures because it does not look like "worm" poop to my, very uneducated, eye. If it is not worms I'm still assuming a salt

flush won't hurt as long as she is drinking, correct?

 

[azygous]

That poop is the color of spent worms. That means there's a very good chance the flush is already working. Let's see how she feels. It should give her a lift to get that mess out of her intestines.

This is completely safe. Epsom salt is the gentlest laxative there is. Just provide plenty of water. She will drink what she needs.

As far as not being comfortable tubing the entire amount into her, that's strictly your call. You know your hen better than anyone, so you are the best person to judge the amount you feel she is capable of handling. It's obvious that the small amount she's had is already working very well. Good job!

 

[bhawk-23]

@azygous

Good morning. Quick update, field trips with DS's class yesterday prevented me much time to really sit with Pinky though I was able to bring her outside with me while I weeded in the morning. Even though she was contained in a fenced area I know she enjoyed it. This morning her breathing has changed and I heard some brief rattling. She still has that "tired" look. I'm sitting with her again drinking my coffee and doing some small loom weaving. If she can't be with her flock I can at least give her some company. She is about 27 months old now and I wonder if whatever they had over the winter and then the stress of less than ideal care for those 8 days then a second round of tylosin and slow deworming proves to be too much for her. Her breathing is slowing getting worse, maybe a different antibiotic would be good for the sneezing?
I'll attach a pic of her morning poo. Maybe you can see if she is still fighting a worm overload and it's not her lungs.

The video is long, 3 minutes, but it shows the tail end of her sneezing, walking, picking at her food, minute of grooming and some of the intermittent open mouth breathing and eyes closing. Probably a good assessment of her overall behavior/demeanor.