Hen Only Peeing, Not Pooing

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i have a two-year-old Silkie hen who is only doing a watery discharge, with a bit of yellow and sometimes dark green spreckles in it for the past week (at least). She has been inside the house for a week since i noticed she has scaly leg mites. In that time, she is drinking water (with Avia Charge 2000), but not sure she is eating her feed. i do give her mashed hard boiled eggs, mealworms, yogurt, and scratch, and she will eat some of that (especially the mealworms). Also have grit in the cage for her, and giving her a couple drops of Polyvisol (w/o iron) every day.

i took her to the vet this past Monday. She confirmed the scaly leg mites and told me to continue the ivermectin spot on treatment two drops once a week for three weeks (Pharmaq Ivermectin 0.8%). Although she doesn't think it's necessary, i am also coating her legs in vasoline every day.

When i followed up with the vet about the watery droppings, she suggested Baytril. i haven't started that yet, as i'm not sure i want to treat with an antibiotic if she doesn't have an infection. She looks scruffy, but is also in the middle of a molt.

Has anyone else experienced this with a chicken, no solid poos, just watery discharge? Any ideas what might cause this?

Thanks for any input anyone might offer.

 

[Judy]

I think you're very wise to hold off on the Baytril.

I'd try mixing some of those other foods with her feed; she may need to eat more feed and less extra foods.

Make sure she is getting very little yogurt, certainly no more than a tsp a day if that. Or, better yet, omit it and get some probiotics instead. Chickens do not digest milk products well.

I don't know why the poo looks as it does, but it is poo, not just urine.

Have you seen the poo chart? Maybe it will help you to sort this out:

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thanks for the input, Dawn, and the poo chart. Her's looks like the watery one, only less "stuff" in it. Couldn't get her to eat even the mealworms today. Going to take her outside in a bit and let her peck in the grass, maybe try some scratch. Her crop is soft, but feels like there is something in there, but not much.

Poor girl, she used to be my biggest, puffiest silkie. She looks so bedraggled now.

 

[LynneP]

I agree, it sounds like nothing is getting through from the crop.

The trouble may be in there...possible impaction? blockage?
And remember that mites are debilitation and with a molt too, she is lacking energy and in need of sufficient protein.

If she eats or refuses a little yogurt or kefir or scrambled eggs you could find out if it's got a digestive component...she has to eat, and soon.

 

[Judy]

Impacted crops are usually big and hard, but I guess there could be a blockage in there. Sour crop could be a possibility, as could botulism or another intestinal infection.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

did this happen after the administration of spot on?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

No, i noticed her in the pen looking scruffy and holding her feet up, one then the other. When i saw what looked like scaly leg mites, i brought her into the house. i washed her legs, sprayed them with Poultry Protector, then applied vaseline. Then i did the ivermectin spot on. That was on July 10th. It took a couple of days to notice she was only doing a watery discharge, as she was scruffing up the newspaper pretty well, and i would just wad it up and put down new. So she may have been like this longer.

 

[dlhunicorn]

You need to give your bird electrolytes in the water (most feed sotres/pet stores will have this.

Stop offering scratch... it is quite common for birds to eat less when they feel poorly and that means every little bit they do eat is must be as nutrient packed as possible. A petstore will usually have baby parrot/bird formula (this is a powder you mix with water) > if your bird likes the yogurt (which does not present the same problems as milk so no worries about giving it) then you can mix the formula in with that or mix it up with water and then mix that through her feed... you can give this in a scooped out watermelon (scoop out just enough to form a "bowl" for the feed) The red color will encourage her to peck and once started they will usually continue to eat (it is getting them started that is the hard bit) mix the aviacharge in with the feed or yogurt as you will need to put the electrolytes in the water (If you are using the watermelon "bowl" just add a dollop of yogurt on top of the feed > either the red of the melon or the yogurt your bird obviously likes will encourage to peck and hopefully she will get some of the feed along with that)
Here is my info on poo:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=poos&action=display&num=1158478320

ETA: You should be applying the ivermectin on the scaley legmite lesions topically... once it has soaked in then you can apply mineral oil (just dip the leg into a glass filled with the oil > mineral oil = baby oil) in two days clean the legs , scrubbing with a soft toothbrush dipped in antiseptic soap or novalsan... allow to dry then reapply the ivermectin and baby oil. If necessary repeat in three days)

Did your vet do a faecal? If not perhaps she should.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thank you! i will do as you suggested, and also read through the link you sent. My vet wants to do a fecal, but since all my hen shoots out is water with a bit of light yellowish liquid, there isn't anything to test.

i have her outside now, scratching in the dirt. Hope this will perk her up. But i'm feeling like, if she does not eat and poo normally soon, i should take her back in for a blood test.

 

[dlhunicorn]

can you attach a plastic sandwichbag (chicken diaper idea) to "catch" the substance? Then you could take the baggy to the vet for a faecal.
applying the ivermectin topically to the lesions on the legs (scaleyleg mite) will make a world of difference and should clear up within a week.