Hen With Very Watery Poop, and Laying Soft Shelled Eggs

[Krazy4Chicks]

I have a Silkie hen that has been having very watery poop for the past few months. She has also been laying soft shelled eggs. I have 4 other Silkie hens and 1 Silkie rooster that are pooping normally. They are all about a year and a half old. I had wormed all of them a couple of months ago (after this all started) with Valbazen, so I don't feel that it's a worm issue. I do notice that she drinks a lot of water. But when she poops, it's like an explosive poop (comes out like a jet), and is mostly cloudy-white water and some green stuff. She acts fine, but I'm wondering why it has been going on for so long. And I'm also wondering if this may have to do with why she keeps laying soft shelled eggs. They are currently on Nutrena NatureWise layer pellets. I also offer oyster shells to them at all times. Any ideas or suggestions??

According to the "Poo Chart", this is what her poos are looking like:



So based on this, she may have what's called "Clostridium Perfringens". And based on what I've been reading, I could use Fish Zole to treat it, which I have.

Here's a picture of one of the eggs she layed today (the smaller soft-shelled one), alongside one from one of my other hens:



There's definitely something going on. Please let me know what you think.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Can anyone help me with this? I posted this a couple of days ago and I still haven't had anyone tell me what they think. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[enola]

When you wormed her did you repeat the worming in 2-3 weeks? You could try treating her with Corid for coccidiosis, there are several strains and not all of them cause some bloody stools.

How long ago did you worm the flock?

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

All my birds were wormed with Wazine on May 30th, and then re-wormed on June 9th with Valbazen. All other birds are doing great; it's just this one that's been dealing with this issue. And this has been going on since before I wormed them, but the watery poops just seem to be getting worse. It may be because of the weather being hot and her drinking a lot more also, but I'm not so sure. I first thought that it might be like dogs and cats that get diabetes, as her stools are quite watery. But after looking at the poo chart, it really looks like Clostridium Perfringens. I did start treating her with a 1/2 tablet of Fish Zole (she got her 3rd dose today). I'm not sure how long to treat her with that though, or what else I could try. We don't have a vet close by that treats chickens, and so I'd like to be able to treat her myself. Just hoping to find the correct treatment.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Hoping someone will chime into my post (above). I've been giving my hen 1/2 tablet of Fish Zole for 5 days now. She's still having super watery poop. I still believe it's Clostridium Perfringens, based on reading other posts. When she poops, it shoots out with such force. The coop has a sand bottom, and in the morning (where she's been roosting) it is very wet. I would say it looks like a kitty litter box from a cat with diabetes. I don't believe that it is coccidiosis, as she acts fine other than this poop issue. Do you think I should try worming her with the Valbazen (last wormed on June 9th), or maybe try an antibiotic like Tylan 50? Not sure what my next step should be. Any suggestions?

 

[casportpony]

Hoping someone will chime into my post (above).  I've been giving my hen 1/2 tablet of Fish Zole for 5 days now.  She's still having super watery poop.  I still believe it's [COLOR=333333]Clostridium Perfringens, based on reading other posts.  When she poops, it shoots out with such force.  [/COLOR]The coop has a sand bottom, and in the morning (where she's been roosting) it is very wet.  I would say it looks like a kitty litter box from a cat with diabetes.  I don't believe that it is [COLOR=333333]coccidiosis, as she acts fine other than this poop issue.  Do you think I should try worming her with the Valbazen (last wormed on June 9th), or maybe try an antibiotic like Tylan 50?  Not sure what my next step should be.  Any suggestions?  [/COLOR]

When my vet had me treat one of mine for clostridium she had me give metronidazole for a month. Dose was 23mg per pound twice a day.

I have seen birds poop like that and some had capillary worms on top of coccidia, have also seen birds with E. coli infections with poop like that.

Do you have any Corid? How about other antibiotics?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Might also be a good idea to worm again with Valbazen and repeat in 10 days.

-Kathy

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

The only antibiotic I have on hand is Tetroxy HCA-280. However, I can get the Tylan 50 at a feed store about 30 minutes away. And no, I don't have any Corid, but I'm guessing I could get that at the feed store also. Is the metronidazole the same as Fish Zole? And do you think I should worm right away with the Valbazen, while being on the Fish Zole? Or take her off the Fish Zole and give it a few days to a week before worming? Thanks so much for your help!!!

 

[casportpony]

The only antibiotic I have on hand is Tetroxy HCA-280.  However, I can get the Tylan 50 at a feed store about 30 minutes away.  Is the [COLOR=333333]metronidazole the same as Fish Zole?  And do you think I should worm right away with the Valbazen, while being on the Fish Zole?  Or take her off the Fish Zole and give it a few days to a week before worming?  Thanks so much for your help!!![/COLOR]

Fish Zole is metronidazole, so I'd keep giving that. Let me check drug interactions on Valbazen and Fish Zole, but I'm pretty sure there are none. Metronidazole and Corid can be given at the same time, so thnk about that.

-Kathy

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Okay, sounds like a plan --- I will get some Corid and keep her on the Fish Zole. I just weighed her, and she's 2 lbs. 4.6 oz. Do you think my giving her a 1/2 tablet of Fish Zole once a day is okay? Or should I maybe give her 1/4 tablet twice a day? Or maybe that's not enough --- sorry, I'm not sure how to figure out dosage. And with the Corid, is it put into their drinking water? Should I get the powder or liquid Corid? I'm guessing it won't hurt to give it to all of the birds, right. And how much Corid to a gallon of water, and for how many days? Again, thanks!!!!