In need of desperate help!

[rocknchickenfam]

I have one year old hens who I suspect have coccidios. Not my first batch of chickens and have treated before. Lethargic, loss of appetite and bloody stools. Started Corid. Lost one hen yesterday and nursing two other today. The problem, which I'm new to: sick hens all have fluid filled crops that will not empty. They bend over and must vomit into mouth because they drink it. Actually saw one expel liquid. It smelled like vinegar. What an I suppose to do? Medicine is in water and can't withhold it. Please help! I don't know what to do

 

[rocknchickenfam]

PLEASE!

 

[rocknchickenfam]

Anyone... I'd appreciate any help. Checking them in morning and I guess I try to treat the cocci and now the suspected sour crop at the same time. Which I find difficult because they are totally different issues. Thank you in advance for help... because I need it *sigh*

 

[mahermic]

If you suspect cocci i would just dose syringe the corid directly at a higher dose by syringe. This way they do not have to drink a lot of water to get the proper dosage since the corid is watered down. I did this with my birds and they pulled through. Also are they totally off feed? I would withhold there regular feed and give them chopped up boiled eggs for a day and also greek plain yogurt. This will help their " sour crop" and be easy on the digestive system. See how they do and do daily syringe treatments for 10 days. You may want to also get some pedialyte and have them drink that for a day instead of water. This will help with hydration and electrolytes. I hope this helps. You could also offer them small amounts of watermelon. This will give them nutrients and hydration. Like i said with hold the water and just give pedialyte for a day instead. I hope tbis helps!

 

[rocknchickenfam]

Thank you SO much! I will do this

 

[rocknchickenfam]

Lost another... treating for capillary worms now. I'm so lost

 

[Bocktobery 10]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I do not think I can help but have questions for you anyway (I'm trying) ...



I'm sorry to say I'm not sure what to make of the problem there, but going by what you wrote, it sounds like sour crop to me. I have read here- and never tried because it sounded dangerous- that some fed monistat or something for fungus to their chickens that had sour crop. (Like a topical anti fungal skin creme) It sounds really reckless (which is why I didn't try it) but I am sure that the medicine in those products would treat the fungus that causes the sour crop, but it may hurt or kill or maim the chicken that one feeds it to. If you are at a loss and keep loosing birds, it might be worth a shot.. Is the corid working at all? Is there still blood in their stools?

Other things I've heard to try if its sour crop - pineapple and/or pineapple juice. Possibly milk kefir (not the stuff from the grocery store, but homemade) might help? Yogurt would be similar to that but less efficient. How about a bit of Oxine AH (not activated) in their water, or tube feed a bit of that water (there is a certain ratio mix) if they are not drinking on their own. Feed fresh peppermint leaves or pepermint oil, but if oil, make sure its diluted! Oregano oil- go easy with this at first if tried- you absolutely do not want to feed them lots of it- not eve a drop that isn't diluted quite a bit or you will burn their system out! But that could possibly work very well if diluted in water (like a drop) and try that at first and try and increase it if you see no difference. Oregano oil is powerful stuff and a little bit can go a long way- you could probably get some of it either at your local health food store or maybe even walmart? I think its a fairly common essential oil (food grade) to find. The only other thing I think I heard/read of is epsom salts (this is not regular table salt).... but I am not sure of that at all... maybe do a search on that here? #Epsom salts and sour crop.

There are lots of other posters here that know a lot. I'm just a ametuer. I hope some people start chiming in for you as I am so sorry you are going through this. Its so scary to go through it and so frustrating and sad to not know what to do to help.

I'd have to say, I'm really curious about the cocci (if it is that) outbreak followed by a sour crop (if it is that) outbreak.... it sounds like a clue, but I'm no way near knowledgable to really take a guess as to what that could mean.

Some other questions I have:

Did they possibly get into anything they should not have eaten?

Can you take a picture of the bloody stool and post it here?

Has the weather conditions there been dampish? Wet?

Do you freerange your flock?

Wishing you the best of luck to get this under control. Sorry for your losses as well.

 

[rocknchickenfam]

Thank you for your help and time. Any advice helps. I am still treating with corid through dropper. Started safeguard goat wormer this morning. Yes definitely blood in stool, but didn't take pictures. Stool is a little firmer this morning with white urates and a firmer almost liver looking glob. Weather is hot, humid and dry. They do free range and dint think they got into anything. One is not eating or drinking and has a little balloonish crop. Rest of flock good I checked. They are getting wormed and corid also because one had bloody stool. They seem fine currently. The two I lost were identical in symptoms. The sick one currently is showing very slow improvements. She is getting droppers of meds so I don't overload her crop. Given (handfed cause not eating) greek yogurt with cultures. Offered watermelon and eggs. Hoping crop goes down. Messaging crop also. Just very confusing

 

[chickcrack]

If you believe they have crop issues I have had great luck with 1/2 tsp epsom salts thoroughly stirred into 1/4 cup water. They usually aren't drinking much so I slowly srynge into their beak. Get as much in as possible (that mixture is per chicken). It is a mild laxative and they will be very thirsty afterwards so ensure plenty of water is available. I'm not sure if you should wait a day to resume cocci treatment as I have been lucky to have never experienced it. Provide them with moistened chicken food, plain pellets or scrambled eggs only until crop is resolved. I don't believe sour crop can cause blood in poop so you may be dealing with 2 different issues. Hope something helps soon for you and I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[rocknchickenfam]

Will try that thanks!