Lethargic Hen, Low Appetite

[Winchikn]

Hello,

I have an approximately 2 year old "Production Red" hen who has been unwell for about 10 days now. She's fluffed up, keeping to herself, not eating much, has very watery poops, and is very thirsty. Comb and wattles are red, appetite is good for treats like scrambled egg but her motivation to eat is low. She was laying but has stopped since she took ill. We have been giving vitamin/electrolytes and moistened pellets with a bit of yoghurt, as well as some egg. She has lost weight.

I have a mixed backyard flock of 12 and everyone else is doing fine. Weather was wet and melting here and then turned cold and snowy.

I am wondering about e. coli but this hen also has a bumble and the foot pad was quite swollen and has now gone fairly flat. Could this be an indication of systemic bacterial infection?

We've had her in the house a few nights but have been trying to keep her integrated with the flock as she's bottom of the pecking order. She seems to perk up and then deteriorate.

Pics of hen and a watery poop (not a good pic but there are urates and little chunks of food):

Any advice most appreciated!

 

[azygous]

You would need to rule out a crop disorder. Drinking a lot of water can indicate an impacted crop. You would need to check her in the morning to see if the crop emptied overnight. There might also be a bad smell coming from her mouth. This will explain. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

She may very well be suffering from a bacterial infection or a reproductive infection, and the bumblefoot could have become systemic. Usually, though, if a staph infection is that bad, the hen wouldn't be able to walk. You would need to find a source for a broad spectrum antibiotic, and BC may make that impossible without going through a vet.

 

[Winchikn]

You would need to rule out a crop disorder. Drinking a lot of water can indicate an impacted crop. You would need to check her in the morning to see if the crop emptied overnight. There might also be a bad smell coming from her mouth. This will explain. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

She may very well be suffering from a bacterial infection or a reproductive infection, and the bumblefoot could have become systemic. Usually, though, if a staph infection is that bad, the hen wouldn't be able to walk. You would need to find a source for a broad spectrum antibiotic, and BC may make that impossible without going through a vet.

Thank you.

There's no odour to indicate sour crop. She is passing water and broken solids which I thought ruled out impacted crop but I will confirm it is emptying tomorrow morning (too late today, though she is passing a lot of fluids so her digestive tract is moving).

Our local vet unfortunately stopped treating chickens (and all other farm animals) a couple of years ago or I would get a float.

I have some oxytetracycline hydrochloride (62.5 mg/g) and some apo-sulfatrim (sulfameth/trimeth, 100/20 mg) on hand from previous chicken issues. About 400 g of the former and only 2.5 tablet of the latter. Both are expired.

Once I rule out crop issues, should I try one of these?

 

[azygous]

Yes, try the first one for a week or a bit longer and see if she improves.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like she is starting to molt. I would follow the advice of azygous on checking her crop and using an antibiotic. Try getting her to eat some moistened feed and scrambled egg. Tuna or ground meat is also usually good in small amounts. Plain yogurt 1 TB daily or probiotics would be good to use during and after antibiotics.

 

[Winchikn]

She looks like she is starting to molt. I would follow the advice of azygous on checking her crop and using an antibiotic. Try getting her to eat some moistened feed and scrambled egg. Tuna or ground meat is also usually good in small amounts. Plain yogurt 1 TB daily or probiotics would be good to use during and after antibiotics.

Thanks, Eggcessive. This sweet little hen was being plucked by her flockmates so she's had a jacket on the last couple of months and her appearance of molt is the regrowth of feathers.

I will check crop tomorrow and if that seems okay, we'll try the oxytetracycline. The bag I have is from Nov 2019 and no expiry that I can see. Will it still be okay?

And dosage directions are 4 g in 5 L drinking water for 5 days so I'll push that to 7 days?

Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Is the SMZ TMP fresher? It is a pretty good antibiotic comparable to Bactrim. It treats both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, and is used in coccidiosis, fowl cholera, and coryza. With either antibiotic you will need to do an egg withdrawal.

 

[Winchikn]

Is the SMZ TMP fresher? It is a pretty good antibiotic comparable to Bactrim. It treats both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, and is used in coccidiosis, fowl cholera, and coryza. With either antibiotic you will need to do an egg withdrawal.

The apo-sulfameth was dispensed July 2020 - a little fresher but not much.

I got it for a bigger hen and dose was 1/2 tablet twice daily - which means I'll only have 2.5 days worth. Probably not enough...

 

[Winchikn]

I felt my hen's crop very carefully this morning and although she had no food/water for about 10 hours, I think there was a very small amount of something in the crop. I still can't detect any odour from her mouth. Her poop from the night was mainly water with some white urates and a few small segments of digested food.

She still had an appetite and was keen this morning on some yoghurt, a bit of egg and tuna. I have switched her from electrolytes to water with ACV and crushed garlic.

She has not eaten much in the last week and I don't know how to proceed without a clear indication of impacted or sour crop. Is it possible for sour crop not to smell?

Should I

• try crop massage, some oil, and withholding all food for a day
• an epsom salt or molasses flush
• a course of antibiotics
• something else to help me get a definitive diagnosis?

Thanks!

 

[azygous]

A tiny amount of food in the crop in the morning doesn't warrant starting crop disorder treatment. What would be helpful is a probiotic for several days. Get it where they sell vitamins for people. One tab into the beak daily.