Lethargic hen not responsive to any meds

goats-n-oats

Songster
Feb 10, 2022
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Hi, this is a light Brahma hen, about 1 year old. I found her huddled under the horse trailer about 9 days ago, and separated her. She was eating egg yolk but now nothing, not drinking either. Here is what she has received:
oral tetracycline 0.5 cc 5 days - no response
oral ivermectin in water, with electrolytes and probiotics - 1 day - no response
last night and today - oral corid (coccidistat) with molasses - no response
She just stands all day and all night, with her eyes closed, and occasionally grooms her feet or back. She is thin and cold. There is another injured (black) hen in the same cage as her (injured from fox attack), who shares her water and feed, whose condition is improving, so would not appear the sick Brahma hen has passed any contagion to the injured hen. Neither hen is laying eggs (the shells are treats from other hens). Not sure what else can be done for her?
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Pretty good rundown of information, but we need your location and to know if this hen has ever laid an egg. If so, how long ago was the last one?

What does her poop look like? Photo?

For a one-year old, her comb is far too pale, which indicates hormones are interrupted by something. I would say there's a possibility of internal laying, but the pale comb points my guess more in the direction of an avian virus causing cancer lesions on her organs.

If she dies, and I would guess that could be in a few weeks if not sooner, you could take her to an animal testing lab for a necropsy. This would give you important information that could have implications for your entire flock. Or you could open her up when she dies and look at her organs yourself. Enlarged liver and spots on it and other organs would more or less confirm a diagnosis of an avian virus.
 
Pretty good rundown of information, but we need your location and to know if this hen has ever laid an egg. If so, how long ago was the last one?

What does her poop look like? Photo?

For a one-year old, her comb is far too pale, which indicates hormones are interrupted by something. I would say there's a possibility of internal laying, but the pale comb points my guess more in the direction of an avian virus causing cancer lesions on her organs.

If she dies, and I would guess that could be in a few weeks if not sooner, you could take her to an animal testing lab for a necropsy. This would give you important information that could have implications for your entire flock. Or you could open her up when she dies and look at her organs yourself. Enlarged liver and spots on it and other organs would more or less confirm a diagnosis of an avian virus.
Hi, thanks for your response and sorry for my delayed one.
Yes she was a good layer but I do not know when her last egg was laid. I believe she was brooding/sitting for around two months prior to this.
She stopped eating then died maybe 2 days after posting this. Her poop at the beginning was slimy light brown (coccidia?), and at the end that emerald green poop - which could have been Marek's, but also starvation. I did see another emerald green poop in the new quails' cage tray yesterday.
I wonder if she succumbed to coccidia, and I just waited too long to treat her. I gave her the antibiotics alone first, so more than a week passed since she started showing symptoms that she received any amprolium. Another reason I think this is because, two days ago, a second Brahma hen (from her Cackle cohort) started showing the same symptoms - hiding in the corner, looking weak, and graciously slathering my jacket with slimy light brown poop. I promptly gave her a large dose of oral amprolium powder and probiotics, and let her feed in isolation for a bit. She turned around immediately and resumed feeding with the flock.
 

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