Lethargic Hen With Very Strange Dropping

[sydney1497]

Hi all,

I believe I have a sick hen and would really appreciate if anyone could help figure out what's wrong! I first noticed her this afternoon acting lethargic with her tail down. She kept falling asleep while standing up as well as laying down in the run. It was very hot today, over 90 degrees, if that may something to do with it. However, she is not panting at all and is not stretching out her wings. (she would just lay down and close her eyes). She drank quite a bit and ate a little bit when I placed her out by the grass and leaves. I lightly sprayed her with cool hose water which seemed to perk her up a bit more. She is now in my cool garage with berries, cucumbers and layer feed, and electrolyte water- she is only eating the berries and cucumbers. Her droppings look like both of the following pictures I posted (I’m sorry they’re gross). I just checked on her now and she is laying down in the small enclosure I have her in but looks more perked up. Has anyone had their chickens have these symptoms or recognize the droppings? I have to leave on a trip soon and don’t want anything to happen while I’m gone!!

Thank you!

 

[azygous]

I'm sorry, but I have a problem with two dimensional images, especially when I can't make them larger to show more detail. Did you select the "full size or thumbnail size when you were posting them? Full size lets us zoom in.

If you haven't disposed of the poop yet, could you separate the chunky cream colored poop shown in the second photo and cut into it and tell us if it's solid and waxy? Or am I just seeing wood shavings through the mucous? If it is, it would be a sign of salpingitis, a serious reproductive infection. Or she could have a stuck egg or a collapsed egg inside her.

When was the last time this hen laid an egg? Have her eggs been normal? How old is she?

 

[sydney1497]

Hi, thanks for the reply!

I just re-uploaded the photos, hopefully they are better! I scooped out the poop without thinking after I took the photo, unfortunately. The chunky-looking part is not shavings. I would say it's more waxy than solid. She keeps pooping liquid ones that look like the bottom photo. I also am noticing slight bits of green. I have no idea when the last time she laid an egg was as I have 12 chickens that lay similar-looking eggs. She is about 3 years old!

 

[azygous]

Thanks for reposting the photos. That really helped.

The chunky poop looks like salpinitis. The chunks would be solid chicken pus, indicating a reproductive infection. Unfortunately, when it gets to this point, there is not much chance an antibiotic will help her.

She could have a few more months to live, or a few days. Since she's lethargic and beginning to pass bile in her poop, I would estimate her remaining life span to be just days.

I'm sorry I haven't got better news.

 

[sydney1497]

Oh no, I really hope it ends up being something less bad! Thank you for help. She is acting a lot more normal now--tail is back up, eating all the blueberries, keeping eyes open, etc. Is it possible this could just be temporary boost? Also, is this dangerous to other birds in the flock or humans? What antibiotic would I give her?

 

[azygous]

As I said, she could have months more in her life. Salpingitis is a chronic infection of the reproductive tract. It's not a contagious disease. Bacteria can enter the reproductive tract through the vent and find its way up the tract from there. It's one of those unlucky things that afflict some hens and not others. This year I had an eight year-old hen die from it. From the time I first noticed the first sign of the pus to when she died was maybe four months. Her quality of life was good until just a few days before she died.

Since your hen is quite young, you could try amoxicillin. It can't hurt, and it could help, even if it's to give her a little longer to live. Petsmart sometimes has Fish Mox. This is where I get it. https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/fish-mox?sku=22150-475 One capsule per day for ten days.

 

[sydney1497]

Thank you very much!!