Lost 2 hens to similar symptoms. Looking for advice

[FiddleChics]

Good morning! Ok, I called the vet this morning. The Gram stain, will cost me $200... JUST for the lab work, not even including the fecal float which I know here runs around $50. So here's what I'm thinking... it's probably not worms since everyone was wormed last Thursday, (& my husband will strangle me if I spend $200 on this... & even if I sneak, I'd feel too guilty).

So narrowing it down - I'm thinking based on both @Wyorp Rock & @Eggcessive's experience & opinions on the pic, & my night of further research on this, what do you think, if I treat her like there's an infection present from the internally layer egg, and give her 1 CC of Duramycin, orally - for 5 days… and maybe soak her bottom in a warm, epsom salts bath to ease her and clean her vent a little?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That is quite expensive!

You may want to observe her for a couple of days to see if she improves or has more poop like that. Duramycin may help if there is infection, some other antibiotics to look into would be Baytril or Amoxicillin.
You don't mention your location, but a lot of times state labs offer testing services much cheaper. For instance, in NC we have 4 labs and fecal floats are less than $20.00
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[Eggcessive]

My goodness that is expensive, and I would look into the state poultry lab as well. @casportpony has had gram stains done before, and she lives in California where it seems things like lab work and necropsies are less expensive.

Sometimes we just go ahead and treat for a suspected illness, since it can be difficult to get testing on chickens. Baytril is probably one of the best antibiotics to use, and handy to have around for the future. Here is a link for Baytril without a prescription. Some say it is better to give an oral dose twice a day rather than give it in the water since it tastes bad. https://www.jedds.com/shop/misc/

 

[FiddleChics]

@Wyorp Rock, I'm at the NJ shore... but a State Lab is an excellent idea... I'll have to call the town's Health department & inquire asap this morning.

I had a fecal float done on all the girls this past November 2018, it was negative but it was $50 for one.

I'll watch her for a few more days though, and if by Thursday, I see no improvement... I think I"ll start medicating her... I really don't like medicating AT ALL... but I'd rather do that, than loose her.

Thank you @Eggcessive for the link! This took me to a med of a different name...?

is this it? I'll order that, and should have it by Thursday, and like to keep things like this on hand in a medical kit for when/if I ever need it anyway... so thank you for the lead on that. I won't need a needle for this... will I? I can just draw it out with a syringe?

Oral dose 2x a day... break it in half, or 2 full doses?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, I am sorry—enrofloxacin is Baytril. Dosage for a chicken is 10 mg per kg (each 2.2 pounds) given twice a day for 5 days. So close to 5 mg orally twice a day. Each ml of that product is 100mg, so 5 mg is 0.05 ml, so you will need a 1 ml syringe, to give 1/2 of 1/10 th of an ml. Does that make sense? @casportpony, does that sound right?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here's your state lab information:
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
Division of Animal Health Laboratory CN 330
Trenton, NJ 08625 Phone: (609) 984-2250
Fax: (609) 777-8395
https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ah/

 

[FiddleChics]

Ok, THANK YOU!!!! I just put in an order for Enrofloxicin / Baytrill from the Jedds Bird Supply link you sent, and yes, your dosage description is very clear... I understand. I'm gonna have to re-read it when I'm ready to give it to her - but I have it! I keep a file on all of this, incase i need the info again, and I can access it easier... so I've got it saved as well.

This morning, I went out to the coop, and there was no yellow in her droppings that I could see... but there really wasn't anything to scrape up... it was all liquid, dried, spread out and frozen on the tray under the roosting bar... not even solid matter in it - like there was yesterday, which makes me think she's not eating.

I just went out and took some green beans from last night for a treat, and she didn't even come running in with the other girls from the back run... I think, as much as I hesitate to medicate - she needs the Baytrill... so hopefully it'll be here soon. Do you think I should bring her inside to watch her more closely... or is the fresh air better for her... I don't know... but I'm worried.

Thank you for the lab info... Trenton, our state capital is a good, solid hour's drive... and not a nice place but I'll call them. If it's affordable, it's worth it, and there's a tractor supply out that way, so I can make a trip there too.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most chickens enjoy being with the others even when they are ill, but they will sometimes go off by themselves or hide. They tend to eat better when with the others, so I usually leave mine out in the coop. Sometimes I will separate in a dog crate in the coop, just so they have access to their own food, such as egg or other high protein treats that get them to eat better. It also keeps them from getting picked on if that happens. So, I would probably try to give some egg or tuna late in the afternoon, just to make sure she has some food in her crop. Bringing one i side depends too on how cold it is, since some of us see zero temperatures this time of year, and it can be stressful.

 

[FiddleChics]

Most chickens enjoy being with the others even when they are ill, but they will sometimes go off by themselves or hide. They tend to eat better when with the others, so I usually leave mine out in the coop. Sometimes I will separate in a dog crate in the coop, just so they have access to their own food, such as egg or other high protein treats that get them to eat better. It also keeps them from getting picked on if that happens. So, I would probably try to give some egg or tuna late in the afternoon, just to make sure she has some food in her crop. Bringing one i side depends too on how cold it is, since some of us see zero temperatures this time of year, and it can be stressful.

Ok good, that's kinda what I thought as well - and I hesitate to disrupt their structure and routines... and wouldn't want to cause stress. Fortunately, a few months ago my husband and I added a big, totally enclosed run to the coop & run that previously existed - so now they have lots of places they can go to get away for some space & quiet time... lol... I did it with one little Buff Orpington we had, who was being terribly bullied... I have 2 water & 2 feed stations... so there's alternative choices where they can eat/drink... if the "big girls" are dominating one. I've noticed my Australorp now, taking advantage of that space, so it's good.

It's dropping down into the teens here at night... the wind chill's gotten a bit raw and cold near the ocean. But inside the coop it's holding around 35* (give or take a few) so it's not too bad for them out there.

I was just getting ready to take them out a bite of tuna and sunflower seeds... I always give it to her separate... so she can take her bites - before the "bosses' move in.

 

[FiddleChics]

@Eggcessive & @Wyorp Rock!!! She's still hanging in, but I can see she's still feeling terrible... but I'm SO glad I just tracked the package of Baytrill - and it is out for delivery right now!!! So I can start her on it as soon as it comes...

So... I re-read the dosage again that you wrote above... (maybe I shouldn't have switched to decaf)... but I'm just double checking that I DO understand this correctly...
I have a 1ml needless syringe... and I'll give her two doses... each will be HALF... of .1 each dose... it's just a little, tiny bit... in the morning & at night? like this? This would be .05 ml... (as in the photo) 2x...? Am I configuring this correctly?