Margo is in Trouble

[casportpony]

If they are not producing eggs they need much less water anyway, since the vast majority of egg is water when you break it down to it's basic components.

This is some data I found which says non-layers drink less:

Source: http://avianmedicine.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/15.pdf

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

There was one green poop in her hospital area, which would be a relief, except Ruby snuck in there before I blocked off the bottom, so I don’t know for sure whose it is. Gave her another bath. Once she poops, I’ll let them all out to free range for a bit.

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You should keep her separated and try to get her to drink water if she won't by herself dribble some water down her beak with a syringe. How hot is it where you are? She could have heat stroke. Give her some massages and feel around for and signs of blocked eggs. If she hasn't been eating you could make a mash of chicken crumble and hit water stir it together until it's got an oat mealy texture. If you want add some berries or little treats in. This can also be a treat since my clucksters love it. This happened to one of my girls but I couldn't figure out what. There were no eggs blocking her or worms. I did all I could but after 4 months she died. Is Margos back side messy and poopy? Everything you've done lateyl is good. Keep doing it and she might get better.good luck!

 

[micstrachan]

Great thoughts and info. Thank you! I’m at work and won’t really be able to check in until lunch. My hunch is she is responding to the amoxicillin, but we’ll see. She did not eat any egg shell when I brought it out this morning. There was calcium in one of the egg offerings last night, but she didn’t take too much.

 

[casportpony]

@micstrachan, when you give the calcium, why not give it orally?

 

[Kiki]

@casportpony, I caught her droppings on paper towels last night. There was nothing really notable, except they’re slightly under digested and may have been a wood shaving in it. I put the paper towels in a baggie in the fridge in case I take it in for a float test.

She pooped. She is eating!

 

[Kiki]

Well she is not exactly looking at deaths door sitting on that roost bar and preening Michelle, so I think that is cause for optimism. I do think you are worrying more than necessary still about her food intake. They can survive well over a week on just water and in doing so it will knock their egg production on the head, which wouldn't be a bad thing right now anyway. She is not skin and bone to start with so she has plenty of body reserves to dig into and whilst that is not an ideal situation, it gives you time to figure this out. Also, since she is not isolated and you are not able to monitor her food intake, you cannot be sure of how much she is eating and drinking when you are not there. If they are not producing eggs they need much less water anyway, since the vast majority of egg is water when you break it down to it's basic components.

I still wonder if she has a stuck egg and there are times when she has "contractions" and is actively straining to pass it and other times where she is less distressed by it. Perhaps she makes a bit of progress and can then ease off. I've never had a baby but I would guess it may be like that in giving birth but the length of "tunnel" is relatively short for a baby in a human compared to the length of an oviduct in a hen. Not sure if that makes sense. I'm just throwing ideas out there.

 

[casportpony]

She pooped. She is eating!

Mine is pooping but hasn't eaten in four days. Sometimes it just takes time for their guts to clear.

 

[Kiki]

Mine is pooping but hasn't eaten in four days. Sometimes it just takes time for their guts to clear.

I am having a hard time understanding how it can be said that she isn't eating when she isn't caged and or watched all day long.

 

[micstrachan]

No, that’s Kathy’s, who is in the bathroom.

 

[rebrascora]

This is some data I found which says non-layers drink less

Kathy I love how methodical you are about backing things up with evidence! How do you find all this statistical data? Do you use Google and then trawl through every link until you find something that is appropriate? It makes me feel quite guilty that I don't make more effort! If I want people to follow my argument or train of thought, it is so important to provide that information to make it credible. To me it is just a logical conclusion. Eggs are largely water (I did consider looking up the exact percentage but unlike you I'm a lazy on research), so hens need to drink more water to produce them, otherwise they would be constantly depleting their body of water and rapidly become dehydrated, OR all chickens regardless of egg production would drink the same amount of water and the non layers' kidneys would have to process all that surplus water for no benefit, which makes no sense.... animals generally only drink as much as they need, although in hot weather they will drink more, so ambient temperature and probably humidity will play a part.