My 2 year old Rhodie Red is lethargic and very skinny!

[parkermath]

I want to thank the BYC community for threads that I have read over the past few years as different

I have a wee flock of 5 Rhodie Reds in Bozeman. It has been getting down to 40F at night. I found her three mornings ago so weak that I thought she was dead. She called out when I tried to pick her up. So I brought her in the garage and put a lamp on her then read backyard chicken posts to try to determine what might be wrong with her and what to do. So I have tried a few things from your posts, but now believe that I need more customized advise to help my girl get through this. I think I should give her some antibiotics and/or worm treatment next, but wonder what you all think before I do that.

Isolation seemed like a common recommendation so at least I could monitor her and her scat. She didn't poo the first day so I saw recommendations to give her a few cc's of olive oil, I did that twice, last time was yesterday - she poo'ed a little both times and I have seen small but consistent quantities of scat since. Not firm balls of scat but not diarrhea either. I cannot notice any evidence of worm segments in these small amounts of scat.

Yogurt for energy also seemed like a common recommendation. So I've tried to be regular with syringe-fulls of yogurt, a few cc's a few times each of the last few days. After every syringe she drinks a little water and then eats a few pellets and/or bread. I've checked and massaged her crop after she's eaten, doesn't seem hard, and she doesn't seem in pain when I do that. Though I don't really know what I am feeling for, so maybe I am missing something?

Haven't seen mites on her either, but some posts say they can be hard to diagnose.

And lastly, your posts admonish to "check the vent." I've palpated her abdomen, no egg shapes, but I did not use a finger to probe her vent and I don't really know what to feel for if I did because I have not done this palpation before. Maybe she is sitting there a little hunched right now, which some of you have said is classic indicator of being eggbound after all?

Her breastbone pokes out markedly and her breasts are all shriveled up. I picked up one of my healthy girls to compare. She has trouble walking, though I got a little optimistic after she walked around a little outside yesterday in the sun so I put her in an isolated outdoor coup last night with lots of food and water but that was stupid. This AM she was laying on her side (with her legs off to the side, I thought I'd lost her) and very weak so I brought her inside today and she seems to have regained a little strength.

Antibiotics and/or dewormer? Any advice you can offer I would greatly appreciate it.

-- Parker

 

[parkermath]

Sorry for the short novel on my last post, I erred on the side of more info.

She's eating a drinking a little, poo'ing more regularly now, no obvious evidence of worms or mites. She does sit a little hunched over. She is very weak and falls over still. I'd like to try antibiotics. Any suggestions on what type of antibiotic? Reading posts here at BYC suggest sulmet and/or Denagard as "broad spectrum"

Thank you for your time and any suggestions you may have,
-- Parker

 

[parkermath]

Star Date 2015-10-20. Or is this the Twilight Zone? She has classic symptoms of Marek's disease. There is a good post right here on BYC: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq So instead of antibiotics or wormer, two days ago I took her out of the house and put her into an isolated coup. She'll live out her last few days there. On Friday a pathologist will do a necropsy to check my diagnosis.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that no one answered your previous posts from last week. Sometimes you have to keep asking for help during a time of day when more people on online. I would guess that your hen may have internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. The symptoms of hunched posture, loss of weight, problems with walking or standing, and lethargy and weakness can all be signs. The only treatment is to give antibiotics such as enrofloxacin or penicillin to try and treat abdominal infection. Dosage of Procaine penicillin G is 1/4 ml given 1/4 inch deep into the breast muscle once a day for 4 days. It is available in the refrigerated medicines at feed stores under several brand names. Enrofloxacin is given orally and available from vets or online here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/959119/baytril-enrofloxacin-sources They usually have no appetite and feel bad. It is common in modern super layers that most hatcheries produce.

 

[parkermath]

Eggcessive, I really do appreciate your thoughtfulness and help! I have appreciated seeing your posts many times in the past too, so thank you! Unfortunately, my hen passed on sometime today while I was away at work. These symptoms are also all signs of Marek's disease, for which there is no treatment. I'm really keen that it is bacterial (as you suggest) instead of Mareks (viral) because, apparently, Mareks stays around for years, even in the soil. I'll make a final post next week after I hear back results of the necropsy.

-- Parker

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, Mareks can present with all different kinds of symptoms, and sometimes is an underlying reason for chickens to become easily affected by common diseases due to their low immunity. Egg peritonitis and internal laying are so very common also. Sorry for your loss, and glad that you will let us know your necropsy results.