Mystery illness help!

Benechick

In the Brooder
Jan 2, 2021
44
25
26
I have a cochin hen that is 1.5 yr old. Sept/Oct she had a very hard molt. She lost a lot of weight, she was just bones and feathers. Ive been told when they molt they loose weight but I knew it couldn't be this much. So I looked her over more and noticed a few days her crop was really full and hard. I started giving her olive oil and massaged her crop. It ended up going down but then turned into a pudding feeling, she stopped eating and wouldn't stop drinking. So I treated for sour crop with monistat 2x day and copper sulphate in her water. After a few days she started to eat. I did the monistat for a few days and the copper sulphate for 5 or 7 days, what ever the direction said I forget. But she was back to herself. I put her back out with the others. First she didn't roost but after about a month I noticed she started to gain weight and was roosting again. I thought I just save my chicken. Then I started noticing she had a weird yellow/ green Sulphur color poop. I researched and researched. I couldn't find what that meant.
I been just watching her until this past Friday night she wasn't roosting again. Her crop only had a little liquid and a few seeds in it. Her back end had pure yellow runny poop. I brought her back to the garage. Shes barely eating. So far she will only eat grapes, raisins, meal worms, grass when I take her out. I've tried eggs raw and scrambled, her feed dry and soaked in water, she won't touch it. Ive noticed she is drinking very often. Her poop has turned back into a dark color can't tell if it has that Sulphur color since it's all mixed in the shavings. Part of it is firm and must be runny to because I see a lot of wet shavings. But it's not that runny yellow color anymore.
I have treated her for external parasites with ivermectin. I'm now treating for internal with safe guard. I've given her 1 injection of LA200 on Saturday. I have poultry cell in her water.
Yesterday I took her outside for a little bit. She had the yellow poop dried on her from Friday so I picked her up to clean it and then I noticed she started to have gurgle sound and making weird noises. I put her down and she sounded horrible. It went away after a few mins. I picked her up again and it happened again. It's only when I hold her she does it. Can that still mean respiratory issue started? I just find it weird its only when I pick her up.
Is there anything else I can do for her? Anyone have a idea what is going on? What does the Sulphur color poop mean? Would you try another antibiotic?

For the most part she stays hunched over, fluffed up and tail down. But she will walk around and peck around. I'm trying to help her as best as I can and a vet is not a option.
 

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It sounds like your hen may have more than one issue. Bright yellow poop can be caused by possible liver or reproductive issues, or e.coli bacteria infection. Her crop sounds like she has had impacted crop, and could be sour crop now. Did you use acidified copper sulfate in the water, and what dosage? Plain copper sulfate should never be used. Use caution when picking up your hen to not accidentally squeeze her crop, which could cause crop contents to come back up into her throat and choke her. Normally, her crop should be empty first thing in the morning if you check it.
 
It sounds like your hen may have more than one issue. Bright yellow poop can be caused by possible liver or reproductive issues, or e.coli bacteria infection. Her crop sounds like she has had impacted crop, and could be sour crop now. Did you use acidified copper sulfate in the water, and what dosage? Plain copper sulfate should never be used. Use caution when picking up your hen to not accidentally squeeze her crop, which could cause crop contents to come back up into her throat and choke her. Normally, her crop should be empty first thing in the morning if you check it.
I added pictures of her poop. I got the copper sulphate from a hatchery so I know it's the correct stuff. Would you treat with the copper sulphate again? When I treated her for sour crop that was back in November. It did help her then. I meant to check her crop this morning but my husband had the light on before I got out there so I didn't make it. But her crop always feels like water in it. Which she is drinking all the time so I assume that's why. I have a feeling I accidentally pushed some of that liquid up when I held her.
 
The yellow poops and yellow urates may be from liver disease which can happen with egg yolk peritonitis. Is her lower belly full or enlarged? That can be a sign of ascites or water belly. It sounds like her crop disorder has been ongoing, and that can be typical if due to a reproductive problem or ascites. Some use an antibiotic to help treat the reproductive disorder, and then also an antifungal drug such as Medistatin powder in food or monistat cream given orally. Here is some reading about crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Another on egg yolk peritonitis:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis
 
The yellow poops and yellow urates may be from liver disease which can happen with egg yolk peritonitis. Is her lower belly full or enlarged? That can be a sign of ascites or water belly. It sounds like her crop disorder has been ongoing, and that can be typical if due to a reproductive problem or ascites. Some use an antibiotic to help treat the reproductive disorder, and then also an antifungal drug such as Medistatin powder in food or monistat cream given orally. Here is some reading about crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Another on egg yolk peritonitis:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis
Here belly feels fine. I'll read the links you sent. Thank you!
 

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