Need help!! Can't get watery neon green and yellow poop to stop

[arkansaschicks]

Dawg53 - That is what I really believed was going on but I began to question when after the 4th day of Baytril she still had the runny poop. I have also dealt with e-coli twice before. Because my chickens free range, it is so hard to keep them away from stagnate water or moldy stuff when we get a prolonged period of rain. That is why I watch their poop and behaviors like a hawk!! Both times I caught it early and they both made it. I guess I began to question because each time they got so much better and poop returned to normal after 3 full days of Baytril. My vet told me to give it to her for 5 days and today was the 5th day. Do you think I should keep her on the Baytril a day or two longer? I talked to my vet about the fungal idea and he was not too keen on trying her on any antifungal meds. He said too harsh. He said he was going to make some calls and get back with me. Right now Sophie and I are outside and she is enjoying a dirt bath. She has had watermelon,crickets and mealworms. She looked at the yogurt,crumbles and buttermilk and walked away I will make sure she eats it later along with some nutri-drench. Thanks for your post!!

 

[speckledhen]

Since she hasn't laid in over a year, could be several things happening. I honestly have no idea about the sand bags--I do know that mold is not something in any form that you want around your chickens, certainly, not to eat or breathe in, either one.


One thing you should realize is that egg issues can be caused by ecoli. Salpingitis is an inflammation of the oviduct that is caused by a "loose" cloaca that allows feces to be sucked back into the oviduct when she would lay. In other words, the egg chute doesn't properly close off. That causes an ecoli infection of the oviduct. Cheesy masses can build up inside there over time, infection coupled with egg yolks, and clog it up, eventually resulting in the death of the hen. You cannot necessarily feel this from the outside of the hen, either. I believe that also can start a cycle of internal laying where yolks are dropped into the abdomen since they cannot go through the oviduct. This can go on for many, many months. Had it happen in one hen for 8 months and in another for a year.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Wow so when do you ever know if they stop laying because they just are getting old or having egg issues and are going to die?? I have heard people say that hens can stop laying at 3-4 years old. Is that not true? Boy I was just hoping for a bunch of old hens running around the yard I guess I will just hold out hope that some will make it past that magic age that when they stop laying, it really just means they stopped laying.

So far Sophie is doing ok. When I let her outside today she immediately flopped down and started sunbathing. I really thought that was it, she was dying! Thanks for the great information even though it's depressing, I do appreciate the facts.

 

[speckledhen]

Absolutely they can lay for many years! I have several who are 5 1/2 years old now, laying just fine with no signs of stopping, in spite of arthritic feet and legs in a couple of them. No, as long as the hen has the yolks in there, she will continue laying, barring any health issues.

I've had only one hen ever just quit laying that I didn't think had anything wrong. She lived to be 6 1/2 years old and did not lay the last year and a half of her life. The rest of the hatchery hens died from reproductive issues.

 

[arkansaschicks]

So it appears that hatchery hens have a lot more reproductive issues. So that means if I am going to buy more chicks I need to find a local breeder? That kind of scares me. I bought my orpingtons,wynadottes, black and red stars from individual breeders at our state fair and these are the ones that have had the most problems. I would love to get your advice on the breeds that have the least reproduction issues. I become very attached to my girls and it is hard
losing them at 2 and 3 years old. My favorite girl in the whole world is a barred rock that is 2 and I see her going and sitting on the nest and not laying an egg. Makes me sad cause I know something is going on with her. Right now though she is good and very healthy, she loves to sit on my chest and read for an hr. she is a true cuddlier!!
In your experience which breed has the best chance for longevity? Production level really doesn't matter to me.

Sophie is still hanging in there. She just seems thin

 

[NovaAman]

A lot of breeders use hatchery birds... Add new hatchery birds when they need to add some new hens/bloodlines. Or they do not cull hard enough to keep defective traits from continuing. I have chickens at home that I have gotten from breeders and hatcheries. I have had one SLW die from EYP. She was not even a year old when we had to put her down. I got her from a breeder... turns out this breeder got her starting stock from a few different hatcheries... Called herself a breeder... Just saying..

 

[arkansaschicks]

NovaAman- I understand what you are saying!! So what are we to do???

 

[tamtam84]

I have been wondering the same thing about which breeds are best for longevity, not necessarily egg production. I think speckledhen said once in my thread on Buttercup (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...domen-with-pics-video-page-9/160#post_9601744) that the chicks you hatch yourself from your hatchery stock are more hardy. So I think next year we may try to hatch some of our own chicks from those we have now. All of our chickens are hatchery stock right now (11 hens, 2 roosters). Out of my first flock of 8 hens that we got from a hatchery 3 years ago, only 4 of the 8 are still living. And of course Buttercup is having major issues.

 

[speckledhen]

The breeds that are not the most common ones that feed stores get on Chick Days will probably be better in that department. At least, that's my theory.

For instance, my Brahmas, both my Lt. Brahma and my Buff Brahma, never had egg issues. My Lt. Brahma recently died at 5 1/2 years old. She was laying up until about 3-4 weeks prior to that. The Buff Brahma is still with me, going on 6 years old now, though she stopped laying again. At that age, they don't usually lay all year long anyway. They are the most trouble free hatchery hens I've ever had, even from the same hatchery as all the other hens who have died from reproductive malfunctions.

I have a hatchery Silver Phoenix hen who is going on two years old so she is still young, but a Phoenix is certainly not what most folks think of when they go for egg producing hens, just like the Brahmas. My 4 1/2 year old hatchery bantam Cochin, same hatchery, has been egg bound three times so even she's had issues. Thankfully, we were there each time to ease the egg out for her.

Every hatchery RIR, every hatchery BR, every hatchery Wyandotte and one of the two Buff Orps has died from reproductive issues, though one of the BRs and one of the RIRs went from ovarian cancer, not necessarily internal laying, though those two showed signs of it. ALL the Wyandottes died from internal laying and/or egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Speckled Hen- thank you so much for the information! I was really wanting to add to my flock this next spring and Brahmas would be an excellent choice. I also have a beautiful Phoenix rooster so I might add a few Phoenix hens. Each year I have let my Barred Rocks and Buff orps hatch out their own chicks and it has been wonderful but I have ended up with a few more roosters than I needed. This year I went without any new additions so I am really looking forward to next spring!!
Sophie is still hanging in there and poop is a little more solid but still same color. She is really hating all the attention! My wynadottes have also been the least social of my girls.