New Member with a sick chicken

[Mamagal]

Hi from California! I have been using the helpful information here on backyard chickens for the last 2 years. Thank you to everyone who shares and posts what they have learned and know. I joined today because I have a sick Buff Orpington. I have had no problems the last 2 years since she has been raised here. I have an Americauna as well. My Buff stopped laying about a month ago. She has runny whiteish - yellow poop, no brown at all. Her abdomen is very swollen. I though perhaps she was egg bound, but upon investigating - no egg! I gave her a warm bath anyway and the next day she felt significantly lighter. Her symptoms do not match any of the diseases I have read about under Learning Center.
Anyone have any ideas? She just sits in a corner of the run and barely eats.

Thank you!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. I’m sure the ER folks will be able to offer advice.

More generally, this is a useful link to take a look at - “How to...” guides. You may wish to consider including your location (using the guide in the link above). You can use this link to contact members in your area - U.S. States

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[micstrachan]

Hi there and welcome!
I am sorry about your hen. Unfortunately, I suspect a laying disorder (internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, cancer, salpingitis). I could be wrong. Is this hen a treasured pet? If so, I would recommend an avian vet. I’m in the south bay area and we have several. Where are you in California?

If you prefer to treat yourself, I would check for crop function and external parasites. You can usually have a fecal float test done by a vet to check for internal parasites.

There are two things you might try to reduce the ascites (fluid build-up), but it will only provide temporary relief and sadly won’t solve the underlying problem:
• Drain the fluid yourself, with the understanding that you must use aseptic technique and could introduce infection (we can link videos for you)
• Give her 4mL daily of Lily of the Valley Aloe Detox (got mine on Amazon) for a few days.

Have you seen any strange, fleshy looking bits in the nest box? If so, I would treat for salpingitis with baytril. I’m not keen at throwing antibiotics at them unless necessary, but it has saved a couple of my birds, at least for awhile. I’ve used amoxicillin 250mg twice daily, as well, but it’s not as strong for a suspected E.Coli infection.

Please let us know what you find when you examine her and what you decide.

 

[fldiver97]

Welcome Sorry your gal is not well. You got some good advice already. I would also add some SaveAChick to water, see if she drinks. If she is not drinking you may need a dropper. You can offer some scrambled egg, egg yolk, tuna, feed mixed with some water. Keep her warm and in a quiet area. White discharge makes me think of vent gleet too but swollen belly if not egg bound can be from EYP. Post in the ‘Emergency’ forum too

 

[Mamagal]

Correction...she will be 3 years old next month.

Hi there and welcome!
I am sorry about your hen. Unfortunately, I suspect a laying disorder (internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, cancer, salpingitis). I could be wrong. Is this hen a treasured pet? If so, I would recommend an avian vet. I’m in the south bay area and we have several. Where are you in California?

If you prefer to treat yourself, I would check for crop function and external parasites. You can usually have a fecal float test done by a vet to check for internal parasites.

There are two things you might try to reduce the ascites (fluid build-up), but it will only provide temporary relief and sadly won’t solve the underlying problem:
• Drain the fluid yourself, with the understanding that you must use aseptic technique and could introduce infection (we can link videos for you)
• Give her 4mL daily of Lily of the Valley Aloe Detox (got mine on Amazon) for a few days.

Have you seen any strange, fleshy looking bits in the nest box? If so, I would treat for salpingitis with baytril. I’m not keen at throwing antibiotics at them unless necessary, but it has saved a couple of my birds, at least for awhile. I’ve used amoxicillin 250mg twice daily, as well, but it’s not as strong for a suspected E.Coli infection.

Please let us know what you find when you examine her and what you decide.

Thank you very much for responding to my inquiry! I am in the East Bay Area and not keen on spending $ for a vet at this point. I did see a dark red fleshy looking piece when hosing out the run yesterday. I wasn't sure if it was leftover fruit we had given over the 4th or what. Kind of looked like a piece of cherry. I have put her in a separate cage. I have seen her drink but she only pecks at her food. She wouldn't eat her beloved black sunflower seeds today. She is sleepy. She walked around a bit today on the lawn when I cleaned her cage. Can you tell me what salpingitis is? Can I get these meds you have referred to without prescription?

 

[Mamagal]

Welcome Sorry your gal is not well. You got some good advice already. I would also add some SaveAChick to water, see if she drinks. If she is not drinking you may need a dropper. You can offer some scrambled egg, egg yolk, tuna, feed mixed with some water. Keep her warm and in a quiet area. White discharge makes me think of vent gleet too but swollen belly if not egg bound can be from EYP. Post in the ‘Emergency’ forum too

Thank you for responding to my inquiry. What is EyP? She IS drinking which is great, but diarrhea continues and she still is bloated. Thanks for the tip on feeding other things besides crumbles. I will try that. What does SaveAChick have in it?

 

[Helloworld]

Did you feed her whole cherries?
If so suspect cyanide poison.
We do not give cherries because they cause major digestive problems especially bloat. Was she ok until the cherries?
You can give her charcoal to see if you can empty stomach.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My Buff stopped laying about a month ago. She has runny whiteish - yellow poop,

Her abdomen is very swollen.

She just sits in a corner of the run and barely eats.

I have put her in a separate cage. I have seen her drink but she only pecks at her food. She wouldn't eat her beloved black sunflower seeds today. She is sleepy. She walked around a bit today on the lawn when I cleaned her cage. Can you tell me what salpingitis is?

She IS drinking which is great, but diarrhea continues and she still is bloated.

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.
Does the bloating feel like fluid or hard?
It does sound like she's suffering from a reproductive disorder. Egg Yolk Peritonitis, cancer, tumors, Internal Laying and Salpingitis are all fairly common in laying hens. If there is fluid in the abdomen, sometimes that can be drained to give the hen temporary relief.

Did you separate her because she was being picked on?

With reproductive disorders, there's not a lot that can be done. Even with vet care sometimes the hen's condition is quite advanced before symptoms are noticed (they hide illness well). I would encourage her to eat/drink. Check to make sure her crop is empty in the mornings. If she has fluid in the belly (Ascites), draining may help, there are plenty of videos on youtube to show you how. If she's not being picked on and is able to get up and eat/drink on her own, I would put her back with the other hens, they seem to be more comfortable and less stressed that way.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Hi @Mamagal...you have gotten great advice from @micstrachan and @Wyorp Rock.
I’m in the east Bay Area too. There is vet care available but really it doesn’t move the dial too much around reproductive disorders. Heavy antibiotics or an implant that stops egg production (implant from a vet) might give you a bit of time. This is very common in hatchery chickens. We are all dealing with it.

 

[micstrachan]

Correction...she will be 3 years old next month.


Thank you very much for responding to my inquiry! I am in the East Bay Area and not keen on spending $ for a vet at this point. I did see a dark red fleshy looking piece when hosing out the run yesterday. I wasn't sure if it was leftover fruit we had given over the 4th or what. Kind of looked like a piece of cherry. I have put her in a separate cage. I have seen her drink but she only pecks at her food. She wouldn't eat her beloved black sunflower seeds today. She is sleepy. She walked around a bit today on the lawn when I cleaned her cage. Can you tell me what salpingitis is? Can I get these meds you have referred to without prescription?

Ok, I meant like a light skin tone, not red. Was it red like a blood clot? That could be coccidiosis, but that would be unusual at 3 yrs old unless you’ve introduced new birds.

Salpingitis is inflammation of the oviduct. They can pass “lash eggs,” which aren’t eggs at all, but are layers of pus (the fleshy bits I mentioned. sometimes they are actually as big as eggs!)

Baytril for pigeons can be obtained online, as well as amoxicillin for fish. You cannot get them in stores in California, only from a vet.