Newbie needs help

dustcover

In the Brooder
May 8, 2016
41
6
37
Recently added two new hens, a Barred Rock and a black Sex Link, to my flock of five. Being a newbie, I may not have inspected the new hens as vigilantly as I should have.
After a couple of weeks, I discovered the Barred Rock as having a severe case of flystrike, which I was totally unfamiliar with. I quickly learned a lot from an extensive article on flystrike by the 'Chicken Chick'. But unfortunately my efforts to treat this hen were way too late and she had to be euthanized.


Of course I then carefully examined my remaining hens and found no indication of flystrike. No caked feces on feathers, no flies, no larvae, no maggots.

My original five, Speckled Sussex, Buff Orpington, White Leghorn, and two Reds all exhibit wonderful health and well-being.

However, the black Sex-Link that I acquired with the now demised Barred Rock, although showing no signs of flystrike, is exhibiting a very distressful ailment. I've bathed her underside in a tub of water and Betadine and cleaned the area that is affected. And quarantined her in my hen infirmary.

I'm hoping that someone might recognize from the attached photo this affliction. And offer some advice as to treatment.

 
how old is she? if she is around 1 year old, then she is molting. that is normal. it is the annual shedding of a chickens feathers. they will grow back though.
 
It looks like her chest feathers are thin, and she may have a breast blister. She could have gotten that from sleeping in wet bedding, or she may not have been able to roost because of a leg problem. Sometimes broody hens who want to sit on eggs will pull out their chest feathers, but this looks more like something has irritated her skin. Look her over for lice and mites(tiny bugs.) Check her legs and foot for swelling of her joints which could be a sign of a joint infection called MS. Keep her quarantined for at least a month to make sure that she is healthy.
 
She is now discharging a very runny-yellowish-diarrhea. Please can someone guide me as to what might be done to help this lovely Black Sex Link back to good health?
 
She is now discharging a very runny-yellowish-diarrhea. Please can someone guide me as to what might be done to help this lovely Black Sex Link back to good health?

Does her bottom feel like a water balloon? Is it really big and swollen or just a small area like that? I'm wondering if she is laying internally. Are you sure that isn't egg yolk discharging out of her? If it's yolk she has an egg laying problem and one might have broke inside her. Not good. If you have any calcium pills cut it in half and put one down her throat. Do that a few days and see if she lays an egg with a shell. If an egg broke inside her, you may need to put her on antbiotics to prevent infection because that is a possibility. Now if it is yellow poop, you have a very sick bird. Antibiotics would likely still be in order. I can't remember off hand what the yellow color means but some diseases do present that way.
Heres a good reference for sick chickens. I freaked first time I saw it. I never realized there were so many things that can go wrong with a chicken.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/

And here is a medicine guide:

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart
 
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[COLOR=800000]She is now discharging a very runny-yellowish-diarrhea.  Please can someone guide me as to what might be done to help this lovely Black Sex Link back to good health?[/COLOR]



Some of our guys have had the same runny poo and they have been fine. Many pages can be found on normal and abnormal poop. However, with multiple symptoms like this, I'd take her to the vet. That way you get a clear cut answer and treatment. This is even more important with the passing of another flock member.
 
Hi, I'm having pretty much the same problem with my Serama hen( 1year old). Only she had some white soft leather like shell hanging from her vent. It did fall off, but now it looks like she is passing more. She is not eating good,and she has her feathers fluffed up and does not want to move around very much. I gave her some Nutri-Drench,and Calcium -Drench hoping that will help move the rest of the egg out.It's been two days now she is still not feeling good,and the Vets here don't know anything about Chickens. I'm very worried about Infection,so if anyone can please help me, she is such a sweet little hen. Not sure what Antibiotics are best, or how much to give. Please help if you can.
 
Hi, I'm having pretty much the same problem with my Serama hen( 1year old). Only she had some white soft leather like shell hanging from her vent. It did fall off, but now it looks like she is passing more. She is not eating good,and she has her feathers fluffed up and does not want to move around very much. I gave her some Nutri-Drench,and Calcium -Drench hoping that will help move the rest of the egg out.It's been two days now she is still not feeling good,and the Vets here don't know anything about Chickens. I'm very worried about Infection,so if anyone can please help me, she is such a sweet little hen. Not sure what Antibiotics are best, or how much to give. Please help if you can.

That sounds like she passed the membrane and is not making a shell. Does the calcium drench have vit D in it? I'd find a good multivitamin mix and give in their water. Or just give her half of a calcium pill with vit D in it. I also have found that some birds improve when given vit E also. Just a regular vit E capsule, I just pop in the back of their throat. Has she been wormed? That could weaken her also. As far as antibiotics, not knowing what is going on, it might be best to try a natural antibiotic. I use oil of oregano at times. The come in capsules, sold in health food stores, I also just pop in the back of their throat for several days.
 

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