no, NOT my MAYMAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishnet1971]

Many of you have heard me speak of MayMay, my rescue hen from Buffalo, NY. I have had her for over a year, so I am assuming she is a few years old (she does not lay at all). has always been healthy, happy, a GREAT girl.

In the last few days I have noticed her comb start to flop over a little in the back. She has a big upright bright red comb normally. It is still bright red, just starting to droop. I have been keeping watch over her pretty closly to make sure it nothing abnormal. Yesterday when I got home I noticed that she was moving slower than the rest. Kinda off by herself and she would stop to rest and sit down. Her comb would turn a little blue at the end that was drooping. then i would come back to color and she would move on. Sounds like O2 problem i am starting to think. I put her up close and listened to her lungs. She doesnt sound rhaspy or congested at all. Please tell me I am not losing my MayMay to heart failure???? Any clues guys and gals?

DAWGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have you ever heard of this one?

I made her a scrambled egg and she ate it really well. She's drinking good. Only really picking at her crumbles lightly. She is normally a pig.

 

[theoldchick]

Aw, bless her heart. I hope she does okay.

 

[lilchick]

Is this a recent photo of her because she looks really healthy in it.... I flipped the pic. over to view it.
Usually a blue comb indicates not enough oxygen in blood circulating properly. Is she overweight and getting on in years?

Sometimes when they are caged and not out free ranging they do not have proper muscle development and are weaker that way and prone to health problems.

If she is eating and appears healthy you could take the wait and see approach. Just be sure to keep her cool when the hot humid weather comes on. I keep fans in my barns for hot weather and the heavier ones even spend a few days in air conditioned basement.

 

[fishnet1971]

no, that was her last summer in my truck taking a ride to McDonalds for an ice cream. lol...
I will get a picture of her today. She has always had a little bit of a problem breathing, dont know if it had something to do with her being improperly debeaked or what. nasal seems clear as well. She is heavy, but i can still feel her breastbone. I am sure she is in no way underweight.

Getting on in years? yea, probably. she wasnt laying when i got her, so i figure she was at least 2 or 3. Then i have had her for 1 1/2 years, so i am guessing 4 or 5 yrs. old at the youngest

I am watching her closely and praying for the best. I just get a bad feeling there's no fix. It's gonna break my heart.

I lost another hen last Monday to a sickness we still are not sure of. It was nothing like this though ecoli we think or botulism.

 

[fishnet1971]

SHould i maybe start her on a strong antibiodic? I have Baytril, Durram. , Terramy., and maybe with eprinex as well?

 

[EweSheep]

Sometimes production hens do have their problems but the one that stands out the most is egg perioditics...the same thing that plague SpeckledHen's hatchery girls. The eggs are cysts, hard masses that they do not pass it down to the tunnel that it would stop up somewhere, making it harder for the girls to lay, and go for a prolonged illness. It would push their lungs up as well, keeping them from breathing properly and the heart has been stressed out to keep going with the "cancer" growing, pushing those vital organs to the point of being disfunctional. Some would live up to two years, up to four years at the most. Breeder birds normally do not have that problem. I've got girls that do not come from hatcheries, already passed their five year mark and still going strong. The hatchery girls I have had, they barely made it to three years old before coming down with the egg bound issues or egg peridontics. (sorry, spelled wrong)

If this is the case, there is no cure. Just make her comfortable until she is so distressed or uncomfortable, then you will have to decide to put her down in the most merciful way. Take heart, you have given her the best home she possibly ever ask while her sisters may have been suffered much worse, ended up in soup cans in their short lives.

 

[EweSheep]

Here are SpeckledHen's experiences on her hens that has the problem. WARNING, it's graphic!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/106294/rosemarys-necropsy-photos-warning-graphic
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...i-laymans-necropsy-warning-graphic-pics-below
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/218910/my-first-non-hatchery-internal-layer-im-so-tired-of-this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...pers-what-are-you-losing-most-of-your-hens-to
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...educational-necropsy-photos-of-cause-of-death

 

[fishnet1971]

I am thinking that she was past laying age when i rescued her. She did leave me one little egg fart right afte i got her in 2010.

Can chickens get heart worms?

 

[lilchick]

Yes chickens can get worms. I use Ivermectin to clean out all the worms and Piperazine in waterers which is safe to use monthly.

If she is showing a bit of stress and congestion I would give her Tylan.

And a baby aspirin can help too. Help with pain and swelling. good luck...

 

[lilchick]

Sorry I don't know if they can get heart worms like dogs do....That would be an excellent question to ask your Vet...