Please help!

[kaela_has_chickens]

I have a hen that I took to the vet about a month ago that we treated for worms. She was on an antibiotic and what I believe is the equivalent to safeguard for 5 days. She seemed great after treatment, so back into the coop she went! Now I’m noticing that she’s starting to act funny again, and I’ve heard that they sometimes need to be dewormed again after 10 days, but I didn’t do that because the vet never mentioned that it would be necessary! Do you think she’s sick again? And if so, do I need to start over - as in, do safeguard for 5 days, wait 10, and then do another 5 days? Also, should she be separated from the rest of the flock during any of that time?

TIA for your help!

 

[Tonyroo]

Take note of the texture of her poop to see if it changed. If it doesn't look right, you can deworm her.

 

[kaela_has_chickens]

Take note of the texture of her poop to see if it changed. If it doesn't look right, you can deworm her.

I’m pretty sure the only thing coming out is diarrhea. All the feathers under her tail are a mess… Plus, her tail is pointed down most of the time, and she mostly lays around or stands in one spot in a daze. Pretty much exactly like she was a month ago.

 

[kaela_has_chickens]

It kind of seems like her breathing is a little labored… or just heavy? I was trying to post a video, but maybe I can’t post videos?

 

[Tonyroo]

@Wyorp Rock , can you help?

 

[townchicks]

You might want to contact the vet again. It's most likely that she felt better because of the antibiotic, rather than the deworming. Especially if her breathing is labored. Worming is best repeated in 10 to 14 days, because there would be eggs in the intestinal tract that are not killed by wormers, so you do it again to kill them after they hatch. These new worms are unlikely to be numerous or big enough to make her so sick, however.

 

[kaela_has_chickens]

I suppose she might be breathing normal… she’s just sitting on my lap, so it looks a little strange because her whole body is moving when she breathes, but it might just look odd because my girls aren’t usually this still! Her breathing doesn’t SOUND labored.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen that I took to the vet about a month ago that we treated for worms. She was on an antibiotic and what I believe is the equivalent to safeguard for 5 days. She seemed great after treatment, so back into the coop she went! Now I’m noticing that she’s starting to act funny again, and I’ve heard that they sometimes need to be dewormed again after 10 days, but I didn’t do that because the vet never mentioned that it would be necessary! Do you think she’s sick again? And if so, do I need to start over - as in, do safeguard for 5 days, wait 10, and then do another 5 days? Also, should she be separated from the rest of the flock during any of that time?

TIA for your help!

I’m pretty sure the only thing coming out is diarrhea. All the feathers under her tail are a mess… Plus, her tail is pointed down most of the time, and she mostly lays around or stands in one spot in a daze. Pretty much exactly like she was a month ago.

It kind of seems like her breathing is a little labored… or just heavy? I was trying to post a video, but maybe I can’t post videos?

Can you please post some photos - hen, poop?

What was the vet treating with the antibiotic? Any diagnosis?
Was a fecal float done to confirm worms or ?

Symptoms? She's laying down, in a daze, has she been laying eggs, is she able to eat/drink on her own, is her crop emptying, any lice/mites, any bloat or fluid in the abdomen, how old is she?

If Safeguard is given for 5 days in a row, there's no repeat.

I would work on hydration, ensure she's drinking well.
I agree, probably the antibiotic made her feel better for a while and now she's in a state of decline, but hard to know without more info.

 

[kaela_has_chickens]

Can you please post some photos - hen, poop?

What was the vet treating with the antibiotic? Any diagnosis?
Was a fecal float done to confirm worms or ?

Symptoms? She's laying down, in a daze, has she been laying eggs, is she able to eat/drink on her own, is her crop emptying, any lice/mites, any bloat or fluid in the abdomen, how old is she?

If Safeguard is given for 5 days in a row, there's no repeat.

I would work on hydration, ensure she's drinking well.
I agree, probably the antibiotic made her feel better for a while and now she's in a state of decline, but hard to know without more info.

The vet was very nice, but also in a bit of a hurry… he had a horse emergency at a farm to go to, so I didn’t get a ton of info.

*He didn’t really tell me what he as giving the antibiotic for.

*He did not do a fecal float test, but to be fair, there was no poop in the kennel I brought her in, and she didn’t poop the entire time we were there, so we really didn’t have a choice. She wasn’t pooping a whole lot then, and she doesn’t seem to be going much right now, either. She sat on my lap for a good 30-45 minutes and never went at all.

*She is not laying eggs at the moment.

*Her crop is empty, but abdomen down kind of between her legs feels pretty large - a little like a filled water balloon?

*She is 3 years old

*No lice or mites that I can find.

I spent some time out there this morning, and I did see her drinking a little, but I gave them a little bit of cracked corn, (mostly to try to get to where I could catch her), and she didn’t seem at all interested in that.

I hope this info along with the pictures are helpful. Let me know if there are any other questions. I really appreciate your help in this - I REALLY don’t want to lose this sweet girl!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd try to keep her washed up so flies don't lay egg on her bottom, that can cause Flystrike.

Having an abdomen that feels like it has fluid (symptom Ascites), likely she's having trouble with a reproductive disorder. EYP, Salpingitis, Cancer and/or organ dysfunction are a few common causes of the symptom seen in laying hens.
Sometimes draining fluid or even giving an aloe detox may be helpful in making the hen more comfortable for a period time. The antibiotics may have temporarily given some relief so she felt better.