Pullet wasting away, worms or something else?

[witchimage]

My nine week old cream legbar is not doing well, last Thursday (8/10) I noticed she was drinking a lot of water and not behaving like herself but I figured she would get over it. She rapidly declined after this, now she is emaciated and showing signs of dehydration and muscle weakness. There are no other symptoms of illness (no coughing/sneezing/wheezing, no discharge, no swelling, etc).

I’ve been feeding her wet crumbles multiple times a day and giving her electrolytes and Poultry Cell. She is still drinking water excessively and not improving. Tonight I brought her inside and put her with a heat source because I believe she’s not keeping her body temperature up, her legs are cold to the touch.

She is Marek’s vaccinated and on medicated feed. She and the only other chickens I have came from the same source at the same time and have not been in contact with any other chickens/poultry. They were moved outside only three weeks ago and they are not free ranged.

I have been collecting poop from her for a fecal test tomorrow and I attached photos of what she passed earlier. Does this look like worms? Or is something else wrong with her? I was thinking tapeworms because it looks segmented but I don’t know. It feels firm, only mildly squishy, and there was a small bit of bright red blood included.

 

[Paz]

Treat for worms AND coccidiosis. Supplement the water with honey. Check to see wether her crop empties normally.
Good luck

 

[Eggcessive]

How does her crop feel? Is it empty in early morning or is there still food or fluid in it? I can’t see much in the sample, but it is easy to treat for worms by giving 1/2 ml of Valbazen orally and repeat that in 10 days. Or get SafeGuard horse paste or liquid goat wormer, and given 1/4 ml per pound of weight for 5 days. Those will treat most worms, except tapeworms. Equimax horse paste will treat those, but they are rare. If you have a picture of a typical poop, it may show if there are tapeworms moving. Your vet could also do a fecal float to look for worms eggs. Cancer or a chronic type of coccidiosis or worms might be possible problems.

 

[witchimage]

How does her crop feel? Is it empty in early morning or is there still food or fluid in it? I can’t see much in the sample, but it is easy to treat for worms by giving 1/2 ml of Valbazen orally and repeat that in 10 days. Or get SafeGuard horse paste or liquid goat wormer, and given 1/4 ml per pound of weight for 5 days. Those will treat most worms, except tapeworms. Equimax horse paste will treat those, but they are rare. If you have a picture of a typical poop, it may show if there are tapeworms moving. Your vet could also do a fecal float to look for worms eggs. Cancer or a chronic type of coccidiosis or worms might be possible problems.

I just got up to check on her (it’s early morning here), she had a big meal and lots of water before bed last night and her crop has emptied considerably but I can still feel a small firmness. I’ve looked through her poop and I can’t find any other evidence of worms besides the strange white clumps she passed in those pictures. I’m going to try to get her in at a vet today along with having a fecal test done.

 

[witchimage]

She just passed this, I have no idea what this could be. It’s solid, not urates. I have a vet appointment for her later today.

 

[dawg53]

She just passed this, I have no idea what this could be. It’s solid, not urates. I have a vet appointment for her later today.

Please keep us informed. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

She just passed this, I have no idea what this could be. It’s solid, not urates. I have a vet appointment for her later today.

That is odd. If she were of laying age, I might suggest cutting that in half in case it was lash eggs material. But she is young. Looking forward to see what your vet says.

 

[witchimage]

Bad news, it is a lash egg, and she does have the symptoms of salpingitis. Lethargy, excessive thirst, weight loss, ruffled feathers.

I’ll get the vet to prescribe some antibiotics. I know the prognosis isn’t good by the time a lash egg is passed, but I’m going to try my best to save her.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks for the update, sorry to hear about your hen. Supportive care is best and good luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

My goodness that seems very early for her to have a
salpingitis and lash material. Antibiotics might possibly help, at least I hope so.