- Jan 4, 2015
- 34
- 101
- 134
Hi BYC, we have a hen who's about 6 years old who's been sick for over two weeks now. I'm hoping someone has some insights as there seems to be several issues going on at once.
In particular, I'd like to know:
1) Whether to start another round of antibiotics / other medication
2) Whether the diet needs changes
3) What I could do about the leg paralysis
4) What I could do about the rapid breathing
5) Suggestions on where else I could look / read up on
Thanks in advance for any thoughts, suggestions, and ideas!
To summarize the long writeup below:
** Just now as I was writing she let out a large poop, dark green in color, mostly solid, and with a tiny bit of yolk. The smell isn't quite as foul as the discharge from last night, but it's still packs a punch. I'll see if I can get her to eat some solids again. I've attached an image below for reference.
Symptoms
The most alarming symptom so far is the rapid breathing. After feeding / drinking, my hen begins to breathe rapidly (15-25 times per ten seconds), sometimes for hours or until she falls asleep.
Her right leg became paralyzed overnight and has remained immobile since. One day she was running around, the next she was flat on her belly in the coop. She doesn't seem to react to touch nor is she able to move it. There doesn't seem to be any injury (no cuts or bruises, no swelling along joints, etc.).
In addition to the issues above, she seemed to have ascites and some yolk in her stool. As a precaution for internal laying / EYP, I placed her on a 5-day course of enrofloxacin (baytril) about 5 days after I first noticed some egg-binding symptoms.
Presently, she is not on any medication although we've been mixing some nutri-drench into her water.
While her appetite seemed to recover a bit, presently it's gone again and she'll only peck at her food / take a couple of small bites. Her diet has mostly consisted of yogurt (diluted in water and drip fed when she will not eat solids), a bite or two of cooked egg, and a tiny nibble of whatever else she takes a fancy to. This has included sliced wheat bread and peaches. She doesn't drink on her own either and we've been drip feeding water.
The stool she passes has been very watery and green on account of her very poor appetite. There were a couple of days at the end of her antibiotic course where she did eat and she passed more solid and brown stool. Unfortunately, I get water squirting out with green bits again. Recently, this watery discharge smells incredibly foul. I've attempted to treat this with apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil.
** Just now as I was writing she let out a large poop, dark green in color, mostly solid, and with a tiny bit of yolk.
Timeline / Treatment
About two weekends ago, I noticed that my hen was walking a bit funny, legs apart and waddling somewhat. I suspected that she might be egg bound and began treating her for that with a nice epsom salt bath. I also felt around for an egg (and have continued to do so every few days), but to this day there's no egg.
The next day (day 2), the funny walk seemed to subside and she seemed to perk up a bit. Due to the heat, it was difficult to tell that she was exhibiting a symptom of rapid breathing, as it appeared as if she was just overheated and panting.
On day 3, we found her in the coop immobilized with one leg paralyzed. She appeared extremely frail and I again began treating for both egg binding on the rationale that perhaps a bound egg might press on her sciatic nerve. I did not feel an egg, however. Because she was no longer walking, could not check to see if she was still waddling or had the distinct "squatting" posture.
Having never dealt with sudden onset paralysis, I was somewhat panicked and began treating for botulism in the event that she picked up something while ranging. This I did by feeding her epsom salt diluted in water to flush her system. I later attempted to treat for potential vitamin deficiency using nutri-drench and Rooster Booster.
At present, it doesn't seem like she's regained any control of her paralyzed leg.
Through all of this, she exhibited rapid breathing at an alarming rate. She also couldn't keep her head up or her eyes open. It seemed more and more likely that she was suffering from something dire. Again, botulism was at top of mind, but having flushed her system once I didn't want to stress her any further.
Right now, she breathes rapidly after eating or drinking. Breathing returns to a normal pace when she falls asleep or when I put her in an epsom salt soak. There's no rattling / wheezing when she breathes, although earlier there'd be a "click" sound on each exhalation (this clicking sound has since gone away).
By day 5, she seemed to stabilize a bit and became more alert. It's also at this time that I began paying more attention to the yolks in her stool, which reminded me of a hen who had succumbed to EYP in the past. I had also noticed her belly beneath her vent swelling and feeling very much like ascites. At this point, I began treating with enrofloxacin (baytril) for five days, twice daily. Based on her weight at the time (4lbs), I gave her about 0.2ml per dosing. She's lost weight since and is down to about 3.2lbs.
Towards the end of her antibiotic course, she perked up substantially and began to regain some appetite. Last weekend, we started crushing her layer pellets and mixing the crushed pellet in with her yogurt. She devoured it (days 9-12). But her appetite has dwindled since.
Her stool remains mostly free of yolk now although I still see a few strands on occasion. And as I mentioned above, her stool is beginning to smell pretty foul. Her belly seems to be less swollen now, although I can't really say for sure if she's reabsorbing.
To help her sleep better, I'm avoiding feeding her before bedtime (so as not to have her breathing rate rocket up).
In particular, I'd like to know:
1) Whether to start another round of antibiotics / other medication
2) Whether the diet needs changes
3) What I could do about the leg paralysis
4) What I could do about the rapid breathing
5) Suggestions on where else I could look / read up on
Thanks in advance for any thoughts, suggestions, and ideas!
To summarize the long writeup below:
- Leg paralysis => Treated for botulism with an epsom salt flush (day 1)
- Ascites / yolk in stool / squatting pose => five-day round of enrofloxacin (baytril) (started day 5)
- Potential egg binding => epsom salt baths (numerous)
- Leg paralysis / general weakness => Treated for potential vitamin deficiency with nutri-drench and Rooster Booster, which contains B12 (almost daily)
- Foul smelling watery stool => Treated with apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil (administered this morning)**
- Rapid breathing is still ongoing and happens most noticeably after eating / drinking. It also seems to go away immediately with each epsom salt soak. I'm not sure what's causing this, but was hoping that treating other symptoms might alleviate this one
- Leg is still paralyzed, other working leg seems to be weakening
** Just now as I was writing she let out a large poop, dark green in color, mostly solid, and with a tiny bit of yolk. The smell isn't quite as foul as the discharge from last night, but it's still packs a punch. I'll see if I can get her to eat some solids again. I've attached an image below for reference.
Symptoms
The most alarming symptom so far is the rapid breathing. After feeding / drinking, my hen begins to breathe rapidly (15-25 times per ten seconds), sometimes for hours or until she falls asleep.
Her right leg became paralyzed overnight and has remained immobile since. One day she was running around, the next she was flat on her belly in the coop. She doesn't seem to react to touch nor is she able to move it. There doesn't seem to be any injury (no cuts or bruises, no swelling along joints, etc.).
In addition to the issues above, she seemed to have ascites and some yolk in her stool. As a precaution for internal laying / EYP, I placed her on a 5-day course of enrofloxacin (baytril) about 5 days after I first noticed some egg-binding symptoms.
Presently, she is not on any medication although we've been mixing some nutri-drench into her water.
While her appetite seemed to recover a bit, presently it's gone again and she'll only peck at her food / take a couple of small bites. Her diet has mostly consisted of yogurt (diluted in water and drip fed when she will not eat solids), a bite or two of cooked egg, and a tiny nibble of whatever else she takes a fancy to. This has included sliced wheat bread and peaches. She doesn't drink on her own either and we've been drip feeding water.
The stool she passes has been very watery and green on account of her very poor appetite. There were a couple of days at the end of her antibiotic course where she did eat and she passed more solid and brown stool. Unfortunately, I get water squirting out with green bits again. Recently, this watery discharge smells incredibly foul. I've attempted to treat this with apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil.
** Just now as I was writing she let out a large poop, dark green in color, mostly solid, and with a tiny bit of yolk.
Timeline / Treatment
About two weekends ago, I noticed that my hen was walking a bit funny, legs apart and waddling somewhat. I suspected that she might be egg bound and began treating her for that with a nice epsom salt bath. I also felt around for an egg (and have continued to do so every few days), but to this day there's no egg.
The next day (day 2), the funny walk seemed to subside and she seemed to perk up a bit. Due to the heat, it was difficult to tell that she was exhibiting a symptom of rapid breathing, as it appeared as if she was just overheated and panting.
On day 3, we found her in the coop immobilized with one leg paralyzed. She appeared extremely frail and I again began treating for both egg binding on the rationale that perhaps a bound egg might press on her sciatic nerve. I did not feel an egg, however. Because she was no longer walking, could not check to see if she was still waddling or had the distinct "squatting" posture.
Having never dealt with sudden onset paralysis, I was somewhat panicked and began treating for botulism in the event that she picked up something while ranging. This I did by feeding her epsom salt diluted in water to flush her system. I later attempted to treat for potential vitamin deficiency using nutri-drench and Rooster Booster.
At present, it doesn't seem like she's regained any control of her paralyzed leg.
Through all of this, she exhibited rapid breathing at an alarming rate. She also couldn't keep her head up or her eyes open. It seemed more and more likely that she was suffering from something dire. Again, botulism was at top of mind, but having flushed her system once I didn't want to stress her any further.
Right now, she breathes rapidly after eating or drinking. Breathing returns to a normal pace when she falls asleep or when I put her in an epsom salt soak. There's no rattling / wheezing when she breathes, although earlier there'd be a "click" sound on each exhalation (this clicking sound has since gone away).
By day 5, she seemed to stabilize a bit and became more alert. It's also at this time that I began paying more attention to the yolks in her stool, which reminded me of a hen who had succumbed to EYP in the past. I had also noticed her belly beneath her vent swelling and feeling very much like ascites. At this point, I began treating with enrofloxacin (baytril) for five days, twice daily. Based on her weight at the time (4lbs), I gave her about 0.2ml per dosing. She's lost weight since and is down to about 3.2lbs.
Towards the end of her antibiotic course, she perked up substantially and began to regain some appetite. Last weekend, we started crushing her layer pellets and mixing the crushed pellet in with her yogurt. She devoured it (days 9-12). But her appetite has dwindled since.
Her stool remains mostly free of yolk now although I still see a few strands on occasion. And as I mentioned above, her stool is beginning to smell pretty foul. Her belly seems to be less swollen now, although I can't really say for sure if she's reabsorbing.
To help her sleep better, I'm avoiding feeding her before bedtime (so as not to have her breathing rate rocket up).
Attachments
Last edited:
