Second sick hen

[ZedikerStation]

One capsule daily for seven to ten days.

There is a type of coccidiosis that occurs in the cecum instead of the intestines. There's sometimes a discharge of material similar to lash material associated with reproductive disease. It's been discussed on this site, but I have zero experience with it myself, nor do I have any knowledge of it beyond what others on this site have mentioned. I suppose it's possible that worming dislodged some of this material from the cecum, but that might mean your chickens have been exposed to coccidia.

It's often recommended that in ruling out causes of illness, worming and coccidia treatment be undertaken, so as long as you wormed the chickens, it might be a good idea to also put them through a round of Corid. Then do both a second time in a week to ten days.

Often, with coccidiosis, there is blood in the stools. You might be on the watch for that.

Thank you so much @azygous , we've been watching for blood, but haven't found any. I have the Corid ready to go, but figured I should finish the Safe-Guard wormer first. They got the last dose tonight. The droppings are firming up for the most part. Seems only 1 or 2 have really loose droppings. How quickly after being exposed to coccidia would they show symptoms? The reason I ask is because it seems coincidental that we began this downward spiral after those sparrows found their way into the coop. Could it be them? The enclosed run is covered with 1" aviary netting, but they made 2 holes in it. They are fixed and the sparrows can't get in now. What do you think?

Is there a test that can be done on the mass/lash egg...

 

[ZedikerStation]

I think I found my answer about the sparrows: English sparrows and certain other wild birds in the United States are commonly infected with coccidia belonging to the genus Isospora. No verified case of poultry coccidiosis caused by this genus has been reported, and attempts to infect chickens and turkeys with the coccidium of the sparrow have failed.

 

[azygous]

Eimeria is the coccidia species that infect chickens. Nine different varieties. They are only specific to chickens. Others bird species each have their own coccidia and they don't cross infect, so your chickens can't get coccidia from sparrows. Wild birds can bring other unwanted pathogens to your chickens, though. It's best not to overthink it or you'll want to shoot yourself. You can worm and treat for coccidia at the same time, so any time is good to begin the Corid.

I don't know if they test lash material to identify what part of the chicken's body it came from. It's pus. I imagine pus is pretty much all the same, made up of white blood cells as most pus is, but I don't know if it's possible to pinpoint where it originated.

The oviduct and the cecum and the intestines are all connected, so lash material could have come from any of those places if there's infection, which pus is the response to.

Does that make any sense?

 

[ZedikerStation]

Eimeria is the coccidia species that infect chickens. Nine different varieties. They are only specific to chickens. Others bird species each have their own coccidia and they don't cross infect, so your chickens can't get coccidia from sparrows. Wild birds can bring other unwanted pathogens to your chickens, though. It's best not to overthink it or you'll want to shoot yourself. You can worm and treat for coccidia at the same time, so any time is good to begin the Corid.

I don't know if they test lash material to identify what part of the chicken's body it came from. It's pus. I imagine pus is pretty much all the same, made up of white blood cells as most pus is, but I don't know if it's possible to pinpoint where it originated.

The oviduct and the cecum and the intestines are all connected, so lash material could have come from any of those places if there's infection, which pus is the response to.

Does that make any sense?

It sure does! I think we are back to finding which hen or now hens we are dealing with. Then perhaps the Doxy. Can you tell me the withdrawal period if we treat with it? Assuming we can identify who it is. No one is volunteering!!! Does it seem odd to have 2 hens passing lash eggs at the same time? The wormer dislodging something seems plausible...

 

[azygous]

Egg withdrawal, to be safe, make it two weeks after the last day of Doxy.

You know, anything is possible. But the odds are only one hen is going to be infected. Coicidentally, I discovered lash material this morning in my main coop. Absolutely no way to know who it's from. None of the chickens are under the weather at the moment, so I'm in the dark here on my end, too, if having company in uncertainty is any consolation.

 

[ZedikerStation]

Egg withdrawal, to be safe, make it two weeks after the last day of Doxy.

You know, anything is possible. But the odds are only one hen is going to be infected. Coicidentally, I discovered lash material this morning in my main coop. Absolutely no way to know who it's from. None of the chickens are under the weather at the moment, so I'm in the dark here on my end, too, if having company in uncertainty is any consolation.

That is not good! I appreciate all the help and guidance. I raised 300 capons a year some 45 years ago in my 4-H days. I think Capons and 4-H are both things of the past... Always had some hens around. Can't recall ever having any issues, although the Capons were certainly a seasonal thing. I allowed my wife to talk me into chickens again. They have been enjoyable. Glad we found Back Yard Chickens...

 

[ZedikerStation]

Well nothing earth shattering tonight. No lash material. Everyone seems happy and active other than the completely new sleeping arrangements on the roost without the two we lost. They used to be evenly divided 5 and 5 far left and far right. Now they are all together far right... chickens are funny.

Anyway, tonight is the last of a 3 day Safe-Guard wormer. We found nothing resembling worms so far except for the image attached. It appears like straw, but the straw was all removed after the last chicken died. We went back to all pine shavings since Saturday. Does it look like tape worm? I don't see any segments. I don't believe Safe-Guard will kill tape worms. If it is straw, it took 4 days to make it through.

 

[azygous]

I take it you aren't curious enough to dissect the stringy thing to see if it's animal or vegetable. Yes, cellulose can take forever to travel through the digestive tract.

Glad to hear things are quiet at Zediker Station.

 

[ZedikerStation]

I take it you aren't curious enough to dissect the stringy thing to see if it's animal or vegetable. Yes, cellulose can take forever to travel through the digestive tract.

Glad to hear things are quiet at Zediker Station.

LOL... I was curious enough to dissect the lash material because it looked like something might be in it. It doesn't look like anything is in this, and I can't find anything that looks like it on the internet.

 

[ZedikerStation]

Update on test results:
Vet called and said results for Giardia are negative. So with no worms and no Giardia, I guess we are slowly learning what DIDN'T kill them....