Severely constipated chicken

[eaking]

Susie, our 23 week old Buff Orpington has been acting strangely for a few days - lethargic, barely eating, not foraging or interacting with her sisters, and most importantly, NOT pooping. We took her to the vet and she is not egg bound, nor is there a blockage that would stop her from evacuating. We gave her fluids, vitamin B, and I have separated her from the rest of the flock. She is eating more - I am hand feeding her scrambled eggs and (ew...) chicken, to encourage her to eat. She sometimes has trouble standing - she must be very weak. This morning we gave her some olive oil and I am on my way to the feed store to get vetrx and nutridrench. Any other ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can she walk very well or does she have a limp? Did the vet have any idea why she has trouble standing? Is her back bone shaped oddly? It sounds like she may not be having good control of her lower body which prevent her from standing, walking around to get enough to eat and drink, and that could be a problem. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Has she laid any eggs so far? Even though the vet said she was not eggbound, could you insert a clean or gloved finger 1-2 inches inside her vent to feel for a stuck egg or blockage? I would make sure that she is in a small area or pen where she can reach water and food.

 

[eaking]

She cannot walk very well, but it only began after we took her to the (inept) vet. I'm trying to have specialist come by tomorrow to do a better examination. She is in a small pen with food and water in reach. She has not laid any eggs and she was not vaccinated for Mareks. I will try reaching inside her vent.

 

[LaFleche]

How does her crop feel, is it bloated and rather squishy or like a hard ball?

 

[eaking]

Her crop feels fine, no blockage in the vent. A LOT of poop in her vent that we managed to extricate. Could she be having trouble pushing it out?

 

[dawg53]

If she's having trouble pooping, you can give her applesauce to eat or mixed in feed. It acts as a mild laxative in poultry. Or you can use one of the treatments in this link; scroll down to LAXATIVE SOLUTIONS:
http://extension.msstate.edu/content/solutions-and-treatments

 

[eaking]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. The vet is coming by tonight but the bloodwork was inconclusive, there's no blockage in her vent and she's still not evacuating - I've been having to do it for her. She's not getting better and nothing we've tried has ameliorated her symptoms. I believe we will have to euthanize her.

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. The vet is coming by tonight but the bloodwork was inconclusive, there's no blockage in her vent and she's still not evacuating - I've been having to do it for her. She's not getting better and nothing we've tried has ameliorated her symptoms. I believe we will have to euthanize her.

Did the previous vet take an x-ray or how was the 'inept' vet able to exclude an reproductive issue/eggbinding?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry if you have already euthanized her. I would recommend doing a necropsy either yourself, taking pictures of organs, or by having your vet or the state poultry lab do one to look for what happened. I have done one before where the intestines were necrotic due to a gizzard impaction, which caused the crop to not function normally. Pictures of necropsies are always welcome here, since we are here to learn and some may offer suggestions.

 

[eaking]

Thanks, all. She ended up holding on until Wednesday morning. Xrays didn't show anything. The specialist we took her to, who was infinitely more helpful than the initial vet we took her to, said it was likely a bacterial infection that eventually spread to her brain and her organs. She passed on Wednesday morning, two full days after I thought she would have passed.