Sick Bantam, Could use some help and suggestions

[mymilliefleur]

Yesterday morning I noticed one of my d'Uccle bantams standing on the roost by the nest box.She had her head tucked in and was all fluffed out, typical ''I'm not feeling well'' posture. She drank a little, but was not really interested in eating. Her poop was small and greenish. This morning she wasn't improved, but she ate and drank quite a bit. I'm thinking maybe an egg laying related problem?
Any suggestions? I really don't want to lose her!
Thanks in advance!

 

[chickengirl1230]

Have you checked to see if her vent is blocked?

 

[mymilliefleur]

Have you checked to see if her vent is blocked?

Not that I can tell.

 

[TwoCrows]

I find that sometimes you have to eliminate everything first before you can diagnose an issue. I would start with checking to see if she is egg bound. It is very simple to do. Get a latex disposable glove and some KY-Jelly or Vaseline. Lube up your index finger and gently insert it into her vent. Go straight back, not down or left or right. If she has a stuck egg, you should feel it within the first 1 or 2 inches. If there is nothing there then you are most likely in the intestines and she is not egg bound.

But you need to rule with out with any hen. Egg binding is life threatening and must be checked off the list before you continue with diagnosis.

Keep us posted!

 

[mymilliefleur]

I find that sometimes you have to eliminate everything first before you can diagnose an issue. I would start with checking to see if she is egg bound. It is very simple to do. Get a latex disposable glove and some KY-Jelly or Vaseline. Lube up your index finger and gently insert it into her vent. Go straight back, not down or left or right. If she has a stuck egg, you should feel it within the first 1 or 2 inches. If there is nothing there then you are most likely in the intestines and she is not egg bound.

But you need to rule with out with any hen. Egg binding is life threatening and must be checked off the list before you continue with diagnosis.

Keep us posted!

Thanks! I will do that right now!

 

[mymilliefleur]

I didn't feel an egg, though the glove did have some yellowish liquid on it, possibly a broken egg? She is eating a little and drank some warm molasses water. She seems slightly more perky than before, but it may just be my imagination.

 

[annaBsChick]

Gosh it could be alot of things....have you tried using the chicken symptom checker on PoultryDVM yet? What were the possibilities they gave?

 

[TwoCrows]

The yellow was probably from the intestines. When there is an egg present near the vent, the intestinal tract is closed off. If no egg is present, you have no access to the oviduct so you will be putting your finger in her intestines. But this is one good thing in that she is not egg bound. Good job!

Check her all over for other things...mites, lice, look at her skin in different places, what color is her comb, check her foot pads, feel for heat or look for swelling in her legs or foot joints, feel her crop, (this is best done first thing in the morning when it should be empty but if she isn't eating much and she has a water balloon around or a softball feeling crop she could be having crop troubles. Check her abdomen from between the legs back to the vent on the outside. Feel a healthy birds abdomen for comparison...it shouldn't feel like a water balloon. While you are there, feel between her legs and a bit forward. The liver is there and it shouldn't feel distended or full.

Has she been wormed recently? Is she thin? Feel her breast bone. It should feel pretty meaty on either side.

She might also have an internal infection somewhere or possible has Coccidiosis. Generally with cocci they can have diarrhea and blood in the stool, but not always. Lethargy, not eating or drinking is a sign of cocci.

So go over her and see if any of this fits with her. Feel her feet too. If they are really cold, she might benefit from some heat from a heat lamp or bring her inside.

Keep us posted!!

 

[mymilliefleur]

Here are some photos:










Here she is a few weeks ago:


I brought her into the house so she wouldn't be bothered by the other chickens and roosters.
Her crop was empty this morning (not surprising since she didn't eat much yesterday) but it is a little full now.
I didn't notice anything usual, and didn't see any mites/lice. No she has not been wormed, and isn't thin, though she does feel a little light, (probably having to do with the lack of eating).
Because it happened so fast (she was fine until yesterday morning when I found her) makes me think it is some kind of internal injury.

Gosh it could be alot of things....have you tried using the chicken symptom checker on PoultryDVM yet? What were the possibilities they gave?

No, I've never heard of it, is it a website?

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks for the pics!! It is hard to see in these photos but is her urates yellow? (normal poop has a white cap...are hers yellow?)

Judging from the color and consistency of this poop it appears she is not eating or drinking much. It is very possible she has Coccidiosis. This came on her fast. If she had worms, she would go down hill a lot slower, be thin, no doubt have a pale comb. Bird with Cocci pull their heads in like this, stop eating and drinking.

So you might go to the feed store and get some Corid or something with Amprolium in it. This will go in her water. Follow the directions on the bottle. Use it for 5 to 7 days. Nothing else in her water but these meds. It won't hurt the rest of the flock if you dose the entire lot. You can eat the eggs while using Corid. See if this doesn't perk her back up. It won't hurt her if this doesn't do the trick.