Sick Banty Hen!

[Dirt_Farm]

Hi everyone,

I have a sick banty hen that I'm out of ideas with. She's a year old gold duckwing named Gertrude. She's in a coop and little run with our silver duckwing banty hen and birchen bantam Japanese rooster.

A little history on her. About 2 months ago she had trouble laying. I found her cackling, straining, and pooping what looked like egg yolk and egg white. None of our local vets treat chickens, but one of them had some experience from childhood. He prescribed liquid calcium, Albon, and sucrose. After a few days indoors with warm baths and the vet's recommendations Gertrude bounced back. She never passed an egg, a shell, or a lash egg. Only the egg like liquid.

The girls didn't lay for two months during our cold and rainy weather (I'm in southern California. We don't get much cold). I noticed eggs again last week. I also noticed Gertrude was lethargic, standing with wings and tail pointed down. No cackling, straining, or egg like poops. She's also very thin this time.

She's still eating and drinking normally. Her poops are runny and white and a dark greenish/brown. I've checked all of them for mites and worms. All three are clean. Her crop is normal, not squishy, and it gets smaller after she's processed her food. I can't tell if her breath is sour. Her eyes aren't cloudy, but her crown is droopy. She's indoors now and she's had some warm Epson salt baths. She's also on a diet of scrambled eggs, egg shells, banana, and electrolytes.

She doesn't seem to be perking up much. She does walk around slowly and try to peck at everything when I take her out of her bed to exercise. I'm not sure what else I should be doing for her. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her crop looks large in the first picture. Is it completely emptying by early morning before she eats or drinks? It sounds as though she is suffering from salpingitis or another reproductive disorder. There may not be a lot that can be done about it. Antibiotics might have some effect if used very early. Crop problems can accompany reproductive infections. Her poops look similar to some I have seen. I would try to get her eating some mushy wet chicken feed and some egg. You could offer a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D for a few days. Chilled coconut oil cut into small pieces to peck might help her crop to empty. Does he crop feel full and firm or puffy? Check it in early morning. I would work on her crop, and this article is pretty good:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Dirt_Farm]

Her crop looks large in the first picture. Is it completely emptying by early morning before she eats or drinks? It sounds as though she is suffering from salpingitis or another reproductive disorder. There may not be a lot that can be done about it. Antibiotics might have some effect if used very early. Crop problems can accompany reproductive infections. Her poops look similar to some I have seen. I would try to get her eating some mushy wet chicken feed and some egg. You could offer a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D for a few days. Chilled coconut oil cut into small pieces to peck might help her crop to empty. Does he crop feel full and firm or puffy? Check it in early morning. I would work on her crop, and this article is pretty good:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you for this advice and the link to the article! My poor girl. I was hoping her reproductive issues were a one time thing. I'll have to see if the one local bet would be willing to take on chickens full time. Her crop feels full and firm. It was like that this morning when she woke up just not as big. I wasn't sure if chickens still poop if their crop is impacted? I will add the calcium citrate tablets and coconut oil. Luckily I have both on hand. Should I wait to feed her the mushy feed and egg until she has some coconut oil?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would make sure that she is drinking tonight, hold off on food, and then check her crop first thing in the morning. As long as the crop is full and firm, I would massage it in a downward motion several times a day. If it is full and puffy, then don’t massage it. That can cause her to vomit and choke on it. Chickens would still have some droppings, even if her crop is slow, but they may be less.

 

[Dirt_Farm]

I would make sure that she is drinking tonight, hold off on food, and then check her crop first thing in the morning. As long as the crop is full and firm, I would massage it in a downward motion several times a day. If it is full and puffy, then don’t massage it. That can cause her to vomit and choke on it. Chickens would still have some droppings, even if her crop is slow, but they may be less.

Thank you! I took the food away for tonight and put her to bed. I'll be sure to check her crop first thing in the morning.

 

[Dirt_Farm]

Update on my hen. She passed some big solid poops yesterday and her crop went down. She seemed to perk up a little. This morning I found her on her side unable to get up. She seems to be breathing heavy and I hear a clicking from her abdomen when she breathes. Her nostrils look clear and I've checked for leaking air under the skin but didn't find any.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am glad her crop went down after she passed several poops. Sorry that she was on her side this morning. That sounds bad. Is she still alive? If so, I would try to get her drinking some electrolyte or sugar water, or use NutriDrench 1 ml. Make her comfy by propping her on some rolled towels. Let us know how she is doing.

 

[Dirt_Farm]

I am glad her crop went down after she passed several poops. Sorry that she was on her side this morning. That sounds bad. Is she still alive? If so, I would try to get her drinking some electrolyte or sugar water, or use NutriDrench 1 ml. Make her comfy by propping her on some rolled towels. Let us know how she is doing.

My girl's still hanging in there. I pushed electrolytes and dextrose this morning. Then wrapped her in a towel and held her for a bit with one arm while I worked. She's definitely benefiting from me working from home. I even had her over the steam of hot water with a little VetRx in it. Just throwing everything I have at her. She passed solid poops this morning even though she didn't have solid food yet. Then seemed hungry. I got her to eat some mushy chicken feed, but only after I put some banan in it. Now she seems to only want banana, which probably doesn't have enough nutrition. I did notice it's hard for her to keep food in her mouth. A lot seems to drop out. I'm wondering if she's getting lethargic and weak from being inside and sleeping all day and that played a role in her being stuck on her side this morning. I made her do a little non strenuous exercise and she's up and walking short distances now.

 

[Eggcessive]

So glad that she is responding to your care and feeding. Reproductive diseases are the most common cause of serious illness and death in hens.