Sick chicken, of course

[Uberalienz]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
She was given to me last summer, so I'm not 100% sure... was told that she's a "white rock hen." She's a couple years old, I think, and white. She's pretty big, too. Little rotund.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Diarrhea Monday, listless, better on Tuesday (thought she might've been egg bound, so I bathed her, but I'm no longer sure that's the case), happy and normal on Wednesday, didn't leave the hen house this morning, more odd poo (primarily white and runny) underneath her perch this morning. Her comb is getting droopy, too.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
see above

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I know the handling has stressed her out, she's not used to it.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
I know for a fact that she ate some egg yolk and yogurt on Tuesday. Laying pellets and grapes Wednesday. She isn't isolated yet, so I'm not sure how much water she's taking in. Not losing weight, though, so I believe she's eating.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Runny and primarily white this morning. Runny but kinda gritty looking Wednesday. No 'piles' from her like normal. A rather explosive, gritty poop after her bath on Tuesday.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
See above. Planning on isolating her at lunch time (at work now).

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Self treatment.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Not applicable.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Fenced chicken yard, deep litter hay in hen house, have put some hay out in the chicken yard due to mud and rain.


I'm getting some new already grown chickens sometime later in the week/weekend. Should I hold off on that until she's better?

Thanks in advance!
Elizabeth

 

[spish]

sorry i cant help with the chickens problem but would just like to say any new chickens should be quarantined away from your existing chickens for at least 4 weeks before being introduced to ensure they are not hiding any nastys

hope your chicky feels better soon

 

[purpletree23]

I made a big mistake last year by putting hay down as littler and to line the nest boxes. I ended up with 2 chickens with impacted crops. Both had surgery and the hay was tangled in their crops like a tight ball. Check her crop and if it is hard and does not go down in size in the morning (when it should be empty) she most likely has an impacted crop. Doing massage and oil is up to you but I will never do it again. When doing the massage I unknowingly pushed part of the blockage further into her digestive system somewhere between the crop and her gizzard.

Even though all of the hay in her crop was removed she had to be put to sleep because nothing else could be done for her. The vet couldn't reach the blockage further down. One survived the other didn't.

I don't give them hay anymore. The vet said that maybe their diet was missing something and that's why they ate it. They always had plenty of food and water and treats but I guess they missed green stuff in the winter. Now I give them 3 or 4 blocks of frozen chopped spinach once a week.

Hope this helps.

 

[Uberalienz]

Her crop wasn't enlarged or anything yesterday... I'll check it again, though. Felt it up good Monday and if anything, it was squishy. And fine by Tuesday morning.