Sick Chicken, Possibly Vent Gleet? Bare underside, fluffed out, lethargic.

[Kirbzilla]

I have a two year old Buff Orpington who has been in the house in the "sick cage" for three days. Her symptoms haven't gotten worse, but she's not improving a ton either.

She's got a bit of a history with her back end. Multiple times she had crusty poop back there over the past 6-8 months. She had a vent prolapse this summer as well. Every time we've cleaned her up, washed her with surgical soap and given her some extra TLC, herbs and yogurt. About a month ago her underside went a bit bare. I kept her clean. She was still eating, drinking, laying and acting normal.

On Monday, I entered the coop and she was on the roost, puffed up and lethargic. I brought her indoors, gave her water with garlic, ACV and honey. Washed her bare spot with surgical soap. And gave her some "rooster booster" (b12 & Vitamin K).

She is drinking plenty, but not really eating (today she did munch on some meal worms and yogurt). She stands still, sleeps a lot and stays puffed up. Her crop and vent(not egg bound) feel fine, her feet are looking fine, her comb and waddles are normal colored, her eyes seem a little dull and glassy, she has a slight wheeze maybe? (i don't know if that's me just wanting to hear something and have an answer), her underside is still feather less, but starting to grow back in. Her poops have lots of water (shes drinking a small waterer a day) and solid bits of poop, there are no signs of worms or mites on her anywhere.

She seems to be a tiny bit better after three days, but nothing spectacular... but she doesn't seem to be getting worse either...

The other 21 birds in my flock are fine. I have been keeping a close eye on them.

Thoughts Anyone??? Is this some chronic issue I am missing or lots of coincidence and something non related to her back end?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a two year old Buff Orpington who has been in the house in the "sick cage" for three days. Her symptoms haven't gotten worse, but she's not improving a ton either.

She's got a bit of a history with her back end. Multiple times she had crusty poop back there over the past 6-8 months. She had a vent prolapse this summer as well. Every time we've cleaned her up, washed her with surgical soap and given her some extra TLC, herbs and yogurt. About a month ago her underside went a bit bare. I kept her clean. She was still eating, drinking, laying and acting normal.

On Monday, I entered the coop and she was on the roost, puffed up and lethargic. I brought her indoors, gave her water with garlic, ACV and honey. Washed her bare spot with surgical soap. And gave her some "rooster booster" (b12 & Vitamin K).

She is drinking plenty, but not really eating (today she did munch on some meal worms and yogurt). She stands still, sleeps a lot and stays puffed up. Her crop and vent(not egg bound) feel fine, her feet are looking fine, her comb and waddles are normal colored, her eyes seem a little dull and glassy, she has a slight wheeze maybe? (i don't know if that's me just wanting to hear something and have an answer), her underside is still feather less, but starting to grow back in. Her poops have lots of water (shes drinking a small waterer a day) and solid bits of poop, there are no signs of worms or mites on her anywhere.

She seems to be a tiny bit better after three days, but nothing spectacular... but she doesn't seem to be getting worse either...

The other 21 birds in my flock are fine. I have been keeping a close eye on them.

Thoughts Anyone??? Is this some chronic issue I am missing or lots of coincidence and something non related to her back end?

I am no vet, but have been raising chickens for 1/2 a century---when I get one like that and I feel her weight is good I start the tylan50 once a day for 3 to 5 days--According to how she is doing in 3 days. I only do oral--1ml in the back of the mouth making sure to hold her head back till she swallows it---some say give it to her twice a day. As long as she is eating something that is good. but if she stops eating, then I make a gravy with feed and put that in the back of her mouth until she starts back eating. If she is puffed up----her body heat might be low and if so I place mine in a plastic tote with a heating pad(the older ones that stay on all the time) in the bottom and some hay or old towel on it so its not to hot----I leave her in that tote over night---take her out the next morning feed/ give medicine let her move around some---if she still acts cold I place her back in the tote for a while and again that night.

I do what I feel is needed---other than taking her to a vet----""I"" am not taking a $15 hen for a $100+ Vet visit. Good Luck!

 

[casportpony]

When was the last time she laid an egg?

 

[Kirbzilla]

@casportpony - I know she laid an egg a little over a week ago. She may have laid since then, but with 22 it can get a little tough to know who is laying when.

@PD-Riverman - I completely agree with not going to the vet... I was thinking it may be time to do an antibiotic - since the other stuff isn't working. I had a friend who used Tylan on a sick pig once, it can also be used for chickens? Do they make an oral kind?

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony - I know she laid an egg a little over a week ago. She may have laid since then, but with 22 it can get a little tough to know who is laying when.

@PD-Riverman - I completely agree with not going to the vet... I was thinking it may be time to do an antibiotic - since the other stuff isn't working. I had a friend who used Tylan on a sick pig once, it can also be used for chickens? Do they make an oral kind?

Can you post some poop pictures?

Tylan can be used, and some people do give it orally. The problem is that it doesn't treat and gram negative bacteria, so if she has an E. coli infection it won't help at all.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tylosin

I know many people give it once a day, but all the veterinary literature I have read says to give it no less than twice a day. Do you have any human antibiotics?

 

[Kirbzilla]

@casportpony Of course I completely cleaned out her straw a few hours ago. If she poops before I go to bed I will post a picture. It's 80% water and a brown mostly solid turd in the middle. Three days ago, when I pulled her in the house she pooped a completely white foamy and watery poop. No human antibiotics kicking around either.

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony Of course I completely cleaned out her straw a few hours ago. If she poops before I go to bed I will post a picture. It's 80% water and a brown mostly solid turd in the middle. Three days ago, when I pulled her in the house she pooped a completely white foamy and watery poop. No human antibiotics kicking around either.

Do you have a kitchen scale to weigh her on?

 

[Kirbzilla]

@casportpony 80.4 Oz... so a little over 5 lbs.

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony 80.4 Oz... so a little over 5 lbs.

If you can, start weighing her daily.

 

[casportpony]

What number does her keel feel like?