Sick chicken week 3 now-diarrhea

[pepperellchick]

@Eggcessive, This hen’s poops have been all over the place, in terms of color.

That's for sure! Now her poop is the same color as the feed and less runny then when she first got sick over 3 weeks ago. The diarrhea started as white/clear with the spinach colored green in it which I read can indicate an infection. We gave her 2 epsom salt baths in the last 2 weeks.

 

[pepperellchick]

I would check her crop first thing in the morning, before she eats or drinks, to make sure that it has emptied. Has she lost any weight in her breast area and is her keel (breast bine) bone prominent? Feel of her lower belly between her legs to check if it is enlarged or tight. Can you call you local vet to see if they will test her droppings for worms and other parasites? If you can give her some probiotics for the next week, and a little cottage cheese or cooked rice with buttermilk, it might help her diarrhea.

In one picture she looks like she is standing more upright. Is that obvious to you, or just the picture? Reproductive disorders can be common, and there can be a number of symptoms including a bloated belly, runny poops, waddling, walking upright, not laying, and weight loss. It can take time coming up with a diagnosis, and it has to be hard on you to keep her separate. Hopefully, we can help you figure out what is going on.

Thank you so much for your recommendations!

Her crop empty this morning but she is all puffed up-see photos.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you answer some of the questions about her lower belly—if it feels full or enlarged or tight? I would stick to wet chicken feed or dry it she will eat that well, and offer a little egg once a day. A tsp of plain yogurt (Chobani or others with live cultures) in her food once a day is good for probiotics, or you can use the previous things recommended. Just stick to mostly chicken feed as her primary food.

I suspect that she may have a reproductive disorder such as internal laying, salpingitis, or others. Those are common, and usually are not treatable. They can cause the upright posture, or difficulty walking. She looks like she is uncomfotable. Antibiotics might give her some temporary relif, but I would not use clindamycin again. It may have bad side effects, and is best for serious infections like bone infection or teeth abscesses in animals. Something like Baytril available online for pigeons, migth be better. Dosage is 0.05 ml per pound twice a day. A 5 pound bird would get 0.25 ml.
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

 

[staceyj]

Has she pooped this morning?
Or what did it look like if she pooped overnight?

Her penguin posture is of concern to me.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry I didn't get your tag.
I agree with @Eggcessive her stance reminds me of a hen that is having reproductive problems.

 

[pepperellchick]

Has she pooped this morning?
Or what did it look like if she pooped overnight?

Her penguin posture is of concern to me.

Yes she is still having loose watery stools same color of the feed.

 

[pepperellchick]

Can you answer some of the questions about her lower belly—if it feels full or enlarged or tight? I would stick to wet chicken feed or dry it she will eat that well, and offer a little egg once a day. A tsp of plain yogurt (Chobani or others with live cultures) in her food once a day is good for probiotics, or you can use the previous things recommended. Just stick to mostly chicken feed as her primary food.

I suspect that she may have a reproductive disorder such as internal laying, salpingitis, or others. Those are common, and usually are not treatable. They can cause the upright posture, or difficulty walking. She looks like she is uncomfotable. Antibiotics might give her some temporary relif, but I would not use clindamycin again. It may have bad side effects, and is best for serious infections like bone infection or teeth abscesses in animals. Something like Baytril available online for pigeons, migth be better. Dosage is 0.05 ml per pound twice a day. A 5 pound bird would get 0.25 ml.
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

I felt her abdomen and it seemed fine, she is thin for sure but nothing felt out of the ordinary. Her comb is deteriorated from what it looked like 2 weeks ago, paler and separating, shriveling up. We are thinking she has something incurable at this point.

 

[pepperellchick]

I felt her abdomen and it seemed fine, she is thin for sure but nothing felt out of the ordinary. Her comb is deteriorated from what it looked like 2 weeks ago, paler and separating, shriveling up. We are thinking she has something incurable at this point.

Worth noting when she first got sick she had diarreah and also a few of the poops in this photo-yellow and smooth 1 1/2 inch in size.

 

[staceyj]

Oh, That’s the missing piece of the puzzle right there.

 

[wild chick]

I don't have anything to add here, but following to see if she recovers. I had one that died after on/off again illness, but it was a young pullet, not yet laying. We did a simple necropsy and found that she had eaten a roofing nail. It actually made me feel better to know the cause of death, and that it was not contagious. Best to you for caring for your hen.