sick hen (end of the road for her?)

[1 Happy Hen]

I noticed yesterday that my hen's feathers were ruffled, wings hanging down, poopy bottom, just not feeling well. I brought her inside to inspect her and noticed that she has lost quite a bit of weight. I put her in my laundry room where she could be warm and put vitamins in her water. She would not drink but ate a little. This morning I noticed that the towel she had been laying on has green runny poo. She is breathing o k, not rattling or anything. No swollen face or wattles, no mucus.

I got her a few years back and she was already laying eggs. I don't know how old she is, but she looks pretty up in age. She molted a few months back and just seemed to go down hill little by little. I thought maybe she was just getting to be an old lady, but up until yesterday I'm not sure.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with her? No other ones in the flock are sick. I'd really hate to cull but I don't like seeing her like this. She's just wasting away.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[casportpony]

This is a copy-and-paste from another post of mine

You need to keep her in your house where it's warm, get her properly hydrated. She needs 30ml of fluids per kg of body weight 4-6 times a day. Once she is hydrated, she should be tube fed if she is not eating and/or losing weight. Unfortunately, she might have a disease like Mareks', so tubing might not do any good. You should probably also try an antibiotic like Baytril or Clavamox.

Great info on tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

More on tube feeding:
http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?t=7933

If you suspect egg binding, read this thread and *all* of the links in it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738201/goose-what-is-this-how-did-it-happen-what-do-i-do-about-it


When mine get sick, this is what I do:

• Thorough exam which includes inserting a gloved, lubed finger into the cloaca to check for eggs, check externally for cuts, bruising lumps etc.
• Dust for mites/lice with poultry dust even if I cannot see any. DE does not work.
• Weigh on digital kitchen scale (see avatar), record weight and weigh daily. any weight loss is bad.
• Place bird in a warm, quiet place on towel with food and water that it can't drown in.
• De-worm with Safeguard or Panacur, liquid or paste 50mg/kg by mouth and repeat in 10 days.
• Once warm, if not drinking, and crop is empty, hydrate with warmed Pedialyte or lactated ringers with a feeding tube - 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours.
• If not eating after 24 hours and crop is empty, tube feed baby bird food mixed with Pedialyte
• Inspect poop.
• If I suspect a stuck egg, treat for egg binding.
• If I suspect a bacterial infection, treat with antibiotics.

From: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf
Supportive Care
SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid​

therapy.

 

[1 Happy Hen]

Anyone? please help!

 

[Irishgirl]

I'm really sorry.

I'm new to chickens and have no idea what this could be. Maybe Google knows?

 

[Suzie]

She may have an egg inside her that she is having problems in passing.... it may be a good idea to bathe her in warm water and feel her underside to ascertain if this may be her problem. After her bath keep her somewhere warm and maybe use a hairdryer on her to help dry her.

 

[1 Happy Hen]

I think you may be right. Earlier this afternoon when I went to give her a few drops of pepto and a shot of penicillin I felt around on her lower belly by her vent and green poop oozed out. her abdomen is very bloated but soft. I am going to set her in warm water and see if it helps. Thank you!

 

[Suzie]

Keep us informed! There are many people here on the site that can guide you further if she is indeed having problems in passing an egg.

Good luck

Suzie

 

[1 Happy Hen]

I set her in warm water for about 20 min. She didn't try to bear down or anything. Nothing came out. I can't feel anything hard in her abdomen, it feels like alot of fluid.She's getting weaker and kind of sways when she's standing, but won't lay down. She did finally drink a little water and ate a little. Hopefully by morning she will be feeling better. I hate seeing any of my animals sick or in pain.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

I have a hen that I got last weekend that has the same symptoms... Green poo, eating, but not drinking. Mine just lays in a corner and sleeps. Please keep us posted...

 

[1 Happy Hen]

Did my usual rounds this morning with the flock. No other ones sick. Went to check on sick one and she was wandering around the laundry room. She had jumped out of the laundry basket that I had put her in last night. She seems to feel a little better. Her poo is not so runny today. It is still green but has white in it now. I gave her .75 ml injection penicillin g yesterday and will probably give same this afternoon. Was wondering if anyone thinks that is a good idea, and if yes is the dose ok? She is a pretty big hen. She used to be about 7 1/2 lbs but she's a little less now.

I can tell she's still feeling crummy. She keeps her eyes shut most of the time and just stands with her head either tucked under her wing on her back like a duck or crouched close to her body. She's not trying to pass an egg or anything but I am still going to put her in a warm bath. Can't hurt, at least it gives me a chance to clean the poo from around her vent feathers. Plus she doesn't seem to mind the water.