Sick Hen - Vet visit, no real answers, advice needed

[teashka]

Hi everyone, Zoe is my RIR one of 6 (2yo in april) Also have 2 jersey giants (7 months) all hens roam my backyard and have done so since birth. Not a whole lot for them to get into.... its not a huge yard. .. And all very friendly hand tamed. They go into their run, which they think is their coop, Everynight I lock them up, I noticed 4 days ago, Zoe bottom was really wet so I banded her leg with a small rubberband to keep an eye on her. all seemed ok the next day. Yesterday, I noticed she would not come out of the actual coop where they lay eggs. I pulled her out and immediately saw she was not acting normal. I put her down and she wanted no parts of treats or food etc. and then I watched her for a while, she kind of hid and laid down whenever I would move her around to see her reaction. I finally brought her in . I Googled some things and decided to do a vent check to see if she had a egg or a broken egg in her. negative. only yelloish poop came out. Then she had huge clear liquid poop that had a little yellow in it. called the vet. took her same day, yesterday. vet took stool sample, did a vent check again, gave her a shot of antibiotic, along with doxycycline 1 time a day and liquid calcium supplement to give to her in her water. I brought Zoe home and kept her confined in area of house. I let her rest for a while until last night when I forced her to drink water with syringe, once I did that, she drank on her own, half a bowl of water. Today she is drinking water, and ate a tiny bit of feed and a few nibblets of corn. her poop is still yellow. And she hasn't really moved much, and can barely keep her eyes open . she quietly talks to me for a second when I walk in the room. I put her outside for a little bit ( i live in NJ and it's COLD) however they have 2 heat lamps they can go visit whenever in their run and are quite warm under them. She wanted no parts of anything or anyone so i brought her back in. She is definitely a leader in the pack. the Vet called and said that it came back negative for parasites in stool. So here she sits. lethargic, can barely keep her eyes open, pooping yellow although more solid in color now. only eating a tiny bit literally a few pecks of food. drinking water but very sick. Any suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I should clean out the whole pen with new bedding etc. I have been doing deep bedding but when I saw she was getting I wondered if that had anything to do with it, so I pitch forked all the old poop and put it in a sorta compost and put some fresh down Oh and I also gave her a warm bottom soak she didn't mind. yesterdays poop is first pic and today's poop is second. Please! any thoughts? I love these girls!!


just in case there was and egg, she didn't mind. Thanks

 

[Outpost JWB]

I seen the vet said the sample was negative for parasites. Did the vet say what he/she thought it could be?
I would feed her scrambled eggs if she is not eating the feed. You said she is drinking well though?
Just generally weak right?
Is there anyway she could have got anything poisonous while free ranging?

I am so sorry for you

 

[Suzie]

I have asked somebody to look at your post and offer any help they can provide...hang in there!

 

[mg15]

Hi,
So sorry about Zoe.
My thoughts are the poo looks like eggs with no shells. Making eggs does
take alot of water. Maybe she has some eggs backed up and this her way
of laying them.
My hen A+ has the same kind of poo. She had some eggs that were not
coming down the right way. And some did end up in her abdomen.
Zoe will need lots of water.
The sleepiness and not wanting to walk is somewhat worrisome tho.
Take care.
mg

 

[casportpony]

A negative fecal doesn't meant they don't have parasites, it just means that no eggs were found in that sample. Call your vet and ask if you should also treat for worms.

-Kathy

 

[Outpost JWB]

Any news on your hen?