3 year old RSL hen, stopped laying last fall for a molt & never started laying again.
A probable carrier of a respiratory infection, treated twice successfully with Tylan but no ill signs in over a year.
Flock mates are all fine.
She eats all flock with oyster shell on the side, no treats.
She was acting funny Sat, tail down & a bit slow but I saw her at the feed & water & she went to roost fine.
Sun I caught her laying down in the run by herself in the corner looking lethargic so into the crate she went. Her crop was empty so I believe she was faking eating. Poop was very watery, had a bit of poop stuck to her butt but not bad.
Sun afternoon she ate only a tablespoon of tuna & 2 bites of egg, was drinking fine. Crop still empty, poop still watery. She was laying down & looked like she was having contractions so I gave her a calcium citrate in case she was trying to pass a bad egg.
Monday she refused all feed except mealworms which she ate enthusiastically. Poop now looked a bit like cottage cheese/pussy. I though maybe she had salpingitis or an infection so I started sulfa antibiotics (all I had besides Tylan). She drank fine & got quite a bit in her. She had bouts of the 'contractions' & laid down most of the time.
Today she is up & looks better. She is refusing all food & water. Her butt is a mess, looks like the cottage cheese/puss I spoke of.
A vet is not an option. I haven't bathed her as my chickens are not used to being handled much & I don't want to stress her out. I am thinking maybe the antibiotics made her feel a little better & that's why she's up but she's not drinking at all now so that won't last. I have syringes, but small ones & no tubing to tube feed her. Is there a way to get water in her with just a syringe & not aspirate her?
I feel like she's on her way out no matter what I do but I would like to try a little before I cull her. I've lost 2 other RSL to reproductive disorders, I feel that's what this is too. I'd like to get some more antibiotics in her...
Suggestions? Advice?
I'm going to tag a couple people who have helped me in the past (sorry, I hope you don't mind): @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive
A probable carrier of a respiratory infection, treated twice successfully with Tylan but no ill signs in over a year.
Flock mates are all fine.
She eats all flock with oyster shell on the side, no treats.
She was acting funny Sat, tail down & a bit slow but I saw her at the feed & water & she went to roost fine.
Sun I caught her laying down in the run by herself in the corner looking lethargic so into the crate she went. Her crop was empty so I believe she was faking eating. Poop was very watery, had a bit of poop stuck to her butt but not bad.
Sun afternoon she ate only a tablespoon of tuna & 2 bites of egg, was drinking fine. Crop still empty, poop still watery. She was laying down & looked like she was having contractions so I gave her a calcium citrate in case she was trying to pass a bad egg.
Monday she refused all feed except mealworms which she ate enthusiastically. Poop now looked a bit like cottage cheese/pussy. I though maybe she had salpingitis or an infection so I started sulfa antibiotics (all I had besides Tylan). She drank fine & got quite a bit in her. She had bouts of the 'contractions' & laid down most of the time.
Today she is up & looks better. She is refusing all food & water. Her butt is a mess, looks like the cottage cheese/puss I spoke of.
A vet is not an option. I haven't bathed her as my chickens are not used to being handled much & I don't want to stress her out. I am thinking maybe the antibiotics made her feel a little better & that's why she's up but she's not drinking at all now so that won't last. I have syringes, but small ones & no tubing to tube feed her. Is there a way to get water in her with just a syringe & not aspirate her?
I feel like she's on her way out no matter what I do but I would like to try a little before I cull her. I've lost 2 other RSL to reproductive disorders, I feel that's what this is too. I'd like to get some more antibiotics in her...
Suggestions? Advice?
I'm going to tag a couple people who have helped me in the past (sorry, I hope you don't mind): @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive