sick hen with strong urine smell & pasty poop

[ladrholman]

• I have an older girl of mine who has been unwell for a couple days.
• She is a maybe 3-4 years old(possibley older) black star hen. I got her when she was older and have had her for 2 years. She has not laid an egg since I got her so she could be older.
• She has always been very healthy and maintained a good weight. The matriach of the flock. Quite the talker!! Her name is Midnight. The last 3 days she has been in sick bay.
• I noted pasty yellowish white poop on her butt. It is very foul smelling, strongly of urine. She is quiet and does not seem to show much interest in eating or drinking much. She will still eat fresh peas but I don't have many of those.
• I don't have a lot of options for treatment and there are no local vets that deal with chickens.
• I have tried her with tetracycline and with neosporin.( only options for antibiotics at feed store) They were wormed about a month ago.
• My other girls are fine.
• If anyone knows of a med that might be available in Canada I might be able to get it at the vets....

Does anyone have any idea on cause, treatment, suggestions.... please help.... I am quite attached to her. She will come sit on my lap for pats!!! Loves to talk and follow me around when I garden.

Thanks.

 

[CMV]

High production hens (especially the ones from a hatchery) start to develop reproductive issues around 2 y.o. This girl never lays eggs? She is not too old to produce the occasional egg.

The nasty poop you described could be a cecal poop. They are disgusting in appearance and stink to high heaven. Is she routinely producing those poops or just every 6-10 poops are nasty like that?

Have you checked her over for bugs?

 

[ladrholman]

She has never laid an egg since I got her 2 years ago... as far as I am aware... This is not cecal poop. This is yellowy pasty stuff with green through it... and it smells nasty... not cecal poop smell at all... more amonia smelling. I cleaned her bum up. But still stinky. She is looking unwell... not herself. Rump feels a bit swollen, but not overly. I think she is starting to lose weight from not eating.... Not sure what I should be trying..... no obvious bugs to be seen aside from the occasional lice. Nothing major though. Could she have eaten something? She will still eat a bit of bread. But only small bit.... Help!!

Just did surgery on another with bumblefoot... don't need more issues....

 

[CMV]

How does her crop feel?

 

[ladrholman]

She is not eating much so it is soft and mostly empty. She is still having the really foul amonia smelling stools. Still looking and acting off. I gave her some treat with egg, cooked cereal and some acidopilis to try to help with the digestive issues.... I don't know what to do......

 

[ladrholman]

MIdnight died last monday and I took her for a necropsy at the vets.
Final results were salpingitis.... infection in the oviduct... usually a sporadic problem, cause by an e coli infection. Usually death occurs after 6 months after infection and they don't lay eggs.. Strangely enough I have had her for 2 years and she never laid an egg... Pathologist thought this could have been the cause and she finally sucumbed to it. Sad but interesting to know.

 

[CMV]

Not unexpected. A high production hen that isn't producing any eggs at such a relatively young age...I suspected she was producing and they just weren't seeing the light of day. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[ladrholman]

They get lots of light.... never been an issue. 12 hour free range of the yard, a coop with a clear roof and windows and a barn with windows and sky lights..... She will be missed.

 

[CMV]

What I meant by "not seeing the light of day" is that they were ending up inside her abdomen. Salpingitis is inflammation of the fallopian tubes. When they get inflamed, eggs can't pass through them. The eggs stay in the abdomen. She was still producing eggs. They just weren't coming out.

 

[MA Mama]

Aww - so sorry - I'm interested in how much a necropsy costs?