Sick Little Penny Girl :-( RIP 3-27-2006 - 1-4-2010

[speckledhen]

I'm not sure about her food. Regular food and extra protein like eggs or fish is good. It won't fix her issues, though. If she has egg material building in her oviducts, the penicillin may or may not fix it. If she has fluid/infection in her abdomen, it may be more likely to work. In either case, I'd do the penicillin. If you dont, she probably won't make it, though I've seen hens bounce back from the brink of death without treatment on rare occasions. The first time Ivy was ill, with Rosemary, they were both emaciated. We still gave Ivy the shots, though I know it's hard when they are so thin. Maybe the thigh might work if you can't get it in the breast meat. It's not that hard, just get a 20 or 22 guage needle and go in about 1/8-1/4". Penicillin is kept in the fridge so you'll have to warm it up before giving it and you push in the plunger slowly, so you'll need a helper to subdue the bird.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Good points, thanks!

So, where exactly does one find this medication? I wonder if most feed stores would have it. Feed stores are few and far between here in Orange County. My next door neighbor was a nurse, perhaps I can get her to help me through it.

ETA: At this point she won't touch her regular food. But WOW did she devour that salmon!

 

[usschicago1]

I think Randell Burkly (exuse spelling) sells it online. It would probably ship fast too.

 

[usschicago1]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=279802

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks again for all your support, usschicago1.

I'm now thinking that my initial thoughts were probably incorrect. The abdominal swelling is down and I no longer feel what I thought was possibly an egg. I gave her another warm bath and was ready to insert a lubricant if needed, but didn't feel anything that would be an egg so I didn't bother. She still isn't eating much but is walking around and won't stay in her box. What she really wants is to go outside with her buddies. She's standing by the door, staring out at her coop.

She did a watery yellowish poop today and I notice that some of her stools in the last day or so have a yellowish tinge to them. E-coli, respiratory infection, or just a strange diet perhaps? I don't hear any strange breathing noises.

I took a picture of it but keep getting upload errors at Photobucket.

 

[usschicago1]

It sounds pretty good to me...Shes eating, not alot but eating. Pooping and is she drinking? The yellow poop could just be a natural cecal ( i think its called) poop, wich the poop out every 10 droppings or so. Aslo she could be pooping more of those yellowish poops from increased stress.
What would be a good way to monitor her is a scale and you could see if shes really gaining or loosing weight.

 

[usschicago1]

Sorry Im like killing your thread LOL.
I found this on Mereks Disease:
The neural type of Marek's is typified by progressive paralysis of the wings, legs and neck. Loss of body weight, anemia, labored respiration and diarrhea are common symptom. If lesions are present, they are confined to the nerve trunks and plexes enervating the paralyzed extremities. Frequently no gross lesions can be observed.
Diarrhea is a symptom, interesting....
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/dissymp.htm
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That site has a huge collection of chicken diseases, ive been looking for your birds symptoms and so far thats a possibility also.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

It's good to have your support, usschicago1. Thanks so much! I really appreciate your efforts to help diagnose.

She's still doing a bit better today. In fact, she's doing well enough that after feeding her a good meal (Scottish Oatmeal this morning), I was able to let her be with her friends all day. She spends time outside eating grass and bugs and will eat with the other girls if I put something down for them. I truly think she was getting depressed inside. I spent the afternoon at the home of another BYC member talking about symptoms and such. She loaded me up with a ton of stuff, including some special food that Penny gratefully ate (Thanks O.C. Chick!). I have some medication now for her that she'll start tomorrow. She's still sleeping inside for now and will go back out when she's regained her strength. For now, I'm hopeful. While her comb is still a little pale, it's bigger than it was when she wasn't able to do anything more than sit in her box. Her tail is up and she's eating a bit better, regaining strength and energy. Yay!

 

[seminolewind]

Every hen I have looks like death warmed over when they molt. They lose alot of weight, fluff up, move very little, avoid the other chickens, pale comb. I feel real bad for them. It's good you're offering her food that she'll eat. But I never expected molts to be so hard. Of course I panic a little every time. Normal poop is a good sign.

 

[usschicago1]

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