Strawberry is very sick. Droopy Head AND droopy vent!

[DarkWater1929]

Hello! One of my favorite hens, Strawberry, is in trouble. I did not realize that she was ill. It began to rain today, so I went out, to see that everything was buttoned up. There she was, standing under the eaves, with her beak resting on the ground. I picked her up, and her head just lolled.

She is on the bed, covered with a blanket. She tries to lift her head, but it is as though her control ends about 1/4 of the way up her neck.

I looked her over, which she resisted strongly, thrashing her wings around. Her vent looks awful! She is an older hen. And I guess I have never really looked at her vent, in particular, before, so I can't say for sure whether it always appears so ... unincorporated, is as good a word as any, I guess. It looks like it's draw-string has broken ... or not. But it has calcium poop all crusted near it. It also appears very wet. I cannot tell if it has a bad odor or not. I have lost my sense of smell to covid. There appears to be partially dried blood above her vent, but I cannot see a source. I do not see any coming from inside.

She says that she is thirsty, bit I can't tell whether she is able to swallow the water that I offer. She seems to try, anyhow.

I will attach pics. She has good color. She may have a bit of fever, but I don't have the right kind of thermometer to check.

Does this sound like anything anyone recognizes? I researched the symptoms, and came up with vent Gleet. But, that condition does not seem to include the lolling head, and overall weakness.

I have no real idea how old she may be. She came here, maybe 4 years ago, having been rescued at a local high school, from a bunch of feral cats that had her cornered. She was mature, then, but just how mature, I have no idea.

I have to go milk, and hope she will manage until I return. Any input will be valued! Thank you!

 

[azygous]

I would guess she has a reproductive issue. The swollen vent may have prolapsed at some point and the other chickens may have injured it. Her extreme collapse, though, is not encouraging. It appears she's exhausted and near the end.

Try reviving her first with some warm sugar water. Then give her a calcium supplement, the kind women take for strong bones. Or a Tums if it's all you have. I prefer calcium citrate since it goes to work fastest.

Giving it to you straight, she may be beyond help. The calcium may help produce contractions to expel the blockage, but if she lacks the strength, it may not help much.

She may also be suffering from a well developed infection from a collapsed egg. Her depressed state may indicate it's too far along to successfully treat.

I suggest you consider euthanizing her.

 

[DarkWater1929]

I would guess she has a reproductive issue. The swollen vent may have prolapsed at some point and the other chickens may have injured it. Her extreme collapse, though, is not encouraging. It appears she's exhausted and near the end.

Try reviving her first with some warm sugar water. Then give her a calcium supplement, the kind women take for strong bones. Or a Tums if it's all you have. I prefer calcium citrate since it goes to work fastest.

Giving it to you straight, she may be beyond help. The calcium may help produce contractions to expel the blockage, but if she lacks the strength, it may not help much.

She may also be suffering from a well developed infection from a collapsed egg. Her depressed state may indicate it's too far along to successfully treat.

I suggest you consider euthanizing her.

Thank you, both for the excellent advice, and also for the directness of your reply. It is helpful to know the severity that her symptoms speak to.

She is very marginally improved this morning. Last night, I gave her a shot of 1ml of Tylosin. This morning, she is struggling to stand, but seems still to have little control of her neck and head.

Why is that? I would think they the strength needed to lift herself to her feet, would be enough to give her control of her head. That it does not, means what? Neurological damage? I suppose that this must be the case. Can it ever be temporary?

You may think it cruel that I have not euthanized her already. I think that perhaps I agree. I don't know how. I cannot use violence. I just am unable to do it, and if I succeeded, I know that I would be haunted by it. I once had a crippled hen who ended up living five years, because I did not know how to put her down. She went everywhere with me, and really seemed fairly happy. But that cannot be the case, here. If I cannot kill her outright, and cannot pay to have a vet do it, then how can I painlessly ease her out of this life? With my crippled hen, I tried twice to "euthanize" her with an excess of rx pain killers, to no effect. I just ended up feeling like the worst kind of human. It is about what I feel like now. I just hate it that there is no simple exit, painless to both hen and caregiver.

Again, thank you for your help.

 

[DarkWater1929]

Well, NOW what? Another hen I'd exhibiting the same symptoms, albeit not as advanced. What is this thing? Husband tells me that his mom, in Washington State, informed him of a disease, usually carried by wild birds, which, if contracted by domestic chickens, demands reporting, and destruction of the entire flock. I guess that his mom did not give any details of symptoms (she told him of this before Strawberry showed signs of illness), and he cannot recall the name of the disease. He said that mom reported that it is "going around," transmitted by migratory birds.

Does anyone have info? All of my searches come up with "bird flu," the symptoms of which do not really match. The girls do not seem to have severe Diarrhea, and their combs and legs are of normal color.

What else is "going around," on the west coast? Help?

I have a mama bantam, with 5 babies. I have had them locked up, apart from the flock, to keep the ground squirrels from hunting thr babies. I hope that they need not be doomed!

 

[azygous]

We try not to judge people who come for help. It is, after all, your decision alone what you decide to do for a sick chicken. I'll help you privately when/if it comes down to euthanizing your hen. It will be painless for you as well as your hen. Be assured.

There are a few things to try before we get to the ultimate solution. The head weakness indeed could be a neurological issue. The sugar water is the first thing we try for this symptom. The next thing to try is vitamin E and B-complex because they can fix nerve damage.

Another chicken developing symptoms changes the picture. As you already suspected, this can point to an avian virus. But these symptoms can also have much more benign causes. Heat stroke is one such cause. Has your weather been suddenly hot?

Treat this hen with sugar water with electrolytes added. Treat the newly symptomatic hen, as well. Add those vitamins to your treatment as soon as you can. Give the pills whole by mouth.

Don't rush to conclusions about this being avian flu. Yes, it could be, but it will reveal itself quickly with much more serious symptoms if it is, and there will be little doubt about it.

Try the sugar water with electrolytes and the vitamins. Get some pictures of their poop and post them.

 

[DarkWater1929]

Thank you so very much!

No, though it has been hot by day, 90°-100°, yesterday was much cooler, and it rained briefly yesterday afternoon.

My husband and I are both recovering from an illness that began 4 days ago, and acted just the way they describe avian flu. But, the symptoms are so darned generic, that it could have been anything. It was a very debilitating thing, but only for about 2 of these 4 days.

Other birds:
My roosters, of which I have far too many, seem fine. Our two white geese, who are true family members, are, so far, symptom free, as is our muscovy duck, which is presently broody, and therefore keeping mostly aloof from the other birds. Then there is the hen with the chicks. The only other birds are my blind rooster, and a hen who is living inside, because the roosters favor her, and her back is bald. She is on a romance time-out. The blind rooster and time-out hen have had no direct contact with the flock for weeks, at least. How contagious are bird viruses? The thought of all of them being doomed is nauseating. I will take your advice, and not leap to conclusions. But, it is difficult not to worry. Is there anything if which you are aware, that I might do to forestall a population-wide outbreak? Also, mom-in-law says that outbreaks must be reported. What does the law require by way of timing, when diagnosis is uncertain?

By the way, the newer victim is fighting hard to get control of her head. For her, at least, that is clearly the most distressing aspect of her condition. She is fighting as though her head were tied up, or something, and she were trying to break free. It is just breaking my heart. Perhaps you can imagine. They are such sweet girls.

OK. Back to the helpful suggestions that you offered. I can give sugar water. I don't have pedialite or similar on hand. I do not drive, and so, must wait until husband finishes his morning stuff, to take me to town.

Meanwhile, sugar water by dropper, it is.

I am profoundly grateful for your assistance. And, yes, if you would share with me, privately if you prefer, a method of dispatch that is humane both to pet and guardian, I will be grateful. I am sure that this will not be that last time that it becomes relevant. I have wished for such a "remedy" many times over the years.

Thank you again.

 

[DarkWater1929]

I will pick up vitamins while in town as well. I hope we go soon, as sitting here, watching them struggle, does not seem helpful, but sure is painful. I imagine that they wonder why I don't fix this. They have always come to me when they have problems, or are frightened. I wish I could fix this.

 

[azygous]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza
In chickens, HPAI signs often include respiratory (gasping) and digestive (extreme diarrhea) signs followed by rapid death. Chickens may have swelling around the head, neck, and eyes. The heads and legs may also have purple discoloration.

Be watchful for these symptoms. There is no requirement ot report every sick chicken to the authorities. If you should happen to have a bird come down with these symptoms, then you can call your health department for instructions.

I'll be messaging you privately soon.

 

[DarkWater1929]

I have seldom been more grateful. Thank you for all of the provided information. It is helping now, and will no doubt be useful in the future.

I am still trying to figure this thing out. Two questions have arisen, upon which I hope that you will comment. First, it seems odd to me that it is only my two hens that are stricken. Four roosters are fine. Husband says that he found a dead rat, that looked as though its guts had been pecked out. If the pecking were done by my two girls, might this be some kind of salmonella, or similar? Husband used to poison the rats, but stopped about 7 years ago, when I began keeping chickens.

The second question is more clinical. Do you think I ought to continue with the tylosin? Instructions on this site advised at least 3, but not more than 7, days. I have given Strawberry two doses so far, and the little red hen, one. Both are now struggling to rise, but still have lolling heads. Strawberry likes the sugar water. The little red hen resists it still, but so did Strawberry at first.

I wonder, if it originated with rat consumption, if there might be hope of their recovery. I would love that. I wish I were not a person who got so attached. The trouble arises because they trust me. If they viewed me as the devil, well, what else could they expect? But, when they are afraid, they actually press their little heads against me. How could I possibly betray such trusting little things, if there were any way at all to save them.

Husband is, among other things, a heavy equipment mechanic. As he is getting old tractors to start, against their will, he gives what support he can, but does not truly understand my emotional peculiarities. I do love my chickens so.

 

[azygous]

Believe me, you're in excellent company. Most of us here are crazy for chickens, naming each one, coming up with entertainment so the darlings don't get bored, all that and some.

Yes, it's entirely possible the chickens got some bacteria from the rat. It happens. Keep on with the Tylosin. If there is no improvement, switch to amoxicillin 250mg if you can get a vet to prescribe it. Since you're in California, antibiotics aren't going to be easy to obtain. If you have a friend or relative out of state, you might be able to get them to order some here and mail it to you. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/ No prescription needed for other states.