Undigested food in poop and won't use legs...???

[Julieschicks]

Since I've discovered some new symptoms, I decided to make a new thread from my earlier one. I have a 19wk old pullet that's got a bunch of different things going on. What I first thought was a leg injury has morphed into I don't know what! She was limping yesterday morning, falling over a lot. I saw a small cut on her toe that had possibly gotten infected. During treatment of that (epsom salt bath, vetericyn) I discovered that she's passing some undigested food in her poop. And over the course of the day yesterday she went from just laying down to only laying on her side. She won't even sit up with her legs under her. She just lays on her side with them outstretched. They work, she moves them, kicks me even when I try to hold her or pick her up, but as soon as I set her down, she just goes right back to laying on her side. She's eating. Not sure that she's really drinking much from the water bowl, but I can get her to drink from a syringe. Gave her a little over 1mL of Nurti-Drench this morning and so far about 12mL of water. I had to work today so gave her some water before I left and again after I got home to make sure she had drank something for sure. I had some metronidazole so I started her on that yesterday as well. Other than maybe seeming a little on the skinnier side, I don't notice anything else that might be wrong. She's alert. Her comb is still a good color. Other than the undigested food, her poop is otherwise normal in color and consistency. Even her swollen red toe where the cut is looks much better today. She's been vaccinated for Marek's and there is no graying in her eyes like I've seen mentioned elsewhere. Any clues as to what is actually wrong?? Is there anything else I should be doing?? Or do I just keep up what I'm doing already and just wait it out? This is my 7yo daughter's beloved naked neck chicken so she's starting to get worried and upset she won't pull through. I wish I had some answers to tell her.

 

[Kiki]

Unfortunately the Mareks vaccine doesn't prevent the disease. She may be showing symptoms of the disease.

Has she started laying yet? Could she possible have an egg stuck?

 

[Eggcessive]

How is your black australorp that was limping last month? I know she seemed better in your other thread after seeing the vet. That sounded like a possible injury. I would have your vet do some xrays or at least an exam on this girl, in case she has something pressing on her sciatic nerve. Hopefull, it isn’t Mareks disease, but it is a little suspicious. Egg binding, an injury, or something pretty serious is going on. Do you have granite grit available all the time for your hens to eat? Do they eat a layer feed as most of their diet?

 

[Julieschicks]

Has she started laying yet? Could she possible have an egg stuck?

As far as I know, she has not. Last Friday or Saturday I found a softshell egg on the coop floor and I know it came from one of the 8 younger ones (since all 3 older ones laid that day), I just don't know which one. There doesn't appear to be any swelling in her abdomen or vent.

 

[Julieschicks]

How is your black australorp that was limping last month? I know she seemed better in your other thread after seeing the vet. That sounded like a possible injury. I would have your vet do some xrays or at least an exam on this girl, in case she has something pressing on her sciatic nerve. Hopefull, it isn’t Mareks disease, but it is a little suspicious. Egg binding, an injury, or something pretty serious is going on. Do you have granite grit available all the time for your hens to eat? Do they eat a layer feed as most of their diet?

We did not see the vet with the australorp. My vet doesn't do chickens and she didn't seem so bad off that I wanted to go find one that did. She just got better after about a week. I haven't ever put out extra grit. There's usually sand with little pebbles and such in the run though. They are all on NatureWise starter/grower crumbles.

 

[Kiki]

Do you offer oyster shell on the side?

 

[Julieschicks]

Do you offer oyster shell on the side?

Yes, they have constant access to oyster shell and also crushed eggshell.

 

[Eggcessive]

A 50 pound bag of granite grit runs about $10 at TSC, and lasts for years in a dry container. I don’t know if that caused the undigested food, but it is just the right size for grinding the food in the gizzard.

It is unfortunate that we can’t get vet care, such as xrays and lab work very often with such a sick chicken, but most of us are in the same boat. You may want to try her in a chicken sling to get her upright for a few hours at a time, since it will keep her cleaner. Food and water can be placed in front of her close. Make sure that she doesn’t try to get out of it. Here is a thread with a few examples:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Kiki]

Thinking outside the box here.

Could see possibly be suffering from coccidiosis or worms that are messing up her gut/intestines which is causing the undigested food ...which could be leading to a vitamin deficiency...which is causing the leg issues?

 

[Julieschicks]

Man, I swear, with the luck I've had since getting these dang birds, it's probably like 15 different issues combined to make some new super chicken disease. I'm torn between continuing treatment because it's my daughter's chicken and just putting it out of its misery because it is A LOT of work treating her.