URGENT: Lethargic Young BO Hen Not Eating

[caralouise1974]

Certainly sounds quite a lot like the mycoplasma gallisepticum my BO has just recovered from.

She'd been going light for weeks until she actually got ill (caught it from a newly introduced hen, probably because she was so thin and weak already) and we think she'd developed a bit of an eating disorder! She was so skinny her immune system couldn't fight it off.

Tylan Soluble (at about double the recommended strength) worked for her. She had her head dunked right under three times a day and was left to drink the rest throughout the day. She wasn't quite as bad as your girl, but the original hen that she caught it from was, and she's almost completely recovered too.

 

[chickeepoo]

Thanks Caralouise, and did your hen have trouble swallowing food? Mine went out again and actually tried to eat a couple of bugs, but couldn't get them all the way down into her throat. She did watch me mash and mix her gruel and took a couple of tries at it- since she seemed to perk up enough to peck at grass and bugs, I just brought her some small mealworms to try. She pecked and shook them and got them into her mouth, but never swallowed them… then 30 seconds later she'd shake her head and they'd fall out and she'd try again. Always I see this mucus there in her beak that must be giving her trouble. And I did notice an unpleasant odor to her breath. Is there anything that will dry that mucus up so she can eat finally? I can get the Tylan at TSC, if that's more effective than the Durmycin-10.

Update: talked with the Ag extension Poultry specialist in our area, who said absolutely isolate her and keep trying to feed her, but if it turns out it's one of these bacterial diseases it will get her. I assume that means even if the hen seems to recover she'll never be rid of it.
And… if this is MG, she WILL be a carrier for life, unless culled… there is no cure, only treatment and prevention through vaccination. Apparently, eradication is the best form of control. I pulled a real Stupid by bringing in outside birds to my little flock… now I hope I can test the rest to see if they're MG/MS negative or not.

 

[caralouise1974]

Yes, there were problems swallowing, because of all the mucus. The vet actually cleared Henrietta's nostrils and a load of moss and grass came out too, presumably because she couldn't swallow it. The unpleasant odour is a classic sign of mycoplasma too.

Give the Tylan a go - it really did work for my girls. But make sure she's getting enough of it - Henrietta wouldn't drink very much at all, so hence the 'dunkings'. Seemed like she had no choice but to take some in once her head was entirely submerged! And it got it directly into her eyes (frothy and swollen) and nostrils (snotty!)

And you're right, she'll carry it for life now, and in times of stress it may well reappear. And it is hugely infectious, so your other birds who share air space and drinking water with her will certainly have been exposed.

I've been told that here in the UK, the vast majority of hens (and certainly pure breeds) are carriers (except those, such as commercial hybrids, from large hatcheries where they will have been vaccinated as tiny chicks), but most never go on to develop the disease. And we don't cull every hen that hasn't been vaccinated!

The key with mycoplasmas is not getting your hens too stressed if possible and looking after their health once you know they've had an episode - pro-biotics and 'Respite' tonic in their drinking water will probably help them keep the disease in remission.

Mortality with mycoplasmas is low (less than 10%) but it is very distressing for the hens, and can cause them to be pretty poorly, so it's up to you how you feel about dealing with further episodes of the disease, if they occur. Culling right now is of course an option, and it might be the right one for you.

Good luck in any case - keep us up to date with your/Goldie's progress x

 

[chickeepoo]

Thanks Caralouise, Goldie is actually getting a little better. We're on day 4 of the vitamin/electrolyte water, day 3 of antibiotics, and she's really starting to fight me on the feedings! She hopped out of her cage through the top while I had it open and flapped her wings and wanted to cruise through the house (I said no). I did let her outside for a little bit to see if she'd pick at some more greens- I think she swallowed some today. Then I insulted her with my force-feeding through the syringe to be sure she really had something in her. I ran some lettuce through the blender on "liquify" and crushed some layer feed to powder, added yogurt and some vitamin water and the greens, and pulled it into the syringe… it LOOKS like it might taste OK. She isn't happy about it, but she is alive.

It turns out that our county will test the birds for free for AI, Newcastle, Typhoid, and one other infectious disease, but not MG or MS. SOOOO… for now I'm abstaining from any decision to cull and seeing how quickly this hen can get back to eating and keeping up with life. My other BO's apparently were tested for those other diseases previously, but they could be exposed or come down with something at any time. Closed flock after this!!!!

 

[chickeepoo]

Goldie is eating greens and mealworms and scratching at scratch and feed like a regular hen now… 2 dust baths outside and a few outings to walk around pecking and testing bugs and greens were helpful to her morale, too. I have not force fed her in the past 2 days, and she took to getting her water out of the feeder on the side of the cage. This is day 7, and she seems about ready to try the outdoor coop again after she finishes day 10 of antibiotics (I'll just keep vitamins in all their water for a while to hopefully stave off any other sickliness in the hens). She isn't a heavy eater though, so I do wonder how to "fatten her up" so she'll go back to laying her eggs eventually.

 

[caralouise1974]

Brilliant news- well done Goldie! So pleased she's recovering nicely.

As for fattening her up, our BO has remained fussy after recovering, but has emerged with very simple tastes - grass and layers pellets! As an exception, she will also eat a few sunflower seeds (good for protein) and I use this treat (moistened a little, in a small ramekin dish) to sneak in some powdered supplements and make sure she gets a daily dose of vitamins and probiotics (to get her gut back to normal after the antibiotics). She is also drinking masses of water, so I make sure I also use that to her advantage by filling the water with 'good stuff': grapefruit seed oil, soluble calcium, garlic-based poultry respiratory tonic (it's called 'Respite' in the UK), and apple cider vinegar. As a result, I don't worry too much about what she eats really, as I know that she's getting all the supplements she could possibly need to keep her on the road to full health. She's going to bed with her crop chock-full of pellets every night anyway, so she's definitely getting everything she needs.

If you can dig up a few extra worms and slugs/bugs for her, the protein is always good for fattening them up. The mealworms are also excellent in this respect. Or you could try scrambled/boiled and chopped egg, drained canned tuna (in spring water, not brine), or cat food. Henrietta won't touch any of this stuff, apart from the worms, although I tried it all. I was also determined to get her on pro-biotic live yoghurt (calcium, protein and good bacteria all in one!), but she hates the feeling of stickiness on her beak - she just flicks it back at me! Worth a go with Goldie though...

Do keep us informed of her progress - I'm thinking of her...

 

[chickeepoo]

Thank you, Caralouise! Goldie actually found herself about 3 small roaches to eat (Eww!) outside while she was eating grass, and gobbled up some scrambled eggs this morning. She still isn't really excited about her layer feed, but she's active and pecking at everything else. I give her some scratch and sunflower seeds and some of the really crumbled cat food from the bottom of the container for extra protein, but she isn't eating a lot- she prefers the greens and bugs. Her droppings are still small, with some darker than usual and tar-like in appearance, but I hope this is just because of her limited intake this past week. I may just sneak a syringe of yogurt with active live cultures into her a couple of times a day if she won't eat it on her own to help out her digestion. She definitely has a taste for meal worms now- but I'd have to start raising them to keep up with her appetite! That's a thought…
It's wonderful that your BO Henrietta made a full comeback- they are such a sweet and friendly type of hen, more so than the RIR's I have. And, to you and all, thanks for sharing your info and checking in on Goldie!