Very Wet Chicken

[lmdengler]

Good morning All-

Hopefully I have this question in the best forum. I have been keeping Daisy separate since her illness in early July. While she is much better – I am still keeping her separate when not supervised until she gains enough weight to defend herself. At night, I keep her in a dog crate with pine shavings. On most mornings, when I go out to take care of her and set her up for the day, the pine shavings are wet. Today, they were soaked as was she. Her underside was soaking wet – like she just had a bath. I didn’t dare put her outside for fear of getting chilled and sick (again). Does anyone have any ideas why she was so wet? Did she pee on herself and sit in it? It definitely was not spilled water from the waterer. Last night I didn’t put the waterer back in her cage when I moved her into it. Thoughts?

 

[LadyCluck77]

What kind of illness does Daisy have?

If the dog crate is being kept outside, do you think it is possible the moisture is from night time dew/ misting? Are you located in a mountain/ valley region?

Birds excrete one solid mass of urate and fecal matter, so her droppings would not cause wetness like that. If you are in a region similar to mine, my guess would be heavy ground dew.

 

[lmdengler]

No - not at all. I'm keeping her in the garage. I have her on pine shavings.

 

[aart]

What kind of illness does Daisy have?

This is a good question, would be good if @imdengler answered it.

Are you also seeing 'normal' poops?
Is she eating normally?
Are you checking her crop and night then in the morning to see if it's emptying properly?
It should be full at night, then take away any feed in crate and check crop in morning to make sure it's empty before feeding.

I'm guessing she pooping mostly water.
I suggest you get her in a crate like this so you can see what's coming out of her more clearly, and take some pics of it.

Is this the bird:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-read-and-give-advice.1183194/#post-18666432
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/update-on-sick-hen.1184772/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/remember-daisy.1189187/

 

[lmdengler]

Yes! Those links are to Daisy the hen I describe in this post. She has regular poops as well. It seems this "wetness" is only in the morning. I wondered if she was just laying in her excrement since she doesn't have a roost where the droppings would "drop" to. I was surfing around and read what I could on chicken poop. Could it be her diet is too high in protein. I am feeding her a mixture of chick finishing feed, chicken crumbles, with a little scratch mixed in as well as some 22% protein chicken feed mixed in as well. She also gets to run around in an outdoor playpen so she can be near the other birds. I am hoping to get her back in the flock as soon as the other birds stop picking on her.

I currently have her in a dog crate like the one you show. I have the tray on the bottom though. I thought that just the wire bottom would hut her feet. I can certainly switch that out.

 

[aart]

I thought that just the wire bottom would hut her feet.

I had to add smaller wire (1x2") on bottom of crate.
It won't hurt her feet short term.

 

[lmdengler]

I had to add smaller wire (1x2") on bottom of crate.
It won't hurt her feet short term.

My biggest concern is that I am either doing something wrong or she has something else going on that I need to be alert to. She sickness back in early July I think could have been prevented had I been at least a little more knowledgeable and alert to signs of illness. Also, I stopped giving her the Poly Vi Sol 2x a day and now just give it to her 1xday because she is so frisky now she is definitely letting me know she DOES NOT want to have that stuff squirted in her mouth.

 

[apryl29]

I had a pullet that was excreting a clear liquid from her vent, it did eventually stop, though it only lasted a week or two. I watched her for a bit and saw it come spraying out of her. Some people said it was egg white. Whatever it was, it appears to have cleared up on it's own, though I haven't been able to confirm that she's laying again. Maybe to give yourself a better idea of what's going on you could install some kind of roost for her so she's not laying on the shavings, and if you have the time, sit and watch her and try to see what's going on.

 

[lmdengler]

Taking everyone's advice - I brought out the largest dog crate I have. It's an extra large suitable for a St. Bernard. I put down all new bedding and then fashioned a "roost" situated in a corner. Then I took a moving blanket I had and draped it over the end where the roost is. I put her up on the roost and then she jumped off. I put her back up and she wiggled and settled herself into a pose and stayed there. As of late evening - she was still on it all curled up with her head under her wing. I'm still not sure why she was so wet - but at least she won't be laying in it. I'll let you all know how she is tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your suggestions and information!

 

[LadyCluck77]

Taking everyone's advice - I brought out the largest dog crate I have. It's an extra large suitable for a St. Bernard. I put down all new bedding and then fashioned a "roost" situated in a corner. Then I took a moving blanket I had and draped it over the end where the roost is. I put her up on the roost and then she jumped off. I put her back up and she wiggled and settled herself into a pose and stayed there. As of late evening - she was still on it all curled up with her head under her wing. I'm still not sure why she was so wet - but at least she won't be laying in it. I'll let you all know how she is tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your suggestions and information!

Thank you for the update!
I read through your other posts, it sounds like the overgrown beak made it difficult for her to eat. Is the beak fitting together well now?

The green poop happens when they are starving, and it can come with lots of watery fluid. Perhaps that was part of the moisture issue.
How does her comb and wattles area look?
Is it deep red, or pinkish and shriveled up a bit?

Does she have any fluid running from her eyes or nostrils?

I know... lots of questions! There is no rush, whenever you get a chance I would love to hear more about what's going on with Daisy.