My 27 wk. old Easter Egger had been very healthy and active until 3 weeks ago. She was the first to lay and was a consistent layer. 3 weeks ago she laid a thin-shelled egg and we've had nothing from her since.
She seemed a bit withdrawn and was suddenly at the bottom of the pecking order. As I wasn't seeing any symptoms at that time, I thought it was a social issue. In the past week I noticed a change in her droppings. They went from absolutely fine to runny and watery with whole bits of food visible in them as though her food wasn't digesting. She has had little interest in eating and seems to be drinking a lot of water.
I took a stool sample to the vet 2 days ago. No worms of any type were found. The vet did find a good number of spirochetes [and I hope I'm spelling that right] and said she had a very unhealthy bowel. He suspects cocci and we began corid. All the birds have been on corid for 2 days. He did not feel there was any infection present.
I felt her crop and didn't feel any problem with it. It's not enlarged and didn't feel squishy. I get no sour smell from her.
Just opened up the coop and she wasn't interested in eating. She did drink and I then observed her pooing a stream of what appeared to be pure water. There were several samples of very loose stools on the roost and I've no idea if they are all hers or if some belong to the other birds. The other girls all seem perfectly fine at this time.
I have given them some yogurt in the hope of reintroducing good bacteria to her gut as well as the corid. My vet doesn't have much chicken experience and I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions as to what could be causing this and what I can do to correct things.
Thanks!
She seemed a bit withdrawn and was suddenly at the bottom of the pecking order. As I wasn't seeing any symptoms at that time, I thought it was a social issue. In the past week I noticed a change in her droppings. They went from absolutely fine to runny and watery with whole bits of food visible in them as though her food wasn't digesting. She has had little interest in eating and seems to be drinking a lot of water.
I took a stool sample to the vet 2 days ago. No worms of any type were found. The vet did find a good number of spirochetes [and I hope I'm spelling that right] and said she had a very unhealthy bowel. He suspects cocci and we began corid. All the birds have been on corid for 2 days. He did not feel there was any infection present.
I felt her crop and didn't feel any problem with it. It's not enlarged and didn't feel squishy. I get no sour smell from her.
Just opened up the coop and she wasn't interested in eating. She did drink and I then observed her pooing a stream of what appeared to be pure water. There were several samples of very loose stools on the roost and I've no idea if they are all hers or if some belong to the other birds. The other girls all seem perfectly fine at this time.
I have given them some yogurt in the hope of reintroducing good bacteria to her gut as well as the corid. My vet doesn't have much chicken experience and I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions as to what could be causing this and what I can do to correct things.
Thanks!