WARNING Poo pic - Yellow poo, Sick bird

[rararanch]

Yesterday My 18mth old rescue hen had poo down her breeches, she is skinny, shakes her head, feet feel cold to the touch and is lethargic. She is my first hen, so I'm inexperienced. Today I watched her poop and it hit the ground clear, but yellow poo ran down her breeches. I've given her 2ml ACVinegar mixed with honey and water orally. Any further advice would be most welcomed as we need the help

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yesterday My 18mth old rescue hen had poo down her breeches, she is skinny, shakes her head, feet feel cold to the touch and is lethargic. She is my first hen, so I'm inexperienced. Today I watched her poop and it hit the ground clear, but yellow poo ran down her breeches. I've given her 2ml ACVinegar mixed with honey and water orally. Any further advice would be most welcomed as we need the help

Hi

Welcome To BYC


Does the clear with yellow poop look like egg (egg whites and yolk)?
Did you notice if she had any soft shell or deflated egg shell hanging out of her bum?
How long have you had her?

Since she is lethargic, I'm hesitant to advise you to give her a soaking and wash up her bum. If you can bring her in and place her in a steamed up bathroom. Try to wipe her up the best you can and make sure the vent isn't clogged up with poop.

Keep her hydrated - if you have poultry vitamins offer some in her water or direct dose her with something like Poultry Nutri-Drench.

It's hard to know what's going on. She may have been trying to pass a soft shell egg and it broke. It's also possible that she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors.

Since she is skinny and shaking her head. Check her over for any signs of lice/mites. Give her her normal poultry feed, oyster shell free choice and some extra protein like egg or tuna.

If you can take a fecal sample to your vet for testing of cocci and worms that would be a very good idea.

Keep us posted.

 

[rararanch]

Does the clear with yellow poop look like egg (egg whites and yolk)? It appears more yellow than egg yolk, but clear is the same as egg white.

Did you notice if she had any soft shell or deflated egg shell hanging out of her bum? I found a partial soft shell not in the nest box and egg white with no yolk to be seen about 3 days ago.

How long  have you had her? Just over 2wks. She was a battery hen that was rescued.

Since she is lethargic, I'm hesitant to advise you to give her a soaking and wash up her bum.  If you can bring her in and place her in a steamed up bathroom.  Try to wipe her up the best you can and make sure the vent isn't clogged up with poop. Will do

Keep her hydrated - if you have poultry vitamins offer some in her water or direct dose her with something like Poultry Nutri-Drench. Will get some tomorrow, I have given apple cider vinegar with water & honey by syringe drip feeding her this morning. She has improved a little this afternoon because she is eating.

It's hard to know what's going on.  She may have been trying to pass a soft shell egg and it broke. If this is the case, is there anything I can do for her and what is the possible outcomes from this?

It's also possible that she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors.

Since she is skinny and shaking her head.  Check her over for any signs of lice/mites.  Have checked her no lice/mites to be seen. I'm not sure if she has always shaken her head. These ex battery hens have a lot of OCD behaviours and I do know the other hens who have an obsessive pecking at each other disorder, have always pecked this hens face, but not the others. The pecking doesn't appear to bother them, but they do pull out feathers.

Give her her normal poultry feed, oyster shell free choice and some extra protein like egg or tuna. Have the oyster shell, normal poultry feed and will give her some tuna.

If you can take a fecal sample to your vet for testing of cocci and worms that would be a very good idea. Will do this tomorrow as well.

Keep us posted.

THANK YOU soooo much for your advice!!!




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[rararanch]

Update & a little further information on my ex battery hen that I've had for 3wks now:

6 days ago
There was one less egg than usual

5 days ago
Noticed a partial soft egg: no yolk to be seen & about 1/4 soft shell

4 days ago
Noticed hen shaking her head, not eating, tail down, fluffed up & poop all down her backside & generally standing around.
Checked for mites/lice & no evidence of any. She felt skinny & legs were cold compared to the others.
She went into a confined area under the nest boxes & layed down. This is the last time I have seen her lay down

3 days ago
Symptoms had not changed since the day before.
Seen her Poop & was clear on the ground, but yellow ran down her back side
Gave her Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), honey, water mix orally via a needless syringe late morning
Slightly improved by the afternoon, still shaking head, fluffed up & tail down but pecking at the ground every now & then & legs feel warm
Noticed she would peck around the feeder, but not in it. I placed pellets on the ground around feeder & she ate it.
Brought her in the house with a hot water bottle
Bathed her
Fed normal pellets, oyster shell, tuna & ACV/water/honey in separate bowls. She was eating & drinking

2 days ago
Head shake has stopped, she is eating well, poops are firm, still fluffed up & tail down
Bathed & blow dried her
Lubricated up her vent
She was pulsing her vent area when put to bed
Still inside with hot water bottle & same feed as day before & she is eating & notice she pecks at the oyster shell the most

1 day ago
Notice head shake in the morning but had gone by the afternoon. Still fluffed up & tail down
She is eating & drinking & still particularly pecking at the oyster shell a lot
Bathed & blow dried her
Gave her approx. 150mg of crushed calcium tablet mixed in 1/4 cup of water & administered approx 80% of it orally via a needless syringe
Still inside with hot water bottle & same feed as day before & she is eating & notice she still pecks at the oyster shell the most

Today
No head shake, she is eating & drinking well, still fluffed up & tail down.
Pecking at her food or the hay which is her bedding on a more constant level
Still inside with a hot water bottler

I haven't tried to feel for an egg internally, because I haven't done it before & don't want to inflict further damage to her by doing it wrong. Not sure if she is good enough to put with the rest of the flock, because although she is eating & drinking well, her head shaking has stopped, I'm not sure if she has retained an egg or why her tail is still down. I have tried to feel externally, but I just don't have the experience to tell. She still is fluffed up, not laying, tail down & haven't seen her sit/lay down for 4 days

Any advice from this point forward would be welcomed for this inexperience hen carer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update & a little further information on my ex battery hen that I've had for 3wks now:

6 days ago
There was one less egg than usual

5 days ago
Noticed a partial soft egg: no yolk to be seen & about 1/4 soft shell

4 days ago
Noticed hen shaking her head, not eating, tail down, fluffed up & poop all down her backside & generally standing around.
Checked for mites/lice & no evidence of any. She felt skinny & legs were cold compared to the others.
She went into a confined area under the nest boxes & layed down. This is the last time I have seen her lay down

3 days ago
Symptoms had not changed since the day before.
Seen her Poop & was clear on the ground, but yellow ran down her back side
Gave her Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), honey, water mix orally via a needless syringe late morning
Slightly improved by the afternoon, still shaking head, fluffed up & tail down but pecking at the ground every now & then & legs feel warm
Noticed she would peck around the feeder, but not in it. I placed pellets on the ground around feeder & she ate it.
Brought her in the house with a hot water bottle
Bathed her
Fed normal pellets, oyster shell, tuna & ACV/water/honey in separate bowls. She was eating & drinking

2 days ago
Head shake has stopped, she is eating well, poops are firm, still fluffed up & tail down
Bathed & blow dried her
Lubricated up her vent
She was pulsing her vent area when put to bed
Still inside with hot water bottle & same feed as day before & she is eating & notice she pecks at the oyster shell the most

1 day ago
Notice head shake in the morning but had gone by the afternoon. Still fluffed up & tail down
She is eating & drinking & still particularly pecking at the oyster shell a lot
Bathed & blow dried her
Gave her approx. 150mg of crushed calcium tablet mixed in 1/4 cup of water & administered approx 80% of it orally via a needless syringe
Still inside with hot water bottle & same feed as day before & she is eating & notice she still pecks at the oyster shell the most

Today
No head shake, she is eating & drinking well, still fluffed up & tail down.
Pecking at her food or the hay which is her bedding on a more constant level
Still inside with a hot water bottler

I haven't tried to feel for an egg internally, because I haven't done it before & don't want to inflict further damage to her by doing it wrong. Not sure if she is good enough to put with the rest of the flock, because although she is eating & drinking well, her head shaking has stopped, I'm not sure if she has retained an egg or why her tail is still down. I have tried to feel externally, but I just don't have the experience to tell. She still is fluffed up, not laying, tail down & haven't seen her sit/lay down for 4 days

Any advice from this point forward would be welcomed for this inexperience hen carer.

I'm sorry that she is still not doing well. My best guess would be that she has an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Peritonitis, Ascites, Salpingitis, cancer or tumors. A vet can perform and xray to help rule out any egg masses, cancer or tumors. They can also test for Cocci, worms or bacterial infection.

It sounds like you are giving all the supportive care that most of us would give. Her not laying down or sitting for 4 days indicates, to me, that she is very uncomfortable.