Weight loss, diarrhea, lethargy

[jannakaye]

4 year old Cochin batam, Clover, is very sick. She had an upper respiratory infection and the antibiotic gave her diarrhea. She lost a considerable amount of weight and I began giving her scrambled eggs in the mornings to try to help her gain it back. She continued to act lethargic and didn't gain much weight, if any at all. After another round of probiotics she got a little better, although she still didn't gain weight. I changed their feed from a generic Flock Raiser to Layena and the diarrhea started back. More probiotics. I wormed her, thinking that was the problem, with no results. I treated for Coccidia with no results. Clover is feathers and bones and I cannot figure out what is going on. She's so weak she stumbles, falls and cannot get back up. She's been inside for the past few weeks and she gets weaker every day. I'm afraid I'll go to check on her and my little Clo will be gone. If anyone has any ideas, PLEASE let me know.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there any way you can have a vet to see her? You have been doing a lot of treatments already, and it might be good to have a few fresh droppings checked for worms, cocci, and a gram stain for bacteria and yeast. It's also possible that she could have an overwhelming yeast (candida) infection in her digestive tract. How is her crop emptying through all of this? Has she recently laid eggs?

 

[jannakaye]

No eggs since the UR, crop is emptying normally. I'm currently searching for a vet that will see poultry. I have three that I haven't called yet. If they don't work out I'm going to try to take her to Mississippi state U to their poultry lab. I wish I could've already done that but my grandmother is in bad health and I help take care of her.

 

[Eggcessive]

I know about having caregiver responsibilities. I wish I had more suggestions for you, but a vet or poultry lab could probably help. Sometimes when they get a respiratory disease, they can get a secondary bacterial air sacculitis which can spread bacteria such as E.coli throughout the body. One friend here on BYC spent 3 months treating his rooster who eventually died from that. There are also chronic diseases that can cause wasting. Most of those things, I have just read about, not seen. Let us know if you learn something, and I really hope that you can get her well.