What does cocidiosis actually look like?

[Bpohlmann93]

This is what she pooped out. And it feels like glass. Sounds like it too.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

But your probably right. I over worried with the new chickens being brought in I think. Lol

Maybe, but I'm not discounting your concern either.. just aiming for balance, which I wasn't sure of without the newly added information. Thank you for clarifying.

Even though she doesn't appear to have coccidiosis.. that doesn't explain the wheezing.. pet parents notice differences from what their expected norm is.

And I would still follow up by checking the crop shortly after roost and make sure it's good size. If it's empty, then further investigation is needed. I also would try to get a listen to her breathing before and without any handling. But also if not obvious, then try to aggravate/replicate it through handling. I'm not sure about sound but short videos (that include sound) can be uploaded to 3rd party host then linked here.

when I took her out of the crate to put her back outside there was small little square rock shapes which looked like possibly glass in her poop. It was clear and hard. But not really sharp. But there were a couple pieces

Hardware crop disease as it's known can be a real concern.

And (seeing a post that just popped up as I type) vomiting is NEVER normal for chickens! They don't have a gag reflex. You might have been noticing early symptoms.. the diarrhea caused by excess drinking in attempt to clear a smaller blockage?? see if this article helps at all..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Should they be ground or just kind crushed a bit?

Mostly just crushed a bit.

If separation is needed for her protection (from aspirating when a rooster mounts).. using a wire dog kennel (or similar) and keeping with the flock helps to maintain pecking order, if possible. Use your best judgement.. She will still want to chicken.. but if her life is on the line.. and confinement might help.. then it might be worth it.

 

[Bpohlmann93]

I have a chicken with chronic water belly (not really sure why, but the milk thistle and dandelion root helps her, thankfully). She is noticeably swollen if I put my hand underneath her (between her legs and a little bit back as well), even without being compared to other chickens, but if you aren't sure, you can check a few others as well to see if there is a difference.

Apologies if I missed this, but have you checked her weight and body condition? If you feel her front, you should be able to find her keel bone - it shouldn't feel like there is a ton of extra padding around it, but she also shouldn't feel extremely thin either. Also, have you checked for mites? Infestations can happen quickly and can cause birds to look generally unwell if they get bad enough. Too much protein can also cause loose poops, although this is less likely if she is looking and acting unwell. Yeast issues (sour crop and vent gleet) can do the same, and can be hard to catch before the birds starts showing the really obvious symptoms.

Something else to watch out for would be a respiratory infection of some kind, since you mentioned that she was wheezing.

I hope this helps!




Definitely watch if you put her out that they aren't picking on her - sometimes if they are feeling unwell, other members of the flock will start to pick on them and could hurt her if this is the case. If they're leaving her alone, she will likely feel better being with her flock, unless she is really unwell.



Do you happen to have a photo? It might just be grit or something from her crop that is being expelled. Sometimes, things like that are more noticeable when they aren't well, especially with paying closer attention to them.

For eggshells, I normally crush into smallish pieces, not finely ground but not giant either.

Thank you! I was thinking of still giving her milk thistle. I wandered about the protein since I switched their feed. I was hearing alot of bad things about Purina so we switched to the kalmbach. And I thought maybe since I had the feathering plume feed (even though it doesn't say it has extra protein in it) and the layer feed with 17% percent extra protein, they were getting too much. But she's the only one acting strange. And I think mites maybe a possibility. I just checked by their vents and stuff yesterday. It doesn't seem to bad. But I do believe they may have them. I treated their coop when I cleaned it out with what I had on hand. I usually use it when I clean out their coop. Beifen i/t. It's not my favorite but it what I have. I ordered ivermectin to treat them directly.

 

[WingsysRoost]

Vomiting is not normal for chickens - she could have/be developing sour crop or an impacted crop. You can feel her crop now and then again in the morning before she has eaten - you want to make sure that her crop is emptying overnight, and that it isn't soft and squishy or extremely firm.

That does look like glass. My concern would be that she could have eaten something that has injured her crop. It might not be the case but definitely something to keep an eye on.

 

[WingsysRoost]

She also seems to be doing normal chicken things. So it's really just confusing.

This is normal for chickens. They will try to do their usual thing unless they physically cannot. Being prey animals, they are driven to hide any illness and injury.

 

[Bpohlmann93]

She is roosting like normal and still has her spot as second queen bee lol her crop was full. And I will check again in the morning. we leave for work at 3am. So we give them fresh feed and water and are afraid to open the gate that early. So they don't get to free range on days we work until after about 4pm when we get home.

 

[Bpohlmann93]

Vomiting is not normal for chickens - she could have/be developing sour crop or an impacted crop. You can feel her crop now and then again in the morning before she has eaten - you want to make sure that her crop is emptying overnight, and that it isn't soft and squishy or extremely firm.

That does look like glass. My concern would be that she could have eaten something that has injured her crop. It might not be the case but definitely something to keep an eye on.

What can I do if it has injured her crop? Will that heal? Or her gizzard? Or anything else the glass passed through on its way out? (just realized after looking up hardware crop, that is what you meant.) I hope it isn't that. I will seperate her with one of our other hens tomorrow too. We have a seperated part of our run with a nesting box and a shelter. But when I put her in there yesterday she was not happy and got out. I'm still not sure how. But maybe if I put hennifer in with her she won't be as upset. (They are the top hens.) And besties lol

 

[Bpohlmann93]

So I just wanted to say thank you to everyone on here for the advice! She is doing better from what I can see. Not 100 percent sure we're done with everything yet since her poops are now yellowish tan and have that bloody stomach shedding in them. But they are atleast not straight water. No vomiting since I've been home. And all the chickens are on a normal diet. No extra anything. Thank you again so much for all the advice!!! you guys are awesome!