What is wrong?

[Mandykay]

I can't here any rasping, or clicking, or wheezing. My vet didn't hear anything that she indicated. She has had no coughing or sneezing, just the panting with an occasional gasping? It was close to 100 degrees the day all this became obvious, I originally thought heat stroke... but it didn't improve much with cooler temps.

 

[Tclloyd0812]

Now

She is so pretty! I just don't know what to tell you, I really wish I could help more. For now, my best advice, based on my previous experience, would be to rule out respiratory issues by keeping an eye on her, as well as ruling out gapeworm. I'm not sure what are all of the symptoms of gapeworm but it's a possibility. I'm not really sure if its mycoplasma now because her eyes look good and her face isn't puffed up or pale looking.
If she is having breathing issues I would try tylan or tylosin, if she has gapeworm or even if you suspect it I believe you can get the worming medication from the feed store. You would have to look at the dosage for chickens because I think it's used for goats or cows.

Once again, I wish I had answers, it's just so confusing when she looks good and healthy but has these symptoms and the yellow watery poop.

 

[Tclloyd0812]

I think this old thread is similar to the same kind of problem your hen is having. Maybe this will help:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...diarrhea-i-am-in-need-of-serious-help.680976/

 

[Mandykay]

This one was from Monday

This is from today.

 

[Tclloyd0812]

This one was from Monday

This is from today.

In both of these videos I noticed she is breathing kind of heavy (panting) and has her wings spread out a little (lifted up) like she is hot. This is what chickens look like when they're trying to cool off on a hot day. But I'm not sure what sickness would cause her to pant like that with her wings kind of away from her body.
You said she layed 2 eggs since she has been sick? I don't think she is egg bound, but it could be possible, although an x-ray would probably have shown that. But egg bound hens will pant, not move around much.

I am so stumped on the answer here, the possibilities are endless. But I'm torn between some sort of respiratory/parasite infection or egg bound...

I would research the following things to see if any of these sound like she may have them:
Gapeworm
Coryza
Mareks
Egg bound

I'm sure you've done a lot of research, I am just trying to help!!!

This one was from Monday

This is from today.

 

[Mandykay]

Yes the x-ray today ruled out egg binding and enternal laying. I agree it looks like she is hot, but it is cold in my house right now so I don't see how she could be. I have researched until my head is ready to explode and can't find any one thing that matches. If I assume she had heat exhaustion or stroke on Saturday as well as possible necrotic enteritis following the coccidiosis then I can squeeze a fit, but my vet doesn't seem to agree...while she is great and doing everything she can she is not a poultry or avian vet... I just hope someone sees the x-rays and can tell me if anything jumps out as an issue I can look into...

 

[Tclloyd0812]

Yes the x-ray today ruled out egg binding and enternal laying. I agree it looks like she is hot, but it is cold in my house right now so I don't see how she could be. I have researched until my head is ready to explode and can't find any one thing that matches. If I assume she had heat exhaustion or stroke on Saturday as well as possible necrotic enteritis following the coccidiosis then I can squeeze a fit, but my vet doesn't seem to agree...while she is great and doing everything she can she is not a poultry or avian vet... I just hope someone sees the x-rays and can tell me if anything jumps out as an issue I can look into...

I'm sorry! I know how frustrating this can be, especially not knowing what she has because you want to treat it the best way possible. I hope someone on here will be able to give you some good answers, or maybe she will recover and may just have gotten over heated and may have a little coccidiosis that can still be treated with corid. I would definitely give her some vitamins like nutridrench or rooster booster, and if not that try Poly vi sol from walmart, (I believe the brand is Infamel), make sure to get no iron and give her a small dosage mixed in the water.

Keep us updated on her, and I will try to think of some different things, or if I come across a thread that has similar issues, I'll post it on here. I hope she recovers soon!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is her crop emptying overnight?

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

I have a 28 week old ee hen, who on Saturday presented with stumbling, and lethargy. I brought her in thinking it could be heat related or vitamin deficiency as my flock had just finished a course of corid 7 days prior. I followed the corid with 2 days of poultry cell added to the water, then two days of hydro hen in the water. After bringing her in I gave 1 ml poultry cell to the beak. After 45 mins with no improvement my girl Kiya had an extremely watery slimy poop. At that point I opted to start treating with corid again as she was puffed up, lethargic, and panting. I figured better safe than sorry just in case the previous treatment didn't wipe out the vet confirmed coccidiosis. I put her back out with the flock late Saturday night. No improvement on Sunday. Still panting, wings dropping, tail down, eyes closed. Little to no food or water intake. Brought her in the house during the heat of the day, syringed corid water to her and tried to get her to eat. Still having very watery poop. Put her back with the flock over night to roost. Monday morning, no improvement. Took her to my vet who will see poultry but admittedly doesn't have a ton of experience with them. She looked her over said she was weak, body condition thin. Said she couldn't hear anything in her lungs, but the way she was panting was concerning. She opted to start oxytetracycline while continuing the corid for 2 more days. Said to call her in no improvement in 48 hrs. Started the antibiotics on Monday around 2:30pm. Tuesday morning, no improvement, but not visibly worse. On Wednesday morning very little improvement. Still lethargic, tail down, but some form to her poop. I had the vet run a fecal float which came back normal. She is eating very little and drinking very little. Still lethargic, wings and tail dropping. Stands still with eyes closed. When she does move it is slowly. She has been panting less. She does peck at grit a lot. We have been bringing her in during the heat of the day and out as it cools in the evening. She laid a normal egg sometime between Saturday and Sunday morning as it was on the poop board when I let them out for the day at 6:30 am. On Tuesday morning I found a soft shelled egg on the poop board where she roosts. She has not laid since that I know of. If she laid a soft shell in the run it was devoured before I saw it... This morning little improvement. Less panting, but continues with dropping tail and wings. Not wanting to eat or drink. I brought her in a syringed her antibiotic water and gave poultry cell by beak as she finished the corid yesterday. While in the house she pooped, see attachment with the penny. I took her back out and checked the poop boards see attachment. I called the vet and ask for an x-ray. Also attached. The vet seems to think her air sacks look small, and thinks she could have MG. We discussed the possibility of necrotic enteritis secondary to the coccidiosis, which she agreed could be a possibility. She recommended continuing the oxytetracycline and gave an injection of .01ml of lasix to see if that would help. Currently my girl is in my house, she has pooped several all water poops, the Lasix at work. She won't eat and I have been giving 3 ml of antibiotic water every 15 minutes as she won't drink on her own. Could you look at the x-ray and see if you all see anything? Any idea what I am dealing with? Also does anyone know if there is a test that can be done on a live bird that could confirm or rule out MG? I honestly don't think that is the issue since she or any of my flock have presented any typical symptoms, no coughing, sneezing, watery, bubbly eyes, no discharge from the nose or mouth. I am still leaning towards the necrotic enteritis as the infection along with heat related issues. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions. She has not been vaccinated and is a feed store purchased girl...

Have the vet try SMZ TMP 48mg/ml suspension instead of the antibiotic they were using.

I am not a vet, but the xray is really not that clear. I don't see anything obviously metalic in it, as the behavior sounded a bit like metal poisoning at first. Tell the vet to look for a dilated proventriculus/esophagus in the xray, as this could be an indication of metal poisoning.

I would do a blood test for lead and other heavy metal poisoning.

The air sacs look reduced in size as there is not much black space.
Possible fluid in them? Curious on how the fluids were syringed to her and is it possible some may have aspirated into the lungs?

It could be any number of things, but heavy metal poisoning, Aspergillosis or ascites are possibilities as well as a congenital heart issue. MG could be possible, but generally doesn't present with rapid symptoms like that. You can have the vet take a swab of her mouth/nose/eyes for the mycoplasma. Birds with this usually recover just fine. The sudden onset of symptoms is the troubling part. What is the temp where you are right now? How is the ventilation in the coop at night etc?

Given the symptoms, I would check the heavy metal poisoning first, including lead. Get this done asap, as the test can take days. She'll need special treatment if it is heavy metal poisoning. Also try the other antibiotic.

I hope she recovers for you! Sending best wishes.

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

Yes the x-ray today ruled out egg binding and enternal laying. I agree it looks like she is hot, but it is cold in my house right now so I don't see how she could be. I have researched until my head is ready to explode and can't find any one thing that matches. If I assume she had heat exhaustion or stroke on Saturday as well as possible necrotic enteritis following the coccidiosis then I can squeeze a fit, but my vet doesn't seem to agree...while she is great and doing everything she can she is not a poultry or avian vet... I just hope someone sees the x-rays and can tell me if anything jumps out as an issue I can look into...

Did she do additional xrays? Sometimes you can see specs of lead or other metal in them if they are clear enough. See my other post on heavy metal poisoning as a possibility.