What The Heck is This??!!

[Bantambird]

It's given in the water. You will have to do a bit of math, but the dosages are listed for different concentrations. You probably won't want to eat eggs she lays during treatment, and don't give them to kids, as tetracycline can stain adult teeth in children. You can startvout at 800 mg if you feel she is showing signs of infection. Taper down slowly and mix fresh every morning as it looses effectiveness over time and is useless after 24 hours. So you could start at 800 mg for 2 days, then 400 for 2 days, then 200 for a week. If there is any infection that should clear it. She may have diarrhea. She will need probiotics after treatment, like yogurt, to get her digestive system on track again. If there is a local vet who will see chickens and you are still concerned, I'd take her to the vet.

 

[Bantambird]

Another thing to look out for is swelling in the abdomen. If it is full of fluid and she is standing like a duck, try to get her to a vet.

 

[MesMama]

Thank you @Bantambird for the info! We don't have any vets that see chickens around here unfortunately So I'm not sure what to do. Try to get the medicine, not sure the farm stores around here will have it, we have Theisens and Orschelens, I'm going to call and ask. And then I want to get her separated in a dog kennel, to be able to treat her. My birds came from a gal who was getting rid of her flock and so they don't let me come near them, makes it hard to treat them when something is wrong I've had them for a year and they want nothing to do with people, well except when we have treats lol!

Anyway, hopefully I can find the meds and get her isolated to treat her. When I checked her over last night it was really hard to tell if her belly was enlarged, my husband had to hold her really securely because she was NOT happy and very angry. I know that she was standing in a strange position, low to the ground and all puffed out, not like a broody but just puffy like you do when your gut hurts when you're constipated (best way to describe it). As I was checking her and trying to feel for an egg she didn't act like anything hurt? Icicle by feel her belly much because like I said my hubby had both hands around her to keep her still, so I'm not sure about fluid in her abdomen?

 

[MesMama]

Well I went out to try and get her so I can put her in the dog kennel, but she wouldn't even let me get close...so, I'm not sure what to do except wait until tonight when she's roosting? Ugh. I wish these girls were more tame, this is the perfect case as to why it's good to handle birds when they're chicks

 

[MesMama]

Also noticed this morning that she's "pushing" once in awhile like when they lay eggs

 

[Bantambird]

You would know when you felt her if there was fluid. It usually looks distended. If she is still feeling poorly, keeping her in a warm dark kennel will help. Keeping the lights low can interrupt the laying cycle so her insides can heal without the annoyance of passing another egg(sometimes they lay anyways but it helps keep them quiet). Egg binding can also cause serious issues. There are a lot of posts on egg binding all over these forums and it can happen to anyone. Not being there myself means it can be hard to really diagnose things. If she is egg bound, you should be able to feel an egg in the abdomen.

 

[MesMama]

You would know when you felt her if there was fluid. It usually looks distended. If she is still feeling poorly, keeping her in a warm dark kennel will help. Keeping the lights low can interrupt the laying cycle so her insides can heal without the annoyance of passing another egg(sometimes they lay anyways but it helps keep them quiet). Egg binding can also cause serious issues. There are a lot of posts on egg binding all over these forums and it can happen to anyone. Not being there myself means it can be hard to really diagnose things. If she is egg bound, you should be able to feel an egg in the abdomen.

Sounds good thank you! I will try to get her caught and out her in the kennel and take her inside, maybe the basement, it's quiet and darker down there. Hope I can get her though She's a feisty, cagey one!

 

[Bantambird]

Pushing is a sign of binding. Has she pooped? If she is bound she may not be able to poop. There is a huge post on how to clear bound eggs. Egg binding will kill a hen if she can't pass it. Being that she is so flighty, you could put a heat pad under the kennel, and feed her son calcium rich foods if she will eat. A warm bath with Epsom salts can help and won't hurt if she will tolerate it.

 

[MesMama]

Pushing is a sign of binding. Has she pooped? If she is bound she may not be able to poop. There is a huge post on how to clear bound eggs. Egg binding will kill a hen if she can't pass it.

I'm not sure if she's pooped? Her rear end is filthy, same as last night...dang it I'm kicking myself for not putting her in the kennel last night! :/ I just didn't even think about it.

I tried to get her to eat some meal worms but she wouldn't touch them

I'll read more about the egg bound issue some more, and will just have to keep trying to catch her otherwise I'll have to wait it out until tonight

 

[MesMama]

Pushing is a sign of binding. Has she pooped? If she is bound she may not be able to poop. There is a huge post on how to clear bound eggs. Egg binding will kill a hen if she can't pass it. Being that she is so flighty, you could put a heat pad under the kennel, and feed her son calcium rich foods if she will eat. A warm bath with Epsom salts can help and won't hurt if she will tolerate it.

Yeah the bath thing-I *might* need a sedative to get that done ;o And I don't want to hurt her, you know? I might be able to catch her myself, maybe, but chasing her around the coop with the off chance I can catch her I'm afraid will stress her out more? Or she'll hurt herself trying to get away. My new chicks that I have WILL be able to be picked up to at least examine them when I need to, because this is ridiculous. I feel helpless here

Oh and also-the thing I pulled out of her last night, if she's egg bound what do you think that might have been? Or maybe it broke in there? Would that cause pushing as well?