Worming question. Poor girl.

[chickens4pet]

Received a hen from a friend who kept her cooped all the time. This girl is 3 years old and she poops water. I wormed her with Valbazen, and she seemed to improve. I saw some thicker poops, and when I went to reworm in 10 days, she had gained 5oz! (Up to about 6 lbs where she should be.) After the 2nd worming, and some more buttermilk and probiotics in the water, she did not bounce back this time. Pooping water again, and not eating much at all. She'll take a few bites and then stop.

I have been trying to tempt her with various foods (veggies, fruit, meat, eggs), things my other chickens go nuts for. This chicken has eaten nothing but feed her whole life and she will have none of it.

Is there anything I can do to help her digestive tract heal? Or am I looking at some additional problem? Could it be kidney related? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@Eggcessive @dawg53 @Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[WhySayWhat]

The probiotics in plain (greek) yogurt help most animals (including us humans) when we have gut issues, but I always feed sparingly. I mix 1/2 cup or so with warm water and then pour over feed to make mush. I feed "soggy mush" daily so that my scissor beak can eat, but only add yogurt occasionally.

 

[Eggcessive]

It might be related to how much water she is drinking. Can you ask your vet if you could bring in some fresh droppings for a gram stain for bacteria and a fecal float for worms and coccidiosis?

 

[azygous]

Have you done a crop check? It would help rule out crop disorders if we know things are moving through her digestive system. Withhold food and water after this evening and check to see if her crop is empty first thing in the morning.

If the crop hasn't emptied, then she may have an obstruction. Watery poop can also point to an obstruction, especially an egg. Do you have any idea when she laid last? Or if she has had shell quality issues?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have been trying to tempt her with various foods (veggies, fruit, meat, eggs), things my other chickens go nuts for. This chicken has eaten nothing but feed her whole life and she will have none of it.

Are you providing her with feed free choice or trying to get her to eat other things?
Some chickens just won't eat other things, so I would make sure she's got access to what she's used to.

I agree, I would check her crop to make sure it's functioning correctly.
At 3 yrs old, she may have some issues that are starting to show up.

Curious why the friend gave up a hen and only 1?

 

[chickens4pet]

Thank you, everyone, for the replies.

She does like the mushy feed, but takes a couple of bites, then stops.

I just measured the water dish, and it holds about 18oz, and it was a little over half full after today (2 chickens). My hen who died last year (8 years old) had crop problems a couple of times when she was younger, and she'd drink a ton of water trying to "fix" it. Seems like this one is drinking less water than usual.

I have checked this hen's crop daily since I got her, just trying to get her used to being handled, and to know what normal feels like. It's not normally big and firm like my fast-metabolism good layer hen, but it usually has a good feel in the evening. Now it feels flat/nearly empty in the evening. That is why I started trying to tempt her with things.

She was molting when I got her in September and not laying. Her molting is nearly over. I will ask if she had shell quality issues. I suspect they did not distinguish one hen's eggs from another. If she has an egg blockage, would there be anything to do?

I will watching for any pooh I could capture. Haven't seen any lately. Mostly drips and water spots. There is a vet nearby I could ask if I can get some.

 

[chickens4pet]

Yes, she has free access to her feed all day. It is a layer crumble, and I've wondered about too much calcium - since she isn't laying.

I had 4 chickens and most of my flock aged out, so I had only 1 and she was lonely, and too late to get chicks this year. My friend had 3 and she wanted to get rid of them in favor of ducks. I tried to take all 3 but the flock dynamics weren't working out, so I took 2 back to her. This one has an easygoing, middle-of-the-pecking order personality.

 

[dawg53]

Give her plain boiled white rice mixed in her feed to eat. If she's integrated with your other birds, give them some also.

 

[azygous]

When I am dealing with sick chickens that refuse to eat, as @dawg53 says, boiled rice always gets them to eat. I often mix a little keifer in it or raw egg for added nutrition. And always poultry Nutri-drench for weak birds.