Wounded Hen pooping mostly water

[Sheblazed]

Hi, One of my hens is recuperating from a bobcat wound that happened three weeks ago(see below if you want all the details). I gave her antibiotics for the first five days, she eats and drinks and even lays an egg every three or four days. She's lost a lot of weight and drinks a lot and is soaking the pine shavings in the crate with watery poop. I know they don't urinate, but she poops only water a lot of the time along with pooping regular poops. I've given her 'super food' along with her regular feed to try and fatten her back up but so far it hasn't worked. She is a three year old, regular sized, mixed breed hen. What should I do?

Long story - One of my hens was attacked by a bobcat three weeks ago, I intervened and saw the bobcat run off empty handed. I looked all that day for her but didn't find her until the next morning (thought she probably died overnight). She had a gaping chest wound (not bleeding) that I sprayed with blu-kote and then I fixed up a dog crate for her on my porch. She ate and drank water and even laid an egg that day so thought she was better off than it looked. The following evening when I inspected her (I was out of town that day) her wound was crawling with maggots. I came here to BYC, found a thread and proceeded to clean them out with tweezers and flush the wound. It was the most disgusting thing I've ever done in my life. I gave her antibiotic, and packed the wound with antibiotic ointment twice a day, for five days after that until the tissue started to look healthier. She never stopped eating or drinking, laid that one egg the first week and I've gotten maybe four more these last two weeks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. If her feed does not list probiotics on the label (Purina and Nutrina sometimes have them,) I would give her some plain yogurt or Probios powder to help firm her droppings, and get the beneficial gut bacteria back to normal after antibiotics. She also could be drinking lots of water which can make droppings watery. You may want to give her a little extra protein in her diet with treats such as chopped egg or tuna, or some 24% gamebird crumbles.

 

[Sheblazed]

Thank you so much Eggcessive! I will start her on probiotic (she won't eat plain yogurt!) and increase her protein and hope she fattens up. She does drink excessively, should I only fill her water once a day?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she getting too warm? That can be one reason for excessive thirst. I would not limit her water. Many birds will eat yogurt or even buttermilk if it is mixed into a small amount of feed with water. Put some raw egg in and mix, and they will usually devour it. Cottage cheese has cultures and can help with diarrhea.