Yellowed Poop

[HeatherKellyB]

Hello fellow BYC folk! I wanted to ask if anyone has any ideas as to what this poop signals? The hen has had multiple yellowish poops. She laid an egg Monday, on Tuesday I noticed that she was unwell so I had her inside my shop. I ended up starting her on Amoxicillin last night and was greeted to a better acting, although not 100% hen this morning. I gave her amoxicillin again late this morning. She laid an egg again today and has been with her flock since late morning/early afternoon. I found this in the run. There were others that didn't look quite like this inside yesterday and overnight. I treated the hen for lice as I found a couple and I also wormed her with Valblazen (both done yesterday morning). After noticing no improvement by late last night, I started amoxicillin. Do you feel like I rushed to treat with antibiotic or do you feel like the antibiotics are what's behind her improvement? I know there's no way to know for sure, but I'm hoping I'm on the right track. Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

The urates which normally are white appear yellow. That could be a sign of liver disease or ascites, which is also a sign. Those are common in hens who have a reproductive disorder. Ascites (water belly) is also common with congestive heart failure, but seems more common in egg layers with reproductive issues. Can you feel or see any enlargement of her lower belly between her legs?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

The urates which normally are white appear yellow. That could be a sign of liver disease or ascites, which is also a sign. Those are common in hens who have a reproductive disorder. Ascites (water belly) is also common with congestive heart failure, but seems more common in egg layers with reproductive issues. Can you feel or see any enlargement of her lower belly between her legs?

I'll check whenever I go out to give her the next dose of amoxicillin. I didn't notice when I was handling her before but honestly I didn't check there. I washed her below her vent and didn't notice anything then. Hopefully the meds didn't cause further problems. She's been chatty today and her color is coming back. I'll go out and check this within the next hour. I kept her in the shop for tonight and her flockmate of the same breed is keeping her company. That will give me a comparison. Thank you for replying

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I was just with "Fashion" and gave her amoxicillin. I can feel her keel bone (although not protruding underweight or overweight) all the way back and then her abdomen (?) is not at all extruding in or out. It's just level with her keel bone and feels normal. She was super chatty and even pecked at Izzy for trying to get something before she finished (Fashion is the head hen) and her appetite seems to be coming back. She'll eat all the blueberries offered and then pecks on the wet feed. I'll make her a boiled egg in the morning. Her poops have firmed up and seem to have stuff in them (instead of watery green bits and yellow urates), although deep dark green and her urates are still yellowed. I'm unsure if I should continue the antibiotics if it's possibly hurting her or are they helping her feel better. I know it's nearly impossible to answer that with absolute certainty but I don't know. What would you do?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm so confused. Fashion's actions continue to improve but the color of her poop looks awful. One new thing I have noticed is that she's pulling/breaking feathers from Izzy and eating them. Is there a deficiency that would cause all of these things? She eats Purina Flock Raiser which is 20% Protein. She's still a little pale but that's improved too. Would the wormer or antibiotics cause this yellowed urates and green poop? That still wouldn't explain the feather pulling.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I did recently add Kalmbach Flock Maker crumbles to our feed. Although she eats Purina Flock Raiser, I have offered all of them some of the Kalmbach feed just to see if they like it. They're also eating their mash out of the rubber feed pans. That's the only changes that I can think of and they seem unrelated because I don't see any other birds like this

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I need to take the feed and water up tonight and check her crop in the morning.
I also gave her a little bit of direct nutri drench on Tuesday, but I can't see that still causing changes in her poop. I worried that she was unwell because of the few lice but I'm not so convinced now.

I tried to get a picture of her most recent poop but my camera doesn't show how yellow the urates are. My camera makes it look like a fairly normal poop. In real life, the urates are still yellow and the poop is a deep dark green.

Should I just let it be for now since she's improving? I know how quickly they can go downhill so that's why I am still worried. Whatever is going on, it's probably unlikely that I will be able to change the outcome, right?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would just make sure that she is eating, either some moist feed or scrambled egg. That is why her droppings are so green, she is not eating much. Blueberries and red cabbage can make droppings a bright blue green, but the latest dropping looks like she is not eating. Amoxicillin is pretty safe, and can be helpful with a reproductive infection. I would finish the course.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Thank you so much for your time. I'll keep up with the antibiotics and making her eggs/mash to encourage her to eat. I am so grateful for your help

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Finally! Fashion has white urates! Still on the antibiotics but she seems to be back to her normal bossy self. Thank you so much!