Young Pullet Won't Stop Drinking....

[BravewingTheHen]

Hello. I have a young pullet we just got who won't stop drinking. She is a little strange already in the fact that two of her toes on each foot are webbed together. She was born that way. Anyways, she is a little Black Copper Maran (or Olive Egger, not sure which) named Fay, and her symptoms are:

A Large squishy crop, she continuously drinks, she doesn't eat very much, she regurgitates watery stuff a bit, and her poo is very watery.

She is in with a White Silkie we got from the same place as her. We got both of them yesterday, and they are also in with a little gray bantam rooster. They are in a seperate pen from 7 othe older birds, but their run is in the other run but fenced off. Any ideas? Should I seperate her from the Silkie and the rooster? :/

 

[cafarmgirl]

I would treat her for cocci. I have noticed that birds with coccidiosis often drink a lot and eat little or nothing. And especially since she's new to you, I'd treat her, all of them actually, with Corid and see if she improves. You can separate her if you want to but if she has anything contagious they have all already been exposed.

 

[BravewingTheHen]

I just talked to someone and he thinks it's most likely just he stress of being moved, seeming she is young and was used to being picked on and losing feathers and such, not to mention her strange toes. If it continues I will look into treating her for coccidiosis, but for now I'm just going to leave her be and give her some electrolytes in her water. We did get her just yesterday, after all.

 

[Eggcessive]

Corid is a good thing to keep handy when owning chickens. I have a bottle of it even though I have never used it. It's one of those things to keep in the first aid box because you know that when you need it, the store will be closed for a holiday. I agree about treating them for cocci, plus it doesn't hurt, just maybe your wallet, LOL.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I just talked to someone and he thinks it's most likely just he stress of being moved, seeming she is young and was used to being picked on and losing feathers and such, not to mention her strange toes. If it continues I will look into treating her for coccidiosis, but for now I'm just going to leave her be and give her some electrolytes in her water. We did get her just yesterday, after all.

Just keep in mind that if, by chance, this IS cocci, you don't have time on your side. If she worsens it may be to late to start treatment. Cocci is deadly and fast and once they have a certain amount of damage there is no saving them. That's why it's better to err on the safe side and treat for it, just to rule it out if nothing else. It's very common for birds moved to a new area to come in contact with a strain that is new to them and have an outbreak. It's true this may not be what's going on with her but if it is it can kill her easily.

 

[BravewingTheHen]

Yes, we are just going to wait a few days because we JUST got her and it seems a little odd that she would get it from here. She is most likely just nervous as the Silkie is too, and she seems to think she is a chick as she nuzzles into the Silkies fuzz. But, we will keep in mind that she has it and we are going to get Corid very soon incase.

 

[Michael Apple]

I certainly hope a simple Corid treatment will set your pullet back on track. When I think of birds drinking excessive amounts of water and not eating, I think of what I saw in the past with Cholera. Birds that range are more likely to contract this bacterial disease. It is spread by other wild birds and rodents. Birds are more susceptible to fowl Cholera that are stressed, suffering from malnutrition, poor sanitation, parasites, or other diseases. Their waddles don't always swell up either. Sometimes birds can seem completely healthy one day, then dead the next. It is usually seen in birds over 6 weeks old, but even birds that are cured, or built up a resistance, can still be carriers. Cholera is not an uncommon disease. Pasteurella Multocida is the bacteria which causes it.