[Kitchen Cottage]

I've sent a worming sample off, but I don't think she has worms.

She is very listless and puffed up.   I fed her with a spoon last night pellets mushed up and this morning she has a poo, which was a white mass surrounded by green goo.

She had got very dehydrated and I am hand feeding her with a syringe.... but I don't actually know how much to give her!  Its an unused metacam syringe (you get a new one with each bottle) and am giving her 2 of them (50ml) every couple of hours).  The water has a little honey in it to give her some energy.

Today I've made a gloop of scrambled egg, a half a banana, some cayenne pepper (apparently a natural wormer) and live yoghurt.  I got this mix from another website where the owner used it with success...

Again, how much do I feed her.  She will take about 7 half teaspoons at a time and then starts to rebel...    I think there is hope for her, she is a strong bird but "mature" at 6... she is still laying (twice in a week) which I've cracked and which look normal.

Any help would be gratefully received.

[Kitchen Cottage]

http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/CARING%20FOR%20A%20SICK%20OR%20INJ%20%209_08.pdf

I did find this, which was really useful.  She's going into a carrying case to be around me today

[funkyfish]

How is her breathing? Runny eyes/nose? Swollen abdomen? Green poo is not a good sign.. could be something very contagious yo you as well as other birds.


http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/diarrhoea/index.aspx this site has lots of good info and a list of good poultry vets around the country.

[Kitchen Cottage]

I thought the green poo was because she hadn't eaten.  Isn't it stomach bile?  It was around a very solid mass of white. 

I've been feeding her every couple of hours and, whereas she was sitting down earlier, now she is standing and have squawked a few times.

I've sent a sample for analysis but I don't think she has worms as she is wormed regularly. 

Her breathing is absolutely fine, she is just listless.  Certainly, she has picked up slightly since I rehydrated her.... I've jeyes'd the coops today and moved my other hens.  She's been separated from them all week anyway.

I may well get shot down in flames but... she's not going to the vet, if she doesn't improve I will cull her.  She is 6 and has had a good innings in free range conditions. 

[Kitchen Cottage]

meant to say, no runny eyes, no swollen abdomen,  no egg inside her, nothing but she's listless.

[funkyfish]

Hummm, re runny/green poo was thinking aspergilosis/salmonella. Green can also mean bacterial infection.

[size=78%] Just maybe rundown/ got dehydrated? Glad she's a bit better. I've no probs with culling any sick animal, just letting them sit around and seeing what happens is not good (not that you would do that!- I've just given advice on a chicken forum thing on a sick bird not moved etc for a week and Owner won't take to vet or cull [/size] [size=78%]).[/size]

[size=78%]Hope she makes a full recovery for you [/size]

[Maggie]

Have you had any bother from foxes recently?  I only ask because my 4 year old buff Orpington displayed the same signs as your hen -  days after the fox took her 2 year old offspring.  Didn't eat for about two weeks (must've been conning me though) and I thought she'd die of hunger.  She made a full recovery in the end.  Good luck with her - it sounds like you look after your hens really well.  xx

[Kitchen Cottage]

Well, she's been fed every couple of hours and done 2 large solid poos.  She seems more perky but doesn't have her appetite.  When I took her out just now to feed her, I found some mites on her.  She has mite powder regularly as does the coop.  I just done her again, even though its evening and will feed her a bit later... I didn't like seeing 2 mites walking on my arm.  I wondering now whether mites are dragging her down?   I jeyes'd and did the coop with mite powder again today.  But I will do all the hens tomorrow night, just in case.  Back at work tomorrow so no hand feeding for her.  I'll give her a bit feed and water before I go and when I get back. 

Fingers crossed, though she seems slightly perkier, though off her food and water still.

[chrismahon]

Sounds a bit like sour crop Kitchen Cottage. They can pick up with just a water diet. Try feeding regularly with chopped onions -that's working for us and was advice given to me as common practice in Poland. Avoid damp feed and keep the run clear of spilled feed which can rot on the floor.

[JMB]

Hi.

My hen died a couple of weeks ago.
I must have spent hours looking up symptoms on the Internet and I bought every concoction going, cooked up special food, nursed her for 4 days, she died anyway.
I think chickens are notoriously difficult to diagnose. I did take one to the vet, but I don't think they really knew. She died too.
Give it your best shot. Best of luck.
J xxxxxx

[Kitchen Cottage]

I see.  Well, I've been giving her gloop and she's not going downhill.  I'm hand feeding and working from home today and tomorrow and on leave Friday.... so I can do that.  I don't think its sour crop.  her crop is fine and emptying and filling and no smell. 

As the interwebby tells me sour crop will have a watery smelly crop before being fed?  hers is fine.  I won't change her treatment until I know she's got that.  What symptoms other than that should I look for?  She's wormed and has been mited.... She isn't going downhill but not picking up.  In part yesterday I was at work so she wasn't hand fed.  As I'm here for the next few days..... I'll know whether feeding her will cause her to pick up!

 

I expected her to have continued to go down hill.... but she hasn't.. she just hasn't picked up