MrsSlats Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Need some advice please. Dixie hasn't eaten for the last couple of days. I noticed yesterday she was feeling down as she didn't touch the morning porridge. This morning she was not better so I brought her indoors and set up camp for her in the bathroom where it's toasty warm. I've left her plenty of her favourite treats, sweetcorn, mealworms, dried corn and tuna but she's just poked at it and hasn't eaten anything. I don't think she has laid in a while, so she could be egg bound... I've had a look at her vent and it seams OK. certainly not swollen or sore. And I can't feel anything might be trapped... I gave her a warm bath just in case. Toilet wise, she's barely been at all today... and what she has done doesn't look normal. But seeing as she hasn't eaten for 2 days I'm not surprised. She's settled now, but I am wondering whether to leave her in the bath for the night... or put her back in the cube with the others. I'm a bit reluctant to put her out in the cold with no food inside her to keep her energy up, but do you think she would be a bit more relaxed if she was with the others? I will try and find a vet for her tomorrow, but any suggestions of anything else I could try in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I would definitely take her to a vet tomorrow, and I'd suggest keeping her indoors tonight. Have you tried her with a sloppy porridge made wit pellets and warm water? She might be tempted with hat. Try to gently syringe small amounts of water into her beak if she is relutant to drink. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I agree about keeping her indoors in the warm. Especially as its so cold out. You could maybe slip a warm hot water bottle under a towel and place her on top. Hope she is better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks We kept her in last night, sat by the radiator in the bathroom... ubber cosy. This morning she has managed 3 dried mealworms and a spit of lettuce, but no water and no layers porridge so we are off to the vets. Her demeanour is generally OK, if very sluggish. Tail is up and she's standing tall most of the time, but wiothout a full belly, she's not going back out in the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Let us know how you get on. Have you checked her crop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 I did, but to be honest I wasn't sure what I was looking for. So I've been up to the others and had a feel of their crops for comparison. Dixie's is much larger, almost golf ball shaped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Ah....that might be where the problem lies. Ordinarily, the crop empties over night and should be barely discernable first thing in the morning. Sounds as if she might have an impacted crop, or an obstruction of some sort. Article **here** In view of the fact that she hasn't eaten for a few days. I would still take her to the vet, as the advice given in the articles might take a couple of days to work, whch would weaken her further.....and it might be something else that ails her anyway. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks Eglutine. The vet has checked her over and couldn't find anything obvious wrong with her, except a slightly high temperature (which is probably a result of being snuggled up in my bathroom for thw last 24 hours ). He did check her insides though and it's definitely not an egg problem. So he's put her on antibiotics just in case. I said I thought it might be a problem with her crop... which as you say should be empty by now... and I'm not entirely convinced he knew what I meant. But at least I have a syringe now... so I've given her a shot of olive oil and will be able to make sure she gets some liquids too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Good to hear that it isn't an egg issue. Here's hoping that you see an improvement pretty quickly, with the two pronged approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Quick update. She's still very lethargic and subdued, but after a day of forced water and olive oil her crop seems much smaller and more maliable so fingers crossed. She's still not eating though. I let her into the garden with the others for half an hour and she got relatively excited for some sunflower hearts... but only to a point. Otherwise she has had nothing all day so she's back in the bathroom for the night. Hopefully it is the crop and by the morning it will have emptied and she will be famished for her proper food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 sounds like peritonitis to me to be honest. We have ex batts too and a cple of them suffered from it after they hadn't laid for a while. Mariana has just had it again. She first suffered from it in August after a few soft eggs and she's got it again. She's had an injection of baytril and a weeks course of baytril tablets and she's back to normal now. Sometimes they don't/can't expel soft eggs and usually the body reabsorbs the egg material but sometimes it doesn't and if the egg matter gets bacteria in it, it can cause peritonitis. They perk up almost immediately after an injection of baytril, did the vet give her an injection at all? Your girl's symptoms sound so similar to my Mariana's, here's the thread I started for advice, see what you think anyway viewtopic.php?f=5&t=38349&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=mariana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks Poet The vet has put her on oral Baytril and I'm treating her for an impacted Crop. Hopefully one will be the problem. I've just been in to check on her and she's done a pooh! Her first proper pooh in 2 days! The bathroom stinks but I have never been so excited to see chicken pooh before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 i think the injection gives them a kick start, if your vet has done it all orally it might take longer to kick in. hope she perks up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Another update: Her crop has emptied after I gave her water and olive oil, but she's still not eating or drinking on her own. I am having to force feed. She's on Baytril incase it's an infection. I let her out with the others today as she was starting to look really fed up in the bathroom all alone, but she didn't eat while she was out there, so I've brought her back indoors for the night. But I'm no closer to know what the problem is or whether I've done enough to turn her around. Do they usually take a while to perk up after a compacted crop... or should I be seeing a bit more enthusiasm from her by now if that was the problem. Apart from not wanting to eat and being a bit sluggish there are not outward signs of her being unwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 TBH they usually perk up if it was just a blockage caused by eating something such as long grass. Maybe when the antibioitics have kicked in properly, you will see an improvement. It is a good idea to let her spend time with her friends if you think she is well enough, so that they don't forget her, and to avoid problems in reintroducing her to the flock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Hope she picks up. Well done clearing her crop and getting fluids down her. All fingers crossed for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 i s'pose you've tried her with her favourite treats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Yep, we've tried her with everything. She's still not eating... it's been a week now. I've taken to bring her in for an hour every morning and evening so I can force feed her, but the amount of food she's eating can be measured in teaspoons, not proper portions. The rest of the time she spends out with her friends. But I'm not sure how long she can go on like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I think I'd take her back to the vet if I were you. Has she got any obvious signs of peritonitis, such as a swollen abdomen or a waddling gait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSlats Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 I went back out yesterday, shortly after my last post and let them have a mooch in the garden. Noticed that she was showing an interest and eating a touch of grass, so I thought I'd give her one more day. And what a difference a day makes. Just went out and she was first out of the run. scoffing down grass, chasing for mealworms and gobbling up the dried corn. She even had a go at Paxo for overstepping the line She's back, I obviously needed to give the antibiotics a little longer to kick in. I am so relieved. We've got through our first chicken sickness and we couldn't have done it without you guys. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 very happy to hear the news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 great news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 A relief for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 So happy to hear she's bounced back . I love it when they pull through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
