Lizzie Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 (edited) Having lost Harriet recently (4th hen since April), Flo suddenly stopped eating too. She had a hard crop a week last Sunday which I massaged and the lump went, but she didn't start eating again (except for waterey shredded wheat). I took Flo to the vets on Tuesday last week and the vet took blood for tests and a crop swab. The swab showed she had a crop infection and she also had an infection on the edge of one of her wings (ex batt now growing loads of new feathers). She was prescribed a course of Baytril and Metacalm which both finish tonight. By Thursday she had started to eat again without encouragement and had really picked up. However, from Sunday, not herself again. She isn't mopey, just not interested in food particularly but she is constantly pecking at her chest where new feathers are growing through, they seem to be really bothering her or could it be something internally there that is affecting her ? I am applying tea tree lotion and / or vaseline onto the bare / new feather areas, is there anything else that would take away this itchiness ? She has eaten a tiny bit of food this morning, drinking well which is good. We are back to hand feeding her their special porridge which contains poultry spice etc but she isn't really interested in eating alot. Flo has got an upset tummy which I am assuming could be the baytril but I didn't want to finish her course before time in case the infection returns (as I mentioned, it finishes tonight anyway). Do you think she is off her food because of her tummy, or because she is growing new feathers ? I thought to let the Baytril come out of her system which should be by Thursday, if no better take her back to the vets Any advice gratefully received as always ? Many thanks Regards Liz Edited August 3, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 It's tricky one. If she's still not herself I really think it's best you return to the vet. It can be difficult when there's obviously lots going on with her, it's best to let a professional see her. Hope she gets better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I agree with Moochoo....I'd take her back to the vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 I am pretty sure she is trying to pass something. I didn;t give her any more medication last night. She drank so much during the evening she brought a bit of water back up. This morning she is a tiny bit more active but still not right. We will monitor her today and do what we can to help her pass whatever it is. Hubby may bring her in for a few hours and sit her on a hot water bottle as this can help. I will keep you posted Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Just don't know what to do...sorry for long post. I took Flo back to the vets last Wednesday as she had started to go downhill again not eating (except watery shredded wheat / weetabix) not even treats. He did another crop swab and said she had a high yeast content so put her on Nystan plus a small dose of metacalm. She was no better by Friday (empty crop all the time) so I went back to the vets to pick up two hormone injections as she does look (at times) that she is trying to pass something. Saturday morning there was a fairly big pile of poo where she had been sleeping (she always sleeps in the nest even when well) and in it were bits of sweetcorn that she had days ago. So, I thought, she must have been bound up from all of the baytril so gave her the nystan and metacalm. She does have moments when she scratches then she just goes to sleep standing. Sunday we gave her a hot bath, dried her with the hair dryer, put vaseline around her vent and gave a dose of liquid paraffin - not great during the day, but we gave her a small dose of metacalm later afternoon and she ate loads of shredded wheat so her crop actually bulged slightly even though squishy. This morning mopey again, not eating, standing around in run. Brought her into the house. Bathed her, dried her, gave her metacam and she started eating ex batt crumb that I had mixed with water to make a paste. She has also eaten a few pellets and some grit. She has passed some more sweet corn poo, also been standing asleep on her feet. I am just so worried about her - do I take her back to the vets and get her xrayed ? Do I see how she goes not that I have stopped giving her antibitics (maybe these were effecting her). My concern is that she is losing weight but don't want to keep giving her drugs as these could be making her feel so rough. Flo is in the garden with the other girls at the mo as she hates being away from them. Please help Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 how was she this afternoon? did the vet feel inside her? he should be able to feel if there is something blocking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Sorry for the long gap in updating but Flo had started to improve, ie eating (mostly wet porridge mash) but some dry mash / pellets too. She has not done a solid poo yet though (but they were not terrible poos, just loose if that makes sense). the vet did examine her throughly but could feel nothing. I wormed them with Flubenvet from last Tuesday but she is still drinking far more than the rest and has started going off her food again. Generally, she is quite chatty and happily wanders around the garden, she just doesn't seem interested in feeding the dry mash which makes me think this is why she has the wetter / loose poo. She also goes up to the nest most days, makes her happy sound like something is going to pass, but nothing comes out. It seems that she wants to pass something as she occasionally holds one of her legs up and by drinking so much, its like she wants to flush something out We gave her a dose of liquid paraffin yesterday as she was a bit mopey and we thought it would help her so she felt pretty pants for the rest of the day. This morning she was bright as a button out in the garden, but back in her run, she was just drinking or standing with her eyes closed. I had to leave her then to go to work. We have been mixing cooked rice (not loads) into their mash porridge and she tucks into this but not the dried mash, is this a problem ? I just don't know what else to do or what could be wrong. She has got to start eating properly otherwise she will just waste away. I thought about taking her back to the vets and being shown how to crop feed. What do you think ?? Worried chook mum (again) Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Maybe ring the vet? Perhaps there is a blockage and maybe he would be able to feel it now.? I had one kept going t the nestr, for a long time too. Sadly there was something stuck! How is her crop !st thing in the morning? Ready brek is meant to be good for them, maybe some live yoghurt too.? anything really that she will eat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Thanks Sandy Her crop in the morning is is empty in the morning so she is digesting what she eats, its like she has a phobia of eating the mash / pellets / crumb. There are food pots everywhere in case the others were pestering her. Hubby checked her as soon as he got home and there is some food in her crop which is good. She also enjoyed shredded wheat and cut up grapes this evening so she has got an appetite but just not what she should be eating. She did a poo and it was just a white liquid, no poo particles at all. I will get some ready brek tomorrow (husband ate the last lot I bought for them) and will call the vets for further help. Wormer has finished now so clean pots and fresh untreated food which I am hoping will interest her. I will also put some bokashi bran in their breakfast porridge / mash I don't mind feeding her whatever she wants to eat but am just anxious that she is not feeding on what is good for her. Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 right so here are some ideas. Personally I would let her eat whatever she wants. Lets be blunt... If she is going to die she may as well!... (worst case scenario) That's only one thought. BUT there are a few things that might help. There is something called Critical Care formular, it is a liquid feed to help them get over things. (vets perhaps definately online.) There is something recommended on another forum, nourish-um you can get it in big pet shop chain, and in some pet shops. (for dogs) it is a high calorie paste, only need tiny amount. Lots of people also swear by weetabix. i had one ate nothing but cucumber for a week, then went to lettuce. then digestive biscuits and probitic yoghurt! live maggots might be loved!! also mine loved to eat worms out of the garden! But please be aware that acording to Meany not all worms are equally edible, so if she turns her beak up at the 1st few perhaps they are the wrong sort. Sometimes they seem to need to get started so to speak, & once she eats anything she likes she might then eat chook food, but to be honest I wouldn't lose sleep over it, as long as she is eating. (not at this point anyway) dehydration can make them poorly so water is really imprtant, and if she isn't drinkig then I would add teaspoom sugar to a litre of water. This is just things I have found out and things that have worked for me, and offered just as ideas. I think that white wattery pooh can be a sign of not eating enough as well as perhaps other things and as she isn't well could be that. Have a look at the poo section, that's just where I am off to! good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Thanks very much Sandy I will carry on and hope she gets over this Best wishes Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Sandy I have ordered some critcal care, priority delivery so it will be with me tomorrow - how much do you usually give and I assume you just mix in to the food that she will eat Looking for nourish-um now, will try at lunchtime from Pets at Home which is the only place I have close by. Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllieNLucys Mum Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Hi sorry to hear about your hen. I am an absolute newbie at chicken keeping so can't give any advice based on years of experience just tell you what i have done. One of mine has been poorly this last week not eating or drinking at all. She also had clear watery poos with just a little yellow white in them. I spoke to a couple of chicken keepers with more experience and they advised me not to take her to the vet. On their advice I gave her 5mls of water with life guard tonic in it via a syringe every hour all day and also natural yogurt with bran mixed in to balance the flora in her digestive system. It worked for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Liz the critical care comes with instructions, and yes that was the store I got mine but have seen it elsewhere. Both wil help her keep her strength up, whilst hopefully recovering, now i have to go back re read what the original post was about. keep up the fluids little & often as Luccienollys mum says. Mine refused to drink lifeguard! Just do what you can really. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 ok.. re read the lot. gosh she has been given a lot... please please remember I am not a vet, just someone who has had similar experiences. and had to do a little research My GUEASS now would be that trhe hormone injections will be up setting her system, and the antibiotics also. Live yoghurt & bokashi bran (or weetabix) MAY help settle her tum. have pm'd you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Many thanks for all of the advice I will track down some lifeguard tonic also I think I might start taking these things myself if they work ! I will let you know later in the week how she is doing Thanks again Liz X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 OK, so now I might be getting somewhere ?? Ysterday morning and this morning she has a hard crop. She drank loads of water yesterday which seemed to help her, and she was eating normal mash before I left for work. My parents chicken sat for a couple of hours during the day during which she had some digestive biscuit and millworms. Last night she enjoyed pellett porridge with rice and for the first time she went to roost rather than going to bed in the nest This morning, hard crop again so have given her 1ml of cod liver oil and gently massaged her crop (same as when she first became poorly). So, I am thinking that is the root of the problem - bit of a cycle here : - hard crop - oil, massge - crop empty's, stops eating - only eats shredded wheat / weetabix / rice (all soft food) - slowly starts to eat mash again - hard crop Two choices : a) feed her some live maggots today and see if this helps the hard crop b) take her to the vets to have a camera down her throat to see what is wrong / if there is any blockage in her crop The other chooks are all very well What do you think ? Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Is she laying? Is she poorly? If no to poorly I would try the live maggots. I think the recommendation is a few a few times a day, but mine stuff lots. I have one doing similar, but she has not laid today, so I am monitoring! I feed maggots as treats so try and be sure I have some most times and the bait shop is only shut on Mondays. I also make sure they all get some the day before I am going to be out for the day and the morning I go" just incaseE paranoid? yes just a tad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Hi Sandy She is not poorly and not laying - hasn't laid whilst all this has been going on. Maggots are ok are they ? (FYI, I hate maggots !! ) - are they dead when they come out the other end ? Is it ok for the well chickens to have some too ? How many do you give ? and should they be of a particular kind ? Many thanks as always - will cancel vets appointment I have made to see how this goes for a day or so. Regards Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I have to tell you I had a SERIOUS really SERIOUS Maggot phobia.... I will now touch the nasty nasty horrid hideous things.! YES they are dead the other end"! that would be too awful, & would add to my fly problem yes it is very good protein for the othes! oh yes WHITE maggots, not sure why as the bait shop says they are not any different AND I have used the red ones when they had no white! I let mine stuff em. on a hard surface being very sure evert last one is eaten! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Thanks Sandy for the re-assurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 This morning Flo's crop is worse than ever, extremely hard and no massaging is going to shift this. She will not eat the maggots, or apple puree (which I spent an age cooking for her). However, we went worming together last night and though I found more than her, she ate them all !! She is also now holding her wings away from her body which indicates to me that she has a temperature, so infection likely to be setting in Just waiting for 08:15am so I can call the vets then arrange to take her in urgently Not sure how things are going to turn out - just keeping everything crossed that my vet can help her. Will update later Sad mum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 So sorry to hear that. Sounds as if you've done everthing you can for her, and I love the idea of you going worming together! Hope your vet can offer some help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 It does sound like you have done all you can and it might be a good idea to let her go, hens are very prone to stress and all the isolation and medication combined with being ill must be taking its toll on her I'm sorry you are in this position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 I have just come back from the vets - Flo has been admitted - please be assured that I would not let her suffer and if I thought that there wasn't any hope would have been put to sleep already. She has remained with the other girls throughout this and hates being apart from them for a second (I feed her in a seperate area of the garden sometimes to make sure she gets her fair share). Had a long chat with the vet, he too will not put here through anything unncessarily He is going to give her pain relief and antibiotics then try and flush her crop through Once cleared (hopefully by tomorrow morning) she will have a camera down her throat to check what on earth is happening. If not cleared, he will do key hole surgery to remove the potential blockage. If he finds anything untoward, she will not be brought round. We are both optimistic that she will come through this though I don't want to raise my hopes TOO much. Anyhow, will know more later today / tomorrow so will update then Flo is a fighter, she has lasted this long after all and she has more good days then bad, even now, she is still chatting !! Optimistic Mum X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
