Solitary chicken - need advice

[Luvachicken]

Queenie hasn't started laying any eggs yet this year.

Then I was worried because she only seems to have a small crop and then I spotted her dirty knickers.

 

I gave her a good look over and can't find anything obvious and her dirty knickers were due to a lot of water coming out with the poop, and then her dunking the wet feathers in the soil - making her look very dirty.

Each day I have dried off her feathers and yesterday she pooped on me and then I noticed how much water has come with it. The poop bit itself looks like the normal coil shape of poo.

I have given her some nutridrops every day for the last few days.

I don't think she has diaorrhea because then the solid bit of poo would be sloppy.

She eats and drinks fine and is doing all things chicken.

 

I am a bit confused as to whether she is poorly or not.

Any ideas ?

Edited May 19, 2014 by Guest

[Millie-Annie]

How old is she? My Ivy is an ex-batt we have had for 2.5 years and her poo is watery. Like you describe partly dark green and formed, but lots of water too.

 

Ivy is laying though and her comb is good and healthy looking

[Luvachicken]

Millie-Annie, she is just over 2.

I did notice her comb today was a lot redder than one of the others who is laying (when she's not being broody) but who knows if that will mean anything.

[Luvachicken]

Today is about the 5th day of giving Queenie the nutridrops.

She takes them very nicely, bless her.

Then when she has finished the drops I check her botty.

It is still very wet on her feathers and some of it has been stuck on poo but mostly dirt stuck to her. There is also a little bit of dried poo down her skin.

I dry her as best I can with a towel and pick off any poop.

 

I really don't know if she has diaorrhea or not and she is still being a chicken in all other ways.

I was thinking of taking her to the vets tomorrow but won't be able to go until the afternoon.

Do you have any other ideas for me or am I just worrying over nothing ?

 

None of the other 3 show any signs of anything.

[chickencam]

My 7 year old Light Sussex has dirty knickers for most of the spring and summer when she is laying, it seems to be a hormonal thing with her. She is well otherwise and still lays 4-5 eggs per week from March to September. I keep her bottom feathers trimmed with scissors and give her a wash at the beginning of the season before the first trim. She is fine in the winter with lovely white frilly knickers.

 

I think some hens are naturally much more loose than others.

[Space Chick]

I have noticed that with the change in weather my girls are drinking a lot more and some of them (mainly older girls) are doing more watery poos.

 

If they are getting mucky bums, keep a close eye, as with the flies being out in force there is a risk of fly strike when the weather is warmer.

[Luvachicken]

Took Queenie to the vets just now.

He said her bottom wasn't right - in the way it was messy - not her bottom.

Then he said could he take an x-ray and it would only be cheap - £10 actually which I thought wasn't too bad - but I said could I see it after and he said yes.

So I waited for a bit with no chicken - and lots of sweet doggies came in which made me feel quite sad - while they did the xray.

Then I got to look. It was so cool.

He said she didn't have any eggs - stuck or otherwise - showed me the wishbone and all sorts of other bits and then showed me how her lungs looked a bit poorly and that was probably the problem.

So he has given her some Baytril and hopefully this will make her feel better.

 

And I got a disc with the xrays on so I will try and post these on later

[gavclojak]

£10.00 for an X-ray!!!! RESULT...I have a teeny tiny dog and my vet charges me £80.00...

[Luvachicken]

Queenie was sat on my lap earlier having a doze, when she decided to poop on me.

Obviously I managed to get a good look at what she did - a big puddle of water with some tiny bits of poo which were normal.

I hope her antibiotics will sort her out soon.

[Beantree]

Great X-rays Luvachicken and a real bargain price as well. I was surprised how much 'stuff' was in the gizzard. Watery poo as you describe also indicates a digestive restriction or impaction. If the bits of poo you saw in the water were very finely ground? Antibiotics is a good start anyway and I hope Queenie gets well soon.

[Luvachicken]

Great X-rays Luvachicken and a real bargain price as well. I was surprised how much 'stuff' was in the gizzard. Watery poo as you describe also indicates a digestive restriction or impaction. If the bits of poo you saw in the water were very finely ground? Antibiotics is a good start anyway and I hope Queenie gets well soon.

 

Hi Beantree,

If it was a digestive impaction or restriction wouldn't it show up on the xray ? The bits of poo on my lap were very small.

I'm glad you liked the xray - it certainly shows everything up.

Fingers crossed the antibiotics start working soon.

[Beantree]

First time I've seen a chicken X-ray Luvachicken so it's difficult to work out where all the bits are relative to my experience of dressing and post-mortem. I can see what look like small fragments of oyster grit in the crop. There is a very large cluster of the same material in an area to the rear, which I have assumed is the gizzard.

 

What grit does Queenie get? Small poos are the point I am making. They should be large unless something is restricting the food getting through, but at least there is some space for fluids to pass. That something could be a lot of things and in my experience a good place to start is with antibiotics.

[Egluntyne]

Watery poo and dodgy lungs can be indicative of infectious bronchitis if I remember correctly. You may find that her eggs will become a bit weird in shape and appearance when she is over this episode. Still edible though, once the recommended egg withdrawal period has been observed.

I would give everything a good cleaning and observe your other hens for similar signs and symptoms.

[Chortle Chook]

This whole post is so interesting. You take such good care of your hens, luvachicken, they are lucky girls. Do let us know how she gets on. I suppose that you've considered worms or is that just too obvious??

[Luvachicken]

First time I've seen a chicken X-ray Luvachicken so it's difficult to work out where all the bits are relative to my experience of dressing and post-mortem. I can see what look like small fragments of oyster grit in the crop. There is a very large cluster of the same material in an area to the rear, which I have assumed is the gizzard.

 

What grit does Queenie get? Small poos are the point I am making. They should be large unless something is restricting the food getting through, but at least there is some space for fluids to pass. That something could be a lot of things and in my experience a good place to start is with antibiotics.

You are right Beantree, the crop is the bit you can see in her neck and the other bit with all the stuff in is indeed the gizzard.

They get a pot of grit in one of those galley cups - it is quite small grit - do you think that could be the problem ? Plus any grit they pick up in the soil.

They also have another galley pot with ground egg shell in which they seem to like.

 

Watery poo and dodgy lungs can be indicative of infectious bronchitis if I remember correctly. You may find that her eggs will become a bit weird in shape and appearance when she is over this episode. Still edible though, once the recommended egg withdrawal period has been observed.

I would give everything a good cleaning and observe your other hens for similar signs and symptoms.

I have been keeping an eye on the others and so far no of them have shown any signs of anything. I haven't been well the last couple of days but will give everything a super clean tomorrow if it's dry.

The vet said about the egg withdrawal but until she lays any then there is nothing to withdraw

 

This whole post is so interesting. You take such good care of your hens, luvachicken, they are lucky girls. Do let us know how she gets on. I suppose that you've considered worms or is that just too obvious??

Thank you Chortle Chook for saying how nicely I look after my girls. I do try to keep them happy and healthy but sometimes nature is cruel. I did worm them with Flubenvet at the beginning of April so it shouldn't really be that.

 

I will keep you all updated. Queenie has always been one of my favourites

[Luvachicken]

Have just given Queenie her medicine and I would say her breathing looks a lot better than the other day.

I should have realised that her breathing was a bit laboured but was more concerned with her wet knickers, so I am a bit cross with myself.

I thought I did see one of her watery poos with a better looking piece of poo in it. Although small it was in one piece rather than teeny bits so I'm hoping she is showing signs of improvement.

I gave them a different pot of grit - Queenie did have a peck in it but not much and they still have the original pot of grit as well.

What else could I give her to make her feel better ?

[Egluntyne]

While she is on antibiotics I wouldn't give her any other supplements.

[Luvachicken]

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear, I meant food wise just that her crop is still small, she is still heavy but because I have been poorly I haven't seen how much of her pellets she has been eating and thought I could top her up with something else.

[coco]

When mine are of there food I give them a bit of scrambled egg. I have a poorly girl with respiratory infection who is on Baytril at the moment . She will only eat corn and she had a bit of fishcake this evening,

[Luvachicken]

Awww poor little thing. I hope your chook gets better soon Coco.

[coco]

Fingers crossed she is getting better, she wouldn't stand up on Wednesday but is trying to run away from me now, difficult as she is in a large rabbit hutch. Hope Queenie gets better soon.