| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Jan 26 2015 : 4:47:55 PM
Honestly, I feel like I am having one problem after another with my poor chickens lately,,,,
One of my flock of 4 chickens developed a yellowish,sticky diarrhea two days ago. I have been keeping an eye on her, and the rest, and noticed today that she was standing with the rest looking kind of "hunched over". Tonight she went in the coop with the rest, but did not get up on the perch with them.
The rest seem healthy. Any ideas on what this could be? Thanks!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| 5 acre Farmgirl |
Posted - Feb 20 2015 : 6:20:27 PM
I going to be kind of, well, harsh here, so bear with me....
that stuff has been around for years,,,we had it in our chickens when I was growin up..they now call it "Avian Flu/influenza" ...a friend of mine that lives in the next town over ...the county destroyed her whole 99 hen flock ...and another mans livlihood right here in my hometown,....dont let the authorities know or your flock will be next....
We ALWAYS gave our hens cayenne pepper growing up and even now...it is a great herb for chickens....
when one hen gets sick GET THAT HEN OUT OF THERE AND IMMEDIATELY GIVE ANY KIND OF "ANTIBIOTIC"...or it will spread to all of your flock(but not always)...I always think better safe than sorry...,,,start giving antibiotics immediately to all the rest,,,clean water and fresh powdered antibiotic in their water every day ...dont let the same antibiotic water stay in their pen for 2 days, it looses its potancy.... for at least 2 weeks..no other water other than the antibiotic water and they will get better...that stuff is highly contagious and will kill more than just one...
Sorry for all of the hens any of you farmgirls lost....
Farmgirl Sister #368
~~*Terri*~~
Life is too short, it is just a vapor, live it like you wont have another minute with the ones you love......
http://thecontentedwomannow.blogspot.com/ |
| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 6:34:06 PM
Jennifer, I'm so sorry you lost your sweet hen. Gosh, what are the odds of a tumor?! That stinks.
Catherine
Sister #76 (2005)
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt.
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| Woodswoman |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 4:29:36 PM
Just wanted to give an update:
i broke down and took her to the vet today. I love this vet - she has chickens and always gives me a break on the price!
It turns out she had a tumor growing in her abdomen. She couldn't say without doing a biopsy, but given how quickly it appeared, she believes it was cancer. So, we had her put to sleep before she suffered too much (she was still eating and drinking this morning).
Thanks everyone for the advice, though - I'm learning alot!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 3:28:14 PM
Her symptoms can be a variety of things.
If the abdomen is hard....(1)you mentioned, egg bound/impacted oviducts (2)internal layer (3) egg yolk peritonitis (EYP)
If the abdomen is squishy, it could be water belly
Sadly, I have had hens die from all of these. (I've raised up to 300 hens at a time, so, with that amount I was bound to experience every possible illness)
If she is egg bound or internal layer, you can try to sit her in a container of warm water to relax the muscles. Put on medical type gloves and douse with a lot of olive oil or vegetable oil. (I stay away from mineral oil because it's petroleum based and this may be irritating) Start with one finger and try feel around. Try to get oil inside her to help coat whatever is lodged. You might be able to dislodge an egg.
If it's EYP, while you are doing the above 'exam', you might be able to actually pull out what looks like cooked egg yolk. If this happens, it's probably too late to save her because there will be more and it's very difficult to get it moving out. But, you can try an antibiotic and try to oil her insides and hope it helps.
I'm sorry. I wish I had more hopeful advice.
Catherine
Sister #76 (2005)
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt.
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| Woodswoman |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 2:00:48 PM
Thanks, everyone - I'm going to check out that site. Today I noticed she also seems to be walking funny. I picked her up, and it almost seems like she has a mass on her lower abdomen - way below the vent, kind of underneath between her legs.
I didn't think she would be egg bound - I don't use a light, and none of them have laid an egg in weeks.....
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
| MaryJane |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 06:57:30 AM
Catherine, you'll full of helpful tips! I printed this one up for possible future use. For now all my chickadees are healthy but ...
Hope your girl gets better soon Jennifer. It's a worry when one of them is ailing.
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 06:12:37 AM
She probably has a bacterial or viral infection. It's so hard to diagnose exactly which illness/disease it could be to determine an exact antibiotic. You should quarantine her away from the others. If she's listless, she'll probably stay in a cardboard box.
The antibiotic I use for my chickens is Duramycin in powder form. There are a variety of different name brands of antibiotics. It comes in a bag and you add it to the water. You probably should treat all the girls since they have been exposed. You can choose whether or not you want to use their eggs that they lay while on the meds, but probably not use them. Clean up the coop area and spray down with a bleach solution.
Look for the antibiotic at your feed store, Tractor Supply or even your Wal-mart. Some rural Wal-marts carry livestock supplies.
I hope your sweetie gets better.
Catherine
Sister #76 (2005)
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt.
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| hudsonsinaf |
Posted - Jan 26 2015 : 4:49:59 PM
I cannot help, however, the Chicken Chick at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/ is a plethora of information! Perhaps you can find the answer there!?!?
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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