DeWormed, now runny stool

[jpelton]

About a month ago everyone helped me with my sick chicken Speckles she was slow and not eating well. I dewormed all 4 three year old Sex Links with Valbaizen and yes I repeated in 10 days. Speckles did see our local Farm Vet, who much to my surprise, sees lots of pet chickens. Speckles had a temp of 106 and since no other birds had symptoms, the Vet gave Speckles an antibiotic. She perked up slowly over three or four days and is feeling much better now. But she is still under weight and has watery stool. And one of her flock mates, named Lefty, decided to molt after deworming and now has runny stool too. No other symptoms then they are both drinking a lot of water and neither wants to be touched but I think they are afraid I'm going to pick them up and stuff meds in their mouth. So my question is, While mending from the deworming should I feed them anything special to get rid of the runny stool. P.S. I'm pretty sure the runny stool is from stress but not 100% sure. I have been giving them buttermilk, oatmeal, raw unsalted sunflower seeds, broccoli , pumpkin and Bananas as treats, not all at the same time. Also, they are in a new coop we just moved them as all this was happening. Thanks for all you help

 

[Chris09]

How long has the hen been on/off the antibiotic, what type of antibiotic is /was she on? The reason I ask is some antibiotics like amoxicillin can give some animals runny stool.

I would also cut out the snacks like buttermilk, broccoli, pumpkin and bananas until she is better. Too much of these snacks can also cause runny stool in a ill animal.
It would be a good idea to get some probiotics in her to help get the gut working right gain after being on the antibiotic.

Chris

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Buttermilk is a probiotic, cultured, helps to "restore" the intestinal tract after worming... (works like yogurt).... not sure what effect the rest of the treats would have... my chickens won't eat broccoli or bananas or pumpkin (only the seeds if ground up)...

You can, of course, buy some (stronger) probiotic capsules at a health food type store... I open a couple of them and pour the contents into my dogs food now and then.

After worming, or antibiotics... I mix some buttermilk with some water, as it's thick.. then, I pour it onto their food... so that it makes a mash of their pellets. I only do this once or twice now and then... after giving meds or as a special treat, but not often.
I give a whole head of cabbage now and then as well.... not much else anymore.

Have you checked her for mites as well? (I assume you have, or the vet did).... you might have to take her back to the vet OR... just collect some of her poop and take it to the vet and have them check it for you... if the vet will do that since she's already been in to see him, it might save you the office visit, exam fees.

Have you searched "Normal Poop" here and gone to the UK link that shows all the normal types of poop for chickens? It's very helpful.

Best of luck.

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry that your birds arn't doing well, but it does sound like they're improving. It is possible that they had a heavy worm infestation, which is causing runny stool now that her body is working on trying to get rid of the dead worms. Kind of like a human who ate at a shady sushi bar. The body is going to do it's best to eject the offending material.

It is also true that antibiotic ravage the good bacteria in their digestive system, which can also result in runny stool. The good news is that it's easy to recover from with probiotics.

I hope they recover

 

[jpelton]

Thanks for the input, I think I will take some of the runny poop into the Vets and have it checked. I will continue to give them butter milk but I like the suggestion of putting it on their own food and making a mash with it. it has been at least two weeks since she was done with the antibiotics and I think it was Batril and Banamene (I can't spell, please forgive me) .I am just not sure how long it takes for chickens to get better. I am hoping to add to my flock sometime in spring, but I want these old ladies to be healthy first.

I still ask what does get rid of diarrhea in chickens? Oh and yes I did check out the pictures of poop and they were very helpful.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
The Banamine ( flunixin meglumine ) is a anti-inflammatory and the Baytril ( Enrofloxacin ) is a antibiotic so I amuse that your bird had a upper respiratory infection because that is the only thing I ever herd Baytril being used for on poultry although I have never herd of giving Banamine to poultry. With the meds that she was given it might take up to a week to get it all out of her system.

With the butter milk I understand that it has some probiotics depending on the type of butter milk but it is a little heavy for her system and it could be be hard for here to process the "milk".

I hate to see what they charged you for the Banamine and Baytril. ouch


Chris

 

[jpelton]

the Banamine was given because of the Fever and only for 2 days. The Baytril , I think she gave as a catch all because she wasn't sure what was causing the fever and I would guess it has worked in the past on treating chickens. I have personally worked with a several vets ( and just as an observation not criticism) I find they get very comfortable with certain "safe Bets" when their not sure whats wrong. By the way Speckles had no, symptoms of upper respiratory. I believe the meds did their job because she has made a huge improvement. The part I'm looking for input on is what to do to get some weight back on her and to stop the runny stool. It has been at least two weeks since she has been done with all the meds. I need to learn more about what to add and not add to their food to help not make it worse, are their any good articles on chicken nutrition? and it's all these little things like "give them buttermilk" and then I learn later "but not too much". I learn something try it then find out their are stipulations to what I just did to my chickens. Any articles on Food and homeopathic treatments would be much appreciated. p.s the Vet bill was 100$ I know it was just a 4 $ chicken but she is my pet and I have grown to love her.

 

[azhenhouse]

One product that I use for my chickens and ducks is Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, also know as ACV on this forum. If you google it in the search tab you will find a lot of information about it. I also use a products that not too many people here use, but I have had great success with. It is products from http://www.verm-xusa.com/ I use their Poultry Liquid and Keep Well Poutry Tonic. Another good source of information can be found in Raising Chickens for Dummies. They have a list of treats to be fed in small quantities (pages 162-163), and things to avoid feeding your chickens all together (pages 153-154).

Hope this helps.