4.5 yo Orpington Still Struggling

[Aunt Angus]

Long story as short as possible:

Poppy, 4.5 yo Orpington, has been losing weight and getting weak gradually since she went broody back in spring. I've tried: worming, antibiotics, vitamin b complex. Crop is functioning, empty in the morning, but not always full at night. Poop is pretty normal, though smaller/less frequent than normal.

I brought her inside as tube feeding is my next and final attempt. She just scarfed down an egg with a little Nutridrench. She drank some, too.

Should I still begin tube feeding, or should I just monitor at this point? She has definitely lost more than 5% of her body weight. She feels near emaciated. Very pronounced keel bone.

@casportpony @Overo Mare @azygous @Eggcessive

Here's Poppy (scarfing egg):

Here's her poop:

 

[Painted Calls]

Poop looks like she's not been eating enough, but otherwise non-remarkable.

What's her egg history like? I would start with a thorough exam. Check to make sure she's not eggbound. Check eyes and ears for bubbles/discharge. Check her for external parasites. Get a proper weight on her with a kitchen scale and worm her. I would then tube fluids to get her hydrated and then start on tubing formula. What's her current weight? @casportpony is a queen at figuring up tubing regiments. Getting some electrolytes on board, and keeping her in a warm place would be beneficial as well.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Poop looks like she's not been eating enough, but otherwise non-remarkable.

What's her egg history like? I would start with a thorough exam. Check to make sure she's not eggbound. Check eyes and ears for bubbles/discharge. Check her for external parasites. Get a proper weight on her with a kitchen scale and worm her. I would then tube fluids to get her hydrated and then start on tubing formula. What's her current weight? @casportpony is a queen at figuring up tubing regiments. Getting some electrolytes on board would be beneficial as well.

Let me weigh her again. Gimme a few minutes.

 

[Painted Calls]

Let me weigh her again. Gimme a few minutes.

Is crop empty?

 

[Painted Calls]

Goodness. I just saw that you said you wormed her. Please disregard that. I'm trying to multi-task.

 

[Painted Calls]

What antibiotics have you tried and for how long? How long ago was that?

Treating her for Coccidiosis wouldn't hurt.

Feel her abdomen as well. Make sure it doesn't feel distended or full and hard.

 

[Aunt Angus]

1682 gms. That's not as bad as it sounds. She's always been light.

• Not egg bound or laying internally. She laid about 3x/week but stopped when she went broody in the spring. She molted right after that.
• No ascites or swelling.
• I treated the whole flock with Corid (severe outbreak protocol after my BR passed blood) in October, but I will gladly treat her again.
• Eyes, nares clear.
• Baytril for 10 days.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Is crop empty?

Forgot this question: She did eat, so it's not empty, but there isn't much in it. It was empty this morning when I checked.

 

[azygous]

Are her poops all dark like that or does she have solid poops frosted with nitrates?

There is a chance she has cancer tumors. How is her abdomen? Any swelling in front of or behind the legs?

There is a possibility she never regained enough strength after her broody stint that she was able to develop a healthy appetite. I would recommend one tube feeding of raw egg, baby strained meat, yogurt, and a little cream of wheat or similar cereal for carbs and Nutri-drench. Or use baby bird formula. Add a teaspoon of sugar to her drinking water for 24 hours.

Sometimes, one high calorie nutritious feeding can restore strength and kick start appetite. But tube feeding more than once can ruin appetite by filling the crop artificially. It's why I don't like to tube feed more than one time.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have bird formula and the syringe. I don't yet have tubing, but I will get some in a few minutes once I have her properly set up. I should've ordered a proper kit earlier, but didn't. I've ordered one now, but it will take a few days to get here.

Edited: Her crop feels about half full atm. Not squishy.