Need Help: Sick Polish Bantam Hen

[Shieldz64]

Need advice regarding treatment for my two-year-old Polish bantam hen who is sick. We first noticed symptoms a week ago. We found her in her outdoor run on Sunday very lethargic but standing up. We assumed it was heat related and spent the night cooling her off. She perked up a little and ate some watermelon, but we could not get her to drink any water. She pooped a few times - it was clear liquid/gel with bright yellow/green.

The next morning she had improved, but still wasn't quite right - appetite loss, somewhat droopy tail, pale (ish). She stayed the same over the next couple days. She didn't have her usual interest in food or water and her poop remained the same. She has been pecking at melons and blueberries, but not eating anything substantial.

Per vet recommendation, we gave her .4mL of Safegard Dewormer 10% suspension on Wednesday with instruction to administer the same dosage in 5 and 10 days. However, we haven't seen much of an improvement and she has been losing weight daily. She was 1:06 lbs Wednesday, down to 1:05.5 lbs, 1:05.25 lbs and yesterday her weight fluctuated throughout the day and was 1:05.25 lbs at her heaviest. When we reached back out to the vet, his response was, "That's not good that she's losing weight." Very helpful...and we can't get an appointment anywhere (within a 2 hour drive) until mid-week.

Through another recommendation, we started giving her Corid 9.6% Oral Solution yesterday afternoon. Since we haven't seen her drink water, we have been giving her undiluted drops orally every few hours. Last night she ate grain, which we haven't seen her eat in a while. However, her most recent weight today is 1:04.85 lbs.

She has lost interest in watermelon, but she has been eating cantaloupe the last two days. Her poop has been a little more solid that is was on Sunday, but she isn't pooping much at all.

Compared to sick chickens we've dealt with previously, she is relatively energetic - but still more slow moving than normal, but not lethargic. She walks around (paces) trying to get out of her pen (she's quarantined and has FOMO). She doesn't have any external parasites. She has clear eyes, clear nose, clean vent. Crop seems fine but I'm not an expert.

Could this be something other than internal parasites or coccidiosis? Should we start treating her with an antibiotic? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[azygous]

Have you checked her crop to rule out a crop disorder? Has she had access to grit? If so, does she seems obsessed with picking up grit?

Have you given her electrolytes for the heat issue? Heat stress can turn into shock as electrolytes become out of balance.

 

[Shieldz64]

Have you checked her crop to rule out a crop disorder? Has she had access to grit? If so, does she seems obsessed with picking up grit?

Have you given her electrolytes for the heat issue? Heat stress can turn into shock as electrolytes become out of balance.

Hi thanks for your reply.

I wouldn't say she's obsessive about pecking grit but she does peck at near anything whilst she roams. I'd say the first two days of her not seeming right her crop seemed like it could be swollen and almost off center but it seems to have gone down. How would you recommend to deal with an issue with a crop?

As for the electrolytes, we've had electrolyte mix in her water since Sunday. She isn't drinking much at all though.

 

[azygous]

First, I would give her sugar water with electrolytes, and syringe it into her beak if you need to in order to counter shock if that's one of her issues.

Judging from her deformed poop, she may have a blockage in her gizzard. That can affect the crop and cause it to slow or become blocked. It would help to put her in a pet crate with an old bath towel under her to monitor her poop and fluid loss, especially overnight.

Fluid loss is common with a blocked gizzard. The towel will be soaking wet over night. That would tell us aggressive treatment is necessary to get the gizzard unblocked. You will also be able to tell if she's able to pass any cecal poop. If no cecal poop shows up, it's another sign the gizzard is blocked.

Meanwhile, it can't hurt anything to give her a couple teaspoons of oil. If you have coconut oil, measure it out into bite size chunks and chill it until it's solid, then slip the pieces into her beak. This is a safe unmessy way to get oil into a chicken and not get it all over you.

 

[Yukidongo]

Personally, I'd have put her in an antibiotic from the start. Amoxicillin. Now, I'd use Clindamycin. But amoxicillin if you can get it, and cannot get the Clindamycin.
As far as Corid, I'd have done that, too, as often before you see blood, there is malaise and lethargy...with no interest in food and more thirst. Put straight Gatorade, or Powerade as water source. That will pick the chicken up and buy you some time. Put your Corid and antibiotic in that. I no longer use Corid once the chickens are pooping blood. Corid starves the coccidia while the chicken is starving. 50/50 chance of pulling through...less once the chicken is down. While I've never heard of using Valbazen, that's what I've used when they are drinking and down. The difference is overnight... We have goats, and I was out of Corid, and nothing open to get anything. Cydectin works, too. I lost too many waiting for the "starve the coccidia method". Treat by putting 0.2-0.3ml in a gallon of Gatorade and water. (2 gatorade, rest water). Treat all other chickens with the mixture as the only water source. Add the amoxicillin or even penicillin to the drink, if you can't get Clindamycin. Results visible overnight.. sometimes in hours.
Feed stores and tractor supply carry amoxicillin and penicillin. I'd put 250mg in the gallon. Use of the Valbazen for only 2-3 days should do it. Use the antibiotic for 5-7 days. It Will not hurt the bird to get the valbazen the whole time, but I stop it usually at 2 or 3 days and make sure the coccidiosis is gone. My daughter was surprised, and told me it isn't for coccidiosis. But it worked. And my chickens start eating almost the same day, but definitely by the next.
Of you choose to to the Corid, that's fine...you've already started it. Valbazen is expensive. Add the Gatorade to pick her up, and the antibiotic because stressed chickens almost always get respiratory infections.
This is just what I'd do. I'm a people nurse (RN BSN), not a Vet. It works for me. And doesn't harm my chickens. Let us know how it turns out! God luck!