Enteritis question...

[hennybee]

So, I have a single hen in a flock of five that has now twice come down with something making her quite ill with signs and symptoms including lethargy, weight loss, unwillingness to eat anything other than yogurt and fruit, and watery diarrhea with chunks of dark green (or blue when eating berries). She is the only one that shows these signs of illness even though she's only been pulled out of the flock for one-on-one feedings. --The first time she had these symptoms was only a couple of months prior to the second episode, which she recovered from seemingly about 90% after roughly four to five weeks with special love and care, as I did separate her from the flock the first time it happened for about three and a half weeks. However, I say she recovered only 90% because she continued to have loose stools even though they became more substantive with normal coloring to them as apposed to the watery poos she was having prior to that.

The first time round, I treated her with Corid, which appeared to not help her, after that I added a vitamin and mineral supplement to her water, which seemed to give her a bump in recovery, then I dewormed her with Albendazole, which she then began to turn the corner in recovery. Thus I thought her problem must have been worms, but now she is showing similar symptoms again, and the wormer didn't work (I dewormed her again thinking that was her problem before). I'm fairly certain she has some kind of intestinal infection happening, but not sure how to treat it. Subsequently, I have been reading and researching what might be happening to her and now I'm considering maybe an enteritis type infection (Ulcerative or Necrotic), although from what I've read, those infections are highly contagious and will easily affect an entire flock quickly. This has me stumped because the rest of the flock seem fine after two rounds of this issue plaguing my hen, and this second time I have not separated her totally. Does anyone have any thoughts that might help me to help her? Oh, and I also recently treated her water with acidified copper sulfate for possible crop rot due to her crop feeling like a hard ball for a couple of days at the start of this second episode. She still is struggling with severe weight loss and only eating yogurt and berries. I'm currently financially burdened and cannot take her to a vet again, which I did the first time without achieving answers. Would any of you reading this go ahead and treat her for an enteritis infection? And is it normal, if that is what she has, that it isn't affecting the rest of the flock seemingly at all? Thank you in advance.

BTW: She is approx. 2yrs old, Lavender Orpington

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry to hear that.
How old?
What's her diet?
Has she laid recently?

 

[hennybee]

She's about 2 years. Her normal diet was Nutrena layers feed and meal worms for treat. She has not laid in quite a while. Not sure how long because i still haven't figured out which hens lay what eggs. They all look alike. Yet, I haven't seen her in a nesting box since before the first episode but one time, which gave me hope, but I don't think she laid.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So, I have a single hen in a flock of five that has now twice come down with something making her quite ill with signs and symptoms including lethargy, weight loss, unwillingness to eat anything other than yogurt and fruit, and watery diarrhea with chunks of dark green (or blue when eating berries).

The first time she had these symptoms was only a couple of months prior to the second episode, which she recovered from seemingly about 90% after roughly four to five weeks with special love and care, as I did separate her from the flock the first time it happened for about three and a half weeks. However, I say she recovered only 90% because she continued to have loose stools even though they became more substantive with normal coloring

I'm fairly certain she has some kind of intestinal infection happening, but not sure how to treat it. Subsequently, I have been reading and researching what might be happening to her and now I'm considering maybe an enteritis type infection (Ulcerative or Necrotic), although from what I've read, those infections are highly contagious and will easily affect an entire flock quickly.

Can you please post photos of your hen and her poop?

When was her last egg? If she's not laid in a while, has she ever had production difficulties or problems with soft shelled eggs?

What is her crop like? Check her crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink - it should be emptying by morning.

A diet of yogurt and fruit is going to product loose poop. The green may be bile due to not eating well.

I would encourage her to eat her poultry feed, offer it wet like a mush or dry. You can still stir in about 1Tablespoon of yogurt if you wish. Cut back on mealworms and offer her bits of eggs or fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines).

 

[hennybee]

Can you please post photos of your hen and her poop?

When was her last egg? If she's not laid in a while, has she ever had production difficulties or problems with soft shelled eggs?

What is her crop like? Check her crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink - it should be emptying by morning.

A diet of yogurt and fruit is going to product loose poop. The green may be bile due to not eating well.

I would encourage her to eat her poultry feed, offer it wet like a mush or dry. You can still stir in about 1Tablespoon of yogurt if you wish. Cut back on mealworms and offer her bits of eggs or fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines).

Can you please post photos of your hen and her poop?

When was her last egg? If she's not laid in a while, has she ever had production difficulties or problems with soft shelled eggs?

What is her crop like? Check her crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink - it should be emptying by morning.

A diet of yogurt and fruit is going to product loose poop. The green may be bile due to not eating well.

I would encourage her to eat her poultry feed, offer it wet like a mush or dry. You can still stir in about 1Tablespoon of yogurt if you wish. Cut back on mealworms and offer her bits of eggs or fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines).

I have no idea when she laid her last egg… her crop is empty in the mornings now(maybe a tiny bit of whatever feels gritty to me)…she won’t eat mush/mash, scrambled eggs, or tuna. She did try the tuna and actually swallowed a couple tiny pieces of it, but then nothing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poop doesn't look too bad.

I'd recheck the crop, look inside the beak, look for mites/lice, etc.

Encourage her to eat her normal feed. The poop looks to have fibrous material like straw in it, she may be eating some straw, so do provide grit (Crushed Granite) free choice.