Worms? Tuberculosis? Other? What are these worm-like things? What’s going on here?!

[CharlieBaby]

I’ve been trying for a while to get to the bottom of my hen’s health issue(s). I’m baffled.

Symptoms in Buff Orpington hen (rescue, roughly 4-5 yrs old):

• Watery poop with white streaks or dark green mass (new symptom, past few days)
• Worms or worm-like matter in some of the watery poop (new symptom (?))
• Distended abdomen, comes and goes (past 1-2 yrs)
• Open mouth wide and stretches neck, sometimes shakes head (past couple months)
• Less energetic (recent; still mobile)
• Decreased appetite (recent)
• Not laying (past 1-2 yrs; before that, 1-2 soft shelled eggs possibly due to physical trauma and subsequent stress)
• Found rodent droppings in roost area (baffled about what to do about this but thinking treadle feeder and nipple waterer)

Have tried:

• Draining for ascites (nothing)
• Ultrasound (vet saw round structures, guessed they were egg yolks but doesn’t have much experience with chickens)
• Deslorelin hormonal implant (to stop suspected internal laying, seems like swelling mayyyy be going down but hard to tell and it’s been just over 2 weeks)
• Safe-Guard treatment (1 treatment, 2 weeks ago)

Other notes:

• Recently got chicks (8-9 weeks) who may have had infectious bronchitis and also had odd poops; see my other threads if interested in photos (cross contamination possible)
• Buff Orpington hen has had abdominal and gaping issues before the chicks, but the worms (?) and runny poop are new

Love Gail Damerow’s Chicken Health Handbook, but so hard to know what I’m dealing with when there are overlapping symptoms. Any of you fellow chicken keepers know what may be happening here…? How do I diagnose…? Treat…?

• Tapeworms
• Avian tuberculosis
• Worms, type unknown
• Coccidiosis
• Gapeworm
• Internal laying/reproductive
• Other…?

My plan for now is to treat with another round of Safe-Guard, treat for coccidiosis with amprolium in water (?), and find someone who can do a float test (western WA or mail-in). Really not sure at this point. Thanks for your help.

 

[casportpony]

Can you take a video of her?

 

[Bkaye]

Have you checked her crop first thing in the morning before she’s had anything to eat or drink to make sure it’s emptying properly? It should be completely empty prior to her eating or drinking in the morning. If it’s not she could have an impacted or sour crop.

 

[Kiki]

• Ultrasound (vet saw round structures, guessed they were egg yolks but doesn’t have much experience with chickens)

This sounds like she is laying internally and probably has an infection brewing from it.

 

[bhawk-23]

I’m sorry your girl is unwell, it’s so difficult when we do not know what ails them or how to help.

Since @Kiki mentioned internal laying and an infection I thought I’d give you my experience with this.
I recently euthanized a pullet who laid internally. She had no fluid the first week, second week vet drained 5 ml and we extended antibiotic treatment. Five days later the fluid was tripled so we euthanized her. Three weeks total time and the infection was out of control and all inside her cavity. She was not eating, that was her major symptom. I’m not sure what you are dealing with since some of the symptoms I have not experienced, yet. But there are so many wise people on here to help! Unfortunately, I’m not one of them

 

[CharlieBaby]

Thank you for all of the replies.
Apologies for not responding sooner. I’ve been out of town several times this summer, and when I returned from a family reunion several days after original post, Thanos the hen was doing noticeably better and she’s seemed well ever since. I treated with a pea-sized amount of Safe-Guard before leaving, which may have helped. I think the implant kicked in, because her abdomen isn’t heavy and fluid-filled anymore. I did some digging and learned that ferrets who receive the Deslorin hormonal implant sometimes get green poop while their bodies adjust, which could explain her concerning poop….? Maybe the worms in poop were casings from dried mealworms? Soon after posting, she entered a soft molt, which may explain the lethargy…? She still opens her mouth wide or shakes her head on occasion, and her appetite and energy aren’t quite what they once were. If you feel like delving into a new chicken health mystery, check out my most recent post. Really appreciative of the supportive community here and hope to pay it back along the way and as I learn more.