sick hen

[Anonymous]

I would be very grateful for any help. Oone month ago, we returned from a few days away, with neighbours looking after the hens (we had 4 ex bats, for a year now). One, Tatyana, was a little off her favourite treat of grapes for a couple of days but then picked up but then we noticed that another one, Cio-Cio, was not eating as much. Now, she was head girl and the biggest hen, with a huge appetite. Over the next week, we noticed an ever decreasing appetite, so arranged to take her to the vet. She was put onto a course af antibiotics and anti inflammatories for 10 days. She has also been having loose poo - quite watery and white in colour, with black bits. She didn't pick up during the course but a couple of days after the course stopped, she did and for a few days we had the old Cio-Cio back. However, that didn't last long ands within a week, she died. We were devastated. That was last Thursday. Now, Tatyana has developed the same symptoms over the weekend - poor appetite, runny poo, just wants to sleep all the time. What should we do?

Thanks

Miss HP

 

[charlielavin]

Poor you, it's really awful when you lose one, but it sounds like you did everything you could do.

What did the vet think it was with your last chicken? What medicine did he give you?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

Good news! After a course of antibiotics, Tatyana made an amazing recovery! She even had an increase in appetite and gained weight! But then, after another few weeks, she started to demonstrate the same symptoms, but went down much more rapidly. This time, the antibiotics were not as effective so, she was losing weight rapidly, would not eat, slept all the time and was losing colour in her comb. Desperate not to lose another one, I started to bolus feed her with protein milkshake type drinks (like the build up drinks) just a few mls several times per day and she has made another full recovery! I think my first hen might have survived if I had been more aggressive with her nutrition. I would not hesitate in doing it again.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry didn't answerr the question. We had several diagnosis - everything from mereck's disease to cocciodosis, bt the foecal sample was _ve for that and anothr vet said that she was too old for merecks. I think the likely diagnosis is that she was unale to pass an egg, whcih happens to may exbats and got a biyt of an infection. She had been ill previulsy but recovered on her own veru quickly then the second time was a little worse and this third time was much wors. this appears to be the cycle for ex bats when they can't lay eggs and they bet infections. However, if you get antibiotics and make sure you can still get nutrition into her, then as I can tell, there can be a good outcome! I am feeding her up at the moment, so of she gets sick again, she will have a little to spare!