URGENT...Please help

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Amy

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Please can some one give me urgent advice.

I have a golden sebright bantum and I have just nipped out to check on them and noticed she was dripping what looked like white diahria (sorry cant spell it) so I picked her up and her vent is swollen and it looks like she is about to have a prolapse. I can see the tips of her insides starting to poke out. She has not yet laid this year but I really dont know what to do.

The vet has said she'll have to wait until the morning unless I am prepared to pay the emergency call out charge which I just cant afford.

I lost a buff orpington bantum several weeks ago who had white diahria and was straining (she wasnt egg bound) and I really do not want to lose this one.

Please please please help
 
Hi Amy,

It's really hard to tell without examining her but can you have a look / feel to see if there is an egg she is trying to force out or if she has diarrhea - two different things really.

When birds strain, it can look like their insides are about to pop out - but the oviduct might have an egg trying to get out, or she has diarrhea which comes from the digestive tract.

If it is diarrhea, it could be a number of possible problems / diseases but if it is an egg that is damaging the inside of the oviduct / trying to get out then you might be able to help her by holding her over a bucket of steaming water / applying olive oil. Try not to break the egg.

I would separate her because if she prolapses overnight, other birds in the flock will often peck at the prolapse since hens are attracted to the red flesh. This will quickly kill the hen and a hen with a prolapse must be isolated quickly for this reason.

I'm going to lock my own birds up now and then off to bed as I have to get up at first light but do let us know how she gets on. I think she should go to the vet as soon as you can get her there for an early diagnosis and chance of recovery.
 
I have since put my little finger up her vent to push the prolapse back in but came up against an egg. I have vaselined her vent and given her 2ml of olive oil via syringe direct into her mouth (her breathing went really rattley) and put her in a box in our boiler room with water, fresh tomatoes and live yoghurt.
She also has what looks like diarhia. She is in total darkness and its nice and warm there. She doesnt look good to be honest. I am going to take her to the vet the first appointment I can get in the morning...if she is still with me (experience shows they go quickly :cry: )
Any help appreciated as I am at my wits end with worry.... :|
 
This morning I have checked on her and no egg. Her vent is exactly like it was last night execpt this time this thick creamy coloured discharge is just hanging out of her and she keeps releasing a liquid.
She is just sat there not trying to push, not doing anything. She has stopped eating. What do I do?
 
Yes, I agree, this sort of thing is hard at the best of times and the vet is your best chance. It sounds like she is egg bound - but the diarrhea could be unrelated and another problem. The rattling breathing doesn't sound good either and could be secondary infection.

When chickens become ill, it speads very quickly because they have multiple air sacs (used like lungs) that are close to their major organs and once infected, it spreads via these air sacs to other areas of the body and they will often get respiritory problems as a secondary infection.

I guess it's a bit like people who are very ill in hospital often end up passing away due to pneumonia.

Good Luck, I hope the vet can help her.

Tim
 
Just got back from the vets. Turns out she was egg bound. Her egg was huge so he cracked it, drained it then removed the shell.
He has told me to keep her in the box inside for at least 24 hours to give her time to feel better.
Is there anything else anyone can recommend for me to give her to speed up recover?
I am feeding her live probiotic yoghurt and Tomatoes but she is still not eating anything even when I try to encourage her. Will she start to eat if I leave her? :?
 
Did the vet prescribe antibiotics (Tylan) to clear up any secondary infection?

They usually will in bad cases of prolapse - but with the other symptoms, I would have thought this would be a good option to take.

If she is not eating, it's not great - if she is drinking, I would add multivits to the water and a little ACV to promote her appitite.

Could you dig up a few worms and pop them in there to see if she can be tempted to get started eating...?
 
The vet said there was no need to antibiotics as he thought she was ok. He said the discharge was just poop and the pro lapse wasnt really a full prolapse...just the tips of the inside visible as she was pushing.

I do have some tylan powder...should I use this do you think in her water?

I have some ACV and some herban for stress. Both to put in the water. Can I do this with Tylan in there also?

I guess I can dig up some worms if it will help.

When you say multi vitamins, can I use this powder I have that coats the food and that is full of vitamins?

Thanks for all your help!
 
Is there a chance she could still die??? :cry:

She is in a box which is really dark so could that be stopping her eating as she thinks it is night time?
 
I would always follow the advice of the Vet rather than what we say on the forum ;) - at the end of the day this sort of advice can be miles off track sometimes. It's so hard to work out what's wrong with a bird sometimes even when it is available to examine... :oops:

I was thinking with the other symptoms though, she may have secondary infection that could possibly be cleared up with the use of Tylan. For a bad prolapse, they will often use it as a precaution. I would keep an eye on the rattling breathing though and consider calling the vet to get more advice on using the Tylan if it gets any worse.

I don't know if you can mix Tylan with ACV, I doubt it.

The vitamins I mentioned are usually a powder or liquid suppliment that can be added to water if she is not eating.

She can't eat unless it is light so I would get her into a light / quiet place. A spare chicken coop or a dog crate is ideal in an outhouse or garage - away from other pets and children. Not too hot as well - keep her cool. A rabbit hutch out of the sun is also ideal for a sick bird.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you. :)

Let us know how she gets on.
 
Hi Tim

I have dug a couple of earth worms up and put them in a jam jar lid in her box and she didnt even look at them.

Also given her cut up blueberries which she normally goes crazy over and eats them all straight away...but again nothing.

The vet said to keep her in the box in the warm boiler room so god only knows what to do. Could maybe cover top of box with chicken wire so she has daylight?

Its horrid not know what to do for the best.

The rattling has stopped, so has the sneezing. Her breathing seems fine now.

She hasnt been to the toilet though since we got home from the vets (10am) which is worrying me a little.

I didnt think chickens would be so complex health wise...thought they were tough little things!
 
Chickens need enough light to see and eat - so would definately make sure it is light enough in her box...

As for the warm, IMO it is warm enough weather wise at the moment for her. Chickens handle the cold far better than the heat (all those feathers :roll: ) She will pant if she gets too hot though so I would follow the vets advice. They use water to cool down as they can't sweat.

They will usually go for a wriggling worm if they are well enough.. :(

It's good news about the rattling / sneezing stopping though... :)
 
Right I am off to put something sheer over the top of the box...

I have a horrible feeling about this. I guess if I can get her through the next 24 hours I am in with a chance. Will let you know of any progression.

Really appreciate all your help Tim x
 
Hi Tim

Well just been in to check on her and she has moved nearer her food and the worms seem to have disappeared so I am guessing she has devoured them. She also seems to be showing some interes in her blueberries. Her tail is still pointing down as are her wings and she is still has all her feathers puffed out.
But I hope the worm thing is a good sign.
 
I have just checked on her again and all the blueberries have gone. Just given her some live mealworm but she still looks totally fed up. Tail still down and she's still all ruffled up. Is this normal? Should she not have perked up now the egg has been removed?
Any other suggestions very, very welcome! :?:
 
Also she has not pooped all day! Is this normal? How do I encourage her to poop?
 
Hi Amy,

I don't really know how long it will take her to recover - it depends on so many things.

Lets hope she picks up soon. Drinking is essential and eating important after a while but the fact she has stopped laying and is not active means she won't need as much food to sustain herself.

The fact she has taken the worms is a really good sign I would say...

There is very little you can do at the moment except monitor her and keep her water and food fresh and appealing in the hope that if she recovers enough, she will start to eat again and make a full recovery.

The next 24 to 48 hours will probably be the make or break time. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Tim
 
Hi Tim,
I know Im being a HUGE pain but just got home tonight from being out for a few hours and the right hand side of her throat has swollen to a gold ball size. Any ideas? I think I am going to start the tylan and syringe some into her. Im so worried
She has devoured the live meal worm, blueberries so Im a little happier. Its just this lump now.
She has also had a poop which was white and brown so normal if not a tiny bit loose.
Do you know what the lump could be?
 
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