Identifying illness through manure analysis

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:00 am

Umm, might seem like a weird question, but can you put a probiotic capsule in her vent? Like a suppository?

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:57 am

Thanks for asking Sandy. She made it through the night, but is just sitting on the bottom of the cage, not moving.
I tried tempting her with yogurt as per KB's suggestion, since really at this point the diarrhea side-effect doesn't matter, but she hasn't touched it. Or her feed. Or her water, I don't think. I'll clean up her butt again as best I can with moist wipes, and do another smell test I'm not giving her another bath because I think it will be too stressful for her. I don't have any probiotic capsules but can go get some if she smells "yeasty", and will apply some Canesten, since I do have that on hand.
She's not even making her boop boop sounds when I talk to her this morning. :-(.

Shnookie · Post by **Shnookie** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 12:55 pm

This website has lots of good information about bird health (pets and poultry) from an avian vet in Australia. Maybe you can find some help here.

http://www.birdhealth.com.au/#!poultry/c2n5

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 1:41 pm

Thank you, Shnookie. Lots of really good information on that site. I have read quite a bit, but I haven't found anything that matches what's going on with my hen so far. Not giving up, and will read more when I can.

Post by **WLLady** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:06 pm

Is the middle of her comb darkening up? I just cant tell from the photo. She is standing uncomfortably....i am so sorry....i hope she picks up...but i am afraid green watery

for more than a day is not a good thing....

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:07 pm

I hear you, WLLady. I am not in denial ... actually, yes I am. I so want her to recover .
Her comb isn't darkening, but she won't eat anything that isn't soft. She is ravenous for cooked egg yolks, grapes, baby kale greens ...
I applied Canestan this afternoon after cleaning her up, and she seemed to feel relief. She's back with her flock tonight, and I'll bring her in again tomorrow for cleanup and reapplication of anti-fungal cream.

Post by **WLLady** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:17 pm

I am so hoping she picks up for you....

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:31 pm

At the point where she won't drink, the only thing you can do to save her is force her with an eyedropper or tube her. I'm sorry

If Canesten on her vent seems to be providing some relief, maybe it is a systemic yeast infection and you can try Fishzole or other antifungal in her food. Oral antifungal are also good for getting rid of cecal worms for some reason, while ivermectin is not, so bit of dual action there. I'm pulling for the poor girl. If she has a hen she hangs out with, bring them both in...being alone will make her give up faster (because she doesn't have to pretend to be OK) but being in with the whole flock isn't good either, even if she isn't picked on for her weakness, she will be jostled and shoved accidentally and can't keep her normal routine or place on the roost. She CAN come back from this, don't give up hope just yet...

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:50 pm

Thank you, WWW. I am not giving up hope. I am hanging on to every little positive thing she does. She is on the roost again tonight right next to her friend, not being jostled out of her spot by any of the others. It's a good flock. When she was inside earlier this afternoon before I let her out with the others in the yard, she was actually lifting her tail up again.
I have never heard of Fishzole. Where can I get that?

ETA: Oh, forgot to mention, this hen has indicated to me that she is not ready to give up either.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sun Mar 20, 2016 4:24 am

Yes, smell her behind for the tell-tale yeasty, sour smell like sourdough. And her breath, though I think if her infection was in her crop, she wouldn't eat anything at all. It's good news that she's eating something, anything, give her as much as she wants! Stewed spinach and deep fried houseflies if that's what she wants to eat lol, also great news she's roosting, still some fight in her yet!
Fish zole is metronidazole, aka Flagyl...can be found in pet supply places (though mostly south of the border) especially specialty supply places that cater to pigeons, seems to be the only place to find it anymore unless you can get a prescription from a human doctor or vet. It's sometimes called Fish zole because it comes in a water-soluble powder and used to treat fish diseases as well as thrush in birds. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Fish-Fish-Zole-M ... OSwe-FU4k9~
Nystatin liquid suspension is another option, available from vets. From anecdotal evidence online, some people have helped their yeasty hens by feeding them 1/2 a Monistat or Canesten suppository every day until better, personally I wouldn't try it unless I knew for sure that it was a candidiasis problem in the first place, but you know your hen best. Get better, little Annemieke!