The Poultry Keeper

Lisa · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:49 pm Post subject: chicken with "the runs"

I have a two year old Rhode Island Red (Lara) that has had "the runs" for a few weeks. She has not laid any eggs this year. I had another RIR I got from the same breeder, at the same time, which I have had to have pts (swollen belly, no eggs this year and obviously not well). On PM she had a tumour. Not sure if the 2 are related...

Lara does not have any other symptoms, eats and drinks okay and appears otherwise well. Maybe she is a bit on the thin side?

She has been to the vets, who suggested worming and bringing in a "sample" to analyse if the problem persisted.

I also tried several days with slippery elm bark in their food (I have used this to treat my GSD with a "dodgy tummy" before).

But Lara still has the runs...

I took a sample in to the vets, but the chicken vet who has seen her before was off on hols....

Another vet said there was "nothing obvious" wrong from the sample. My vet is back on Tuesday...

My other 3 chickens are fine and have been laying.

Any ideas or suggestions? We're all a bit stumped here...

I did wonder if antibiotics would help? Could it be some sort of digestive system infection? If so, is Baytril good for digestive infections too??

Thanks,
Lis

PS poo is grey and runny - no unusual colour to it

nigel · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:53 am Post subject:

Sorry Lara is having trouble Lisa

Is there any chance of getting your vet to give a second opinion?

mojo · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:41 am Post subject: hi

lisa a

idea and a sprinkle of arrowroot powder to her feed helps firm up poo and allows the goodness from food to be absorbed before its eject .just a thought ........mojo

jaydee67 · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

Live yogurt is said to help digestive probs - always worth a try!

Lisa · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:30 am Post subject:

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Re the vets: the other vet has left a message for my usual vet for when she's back on Tuesday, so she should be ringing me tomorrow.

Arrowroot? Haven't heard of that one before. Thank you Mojo, always good to learn something new. How much arrowroot would you suggest using?

Actually you reminded me I have something I used for my old German Shepherd when he had a case of the runs called Isogel crystals. Maybe that would work with Lara too - but I've got no idea again how much would be a chicken dose Confused

I'll ask the vet about both of those tomorrow. I don't want to add anything extra to their food today incase she wants another sample tomorrow...

I've tried giving them yogurt already - they get it quite often anyway (especially since I've started making it at home). But again I do wonder how much and how often would be best? And whether I should be giving her a couple of doses / syringe fulls a day, more like a medicine, instead of putting a bowl down for them to share - although Lara is bossy enough to get more than her fair share anyway Laughing

I'll let you know what the vets says tomorrow....

Lisa · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject:

Well, my Vet is stumped. She can think of other diseases that would cause chronic diarrhea, but she would expect other symptoms or at least Lara seem ill.

Nothing was found in the poop sample I took in last week, but (drum roll please) this week's interesting chicken poop fact is:

If you are going to take a sample of chicken poo to the vets for testing for internal parasites it is best to collect samples from 3 consecutive days. This, I am told, is okay, as long as you store it in the fridge each day!!!!!!!!!! Worms etc apparently don't shed every day, hence the 3 day collection requirement.

So the plan is to worm Lara again, incase she didn't get the full dose of Flubenvet last time. Double dose this time, stuck to fav titbits, or mixed with a little water and given by syringe.

If there is still no improvement, I'm on poo collection patrol for 3 days and its back to the vets (but maybe I'll take it into the vets each day and they can store it in THEIR fridge) Rolling Eyes

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Lisa, do you teach your girls how to do this ~ confuse the vets that is? If not, then they do a wonderful job all on their own!! I hope this gets sorted out and Lara is OK, keep us informed

Lisa · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:12 am Post subject:

LOL!! Ah Summayah, I wish I could teach them - then I could unteach them and they could stop it Laughing

nigel · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:52 am Post subject:

Maybe your chickens like the extra attention and the trip out to the vets.. Laughing