# Sick chicken



## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I have a chicken who has her tail tucked and stays isolated. She was is a nest box yesterday for several hours in the egg laying stance. I felt of her belly and it was soft. Her crop is full of liquid. Could this be salphingitis (sp?)
I have tetracycline, will this work?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Tough one. My mind goes immediately to having laying problems. We've had so many that sound like your girl, most finally pass something that looks like ET after a day or so.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Ok, she's been a little under the weather lately. I put her in the grow out pen with food and ATB in her water. If that doesn't work, we'll do the inevitable. ..She's pretty thin, too.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I think with egg yolk peritonitis, they get a larger hard abdomen. If she has an egg that's stuck, the only way to know for sure is to glove, lube up a finger and examine.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm not sure where or how to feel for an egg. I have done it before and don't feel anything.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> I'm not sure where or how to feel for an egg. I have done it before and don't feel anything.


Pictures might help:


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Nanny,if you have hard water you need to use distilled water or double the dose.A veterinarian just told me that 2 wks ago when I had to take a rooster in.I tried him on oxytetracycline and after 3 days there was no improvement.The dr said it would've helped but since I have hard water the med bound to the calcium in my water rendering it useless.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I don't think our water is hard, but I can do distilled. I rarely have to use any product like Lime Away. I'm just not sure if tetracycline will help or not. No vet around here sees chickens.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Kathy, can the egg not bet felt by palpation from the outside?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Sounds like a stuck egg. Try soaking her in a container of warm water up to her sides for about 20 minutes and massage her underside front to rear while she's soaking. The warm water will relax and expand her innards, massaging will help move a stuck egg along. Use olive oil or vegetable oil to lube just inside her vent, it'll help her to lay the egg more easily. 
If she's egg impacted, she might not make it, but you can continue to soak her in warm water as much as you want. Good luck.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I did another glove check and I can't feel an egg as high up as I can go safely. I shot oil into her vent. She actually seemed a bit better this evening. I put her friend in for warmth and company. I'll let ya'll know how things turn out. I didn't do the warm soak becuase it's supposed to freeze tonight. The hubs would have cow if I brought her into the house!


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Kathy, can the egg not bet felt by palpation from the outside?


If they are't obese, yes, but I find it easier to lube my finger and check. 

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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> I have a chicken who has her tail tucked and stays isolated. She was is a nest box yesterday for several hours in the egg laying stance. I felt of her belly and it was soft. Her crop is full of liquid. Could this be salphingitis (sp?)
> I have tetracycline, will this work?


Is she pooping?

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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Ok, she's been a little under the weather lately. I put her in the grow out pen with food and ATB in her water. If that doesn't work, we'll do the inevitable. ..She's pretty thin, too.


How thin? 









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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

She's probably a 2 on your score sheet, I've seen worse. She's eating and pooping.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> She's probably a 2 on your score sheet, I've seen worse. She's eating and pooping.


So what does her belly feel like compared to another hen?

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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

I thought this was interesting:
http://www.audubon.org/news/the-art-hatching-egg-explained

















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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That is interesting to see. Her belly is soft and jiggly. Her crop felt like it actually had something in it last night.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I've only had one that had an egg stuck. I ended up pouring oil on my finger and making circles around the egg to slowly unstick it from the walls. It took about 45 minutes with breaks in between. The egg was up far enough to where my full finger reached about half the length of the egg. 

I guess her poop is normal? What bacteria does your antibiotic treat for?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Tetracycline is pretty much a broad spectrum ATB . In humans one use is urinary tract infections. I never felt and egg even with my finger all the way in. I felt pubic bones , but no egg. Maybe it's just infection. Jim accidentally let her out today, so I had to catch her again. Some of the liquid in her crop came out so I hope she didn't aspirate it.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Tetracycline is pretty much a broad spectrum ATB . In humans one use is urinary tract infections. I never felt and egg even with my finger all the way in. I felt pubic bones , but no egg. Maybe it's just infection. Jim accidentally let her out today, so I had to catch her again. Some of the liquid in her crop came out so I hope she didn't aspirate it.


Do you have any human Cipro or Augmentin?

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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I have a little amoxicillin from a toothe extraction. But that's all I have. I wouldn't have any idea how much to give her? It's 800 mg.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> I have a little amoxicillin from a toothe extraction. But that's all I have. I wouldn't have any idea how much to give her? It's 800 mg.


They actually need a lot. Dose is 125 mg/kg twice a day (57 mg per pound twice a day).

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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

How do you measure that dose from a human tablet? I don't have a gram scale.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> How do you measure that dose from a human tablet? I don't have a gram scale.


About how much does she weigh?

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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

Are they 800 mg or 875 mg?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Probably 875. I went to look through and I don't have them anymore. 
She's actually starting to look better this morning. Her crop isn't as soft and mushy. No runny stools, so I'll keep on doing what I'm doing now.


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