Haven't posted for a while now but have been 'lurking' and keeping up to date.
We have had a problem with Maud and took her to the vet about 2 weeks ago who diagnosed an oviduct infection (vent gleet). The vet prescribed tablets which we gave to Maud for the two week course. She picked up, stopped bleeding from the vent and laid a couple of soft shell and no shell eggs. She was eating and drinking normally.
On Tuesday we took Maud back for another check up and the oviduct infection had cleared up (visibly better), she was bright and looked great. We know that it can return but surely not instantly?! As from almost the moment we got her home on Tuesday she became hunched up, fed up and thoroughly miserable. She is still eating and drinking well and pooing too. I can't believe the infection has 'suddenly' returned with such vengance when she was 'cured' on Tuesday. She had her last tablet yesterday morning.
So I just wondred if anyone had any ides. The other thing she has started doing which seems strange, is that she keeps pecking at the bottom of her feet and around her ankles? Could this be linked?
I am guessing perhaps a stuck soft shell I am prepared to take her back to the vet but just wondered if any of you lovely people can perhaps throw any light on this for me??
Owners of some very spoilt and loved chooks - Aggy, Dolly, Molly & Rosie (RIP Hetty & Maud)
Sorry to be completely useless but no idea I'm afraid. Perhaps the vet visit unsettled her a bit? I would be tempted to wait a day or two and see how she goes as long as nothing obvious occurs. But I'm not a vet!
Hi Hun - I've not come across vent gleet myself, but I do know its a thrush like infection they get and it can be quite horrible to see with the stuff running down the hens legs and being quite smelly.
I didn't realise they could bleed with it, you have done really well to get Maud to respond so well anyway. Is she now discharging any fluid at all. Would your vet be able to speak to you over phone and offer any advice in case it is a soft shelled egg that she has had.
Fingers crossed that Maud makes a full recovery soon.
I think I'd go with immune boosting because the antibiotic may have taken some of the good digestive bacteria out of her gut. Wendy often recommends yogurt and oil and I think you could offer all your birds a multivitamin in water- never hurts the girls to have a boost in spring until the sunshine is strong enough to promote Vitamin D in them.
She may be nervous too, is any hen bullying her? After a lengthy illness she may be rejected by the others. And since vent gleet is infectious, might be an idea to do a major cleanout if you haven't already done so. Have her feet been on a surface other than bedding during her illness? She may be fussing at having bedding stick to them again. I'm sure your vet would have noticed anything amiss. Antibiotics are hard on birds, as they leave her system she may simply be adjusting to her body chemistry and coping...good luck. Just finishing up with a hen who was eggbound, I bet you and I have been through some similar experiences!
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all. ~Emily Dickinson
She did have a bit of nasty smelling discharge on Tuesday but no more since. I assumed this was from where the vet had felt around inside her.
The bleeding comes from where the inside of the vent has started to become scabby (or crusty) and when she pushed out a soft shell it bled. A bit like the effect a cold sore has on a person really, from what I understand. Now that has healed that should not happen again unless she gets another bout of it.
She is now in the coop looking very sad, she has a full crop but just looks so pale around her face and thoroughly miserable. It is so frustrating when we thought we had cracked it. I am going to moniter her tomorrow and may give the vet a call when I get home from work in the afternoon to see what she thinks.
When I stroked her tonight she went to peck me, which is unusual for her, so maybe she is feeling very uncomfortable, I just don't know. Will let you know how she goes, but any other words of wisdom will be most welcome.
Owners of some very spoilt and loved chooks - Aggy, Dolly, Molly & Rosie (RIP Hetty & Maud)
About the feet pecking my chicken started pecking her feet this week (she has been poorly on and off for a few weeks, more ups than downs).
There has never been any signs of infection, crop or vent. But she has had a very pale comb, but been eating and drinking very well and perky, she has been doing the penguin stance lately. She has been laying softies lately and that's what I put her illness down too. (I have been providing grit, roasted shells and vitamins etc).
The last couple of days she has been falling or tripping when running for food and the pecking of her feet/legs continued. Today has been her worst I found her after work this evening collasped on her front with her legs out, I think the pecking has been a sign of pins and needles or something as it seems she has no feeling in them.
She is all hunched up in the utility room, wrapped up with her eyes shut, she is probably not going to make it through the evening, if she is still the same in the morning I will take her to the vets to kindly put her to sleep.
I was just thinking that my formerly eggbound hen is starting a full moult. If this is the case with your hen or others who had been ill, you will see a lot of fussing. When new feathers push out the old it can hurt in spots and the hen can seem unthrifty and cranky. Again, boosting nutrition is the key. I have Golda on multivitamins and yogurt/oil. Her temperament is great and what I'm learning is that after a major incident, there is another battle in aftercare. I mean, who knew?
Also, if you hen shows any redness at the vent as a symptom after the problems, you can use Anusol, PrepH (no benzocaine), neosporin even Canestan HC to ease her tissue discomfort.
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all. ~Emily Dickinson
I have had my chicken put to sleep, she was really poorly (detoriated fast)
The vet said I did all I could, she wasn't opening her eyes anymore and I couldn't stand by and not do anything, the main problem I was having was local vets wouldn't see her. Thanks to my mum she mentioned a vet that is two minutes drive from me and they were happy to see her, I didn't even consider them as they haven't been there for long.
The vet was lovely and they were that nice and accomodating I am going to switch my cats to them, they will see my other chickens for general illness, as no one local wouldn't help only a vet over 30miles away which isn't good when you work full time with very young children.
I am prepared to take her back to the vet but just wondered if any of you lovely people can perhaps throw any light on this for me??
