One of my hens has diarrhea. Sometimes her droppings are normal, but often they are somewhat orange and rather liquid. Other than that she seems fine. She is about 20 weeks old and isn't laying yet. She eats laying pellets and is on terramycin in the drinking water due to toe injuries to two of the other hens. The weather has been horribly hot - near 100 every day. Any ideas about her problem?

-- txcountry girl (nancyk@icsi.net), August 28, 2000

Answers

Wow. I sure don't have a clue, but I would be very interested to find out what's going on...esp. since she's already on antibiotics. Bizarre

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), August 28, 2000.

It could very well be a reaction between the heat and the antibiotics. You didn't say if she was ill when you first started her on the laced water with the injured ones.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 29, 2000.

Is this the only hen with these symptoms? Is she getting the antibiotic for some reason, other than two others are sick? If so, I think you already found your reason. A number of the 'mycins' have that effect on exotic birds, probably chickens too (since they were once 'exotic' as well). I'd discontinue it if there isn't any pressing reason for her to have it. Often birds with upset digestion appreciate being offered charcoal (NOT CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES! POISON!!), such as activated charcoal. The birds eat it in the wild from burned stumps, and act. charcoal is used by vets to absorb poisons in animal's stomachs. I would also treat the bird with some avian-specific probiotics (lactobacillus).

Also check water supply that the bird isn't drinking out of some unclean source.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), August 30, 2000.