1, Chicken: Miriam: Rhode Island Red hen, about 4 years old, normal weight, in backyard flock of 16 chickens, walk-in coop and (guessing) 30 x 40 foot fenced and netted chicken yard
2. Behavior: Yesterday, slightly wobbly on her legs, otherwise fine: eating, drinking, doing normal chicken things with the flock. This morning, staggering but managing to walk. Walks "like a drunk." Points of her comb are now blue. Still eating and participating in the flock.
3. How Long Symptoms: 18 hours
4. No other bird exhibiting symptoms
5. No bleeding, injury, broken bones, or other signs of trauma
6. Cannot think of anything that has happened that may be causing this behavior.
7. Food: Commercial laying-flock feed available 24 hours, multiple water sources available 24 hours, and cleaned daily; approximately a tablespoon of scratch + sunflower seeds per bird every morning; occasional produce, most recently zucchini squash from organic garden yesterday morning
8. Have not identified poop specifically from her yet.
9. Topical Ivermectin, 4 drops, approximately 4 hours from onset, after reading that worms can sometimes cause wobbly legs. Flock has not been wormed in approximately 6 months. I have noticed a roundworm in a dropping possibly twice a month.
10. Treatment: prefer to treat myself as money is a real problem. Vet available but typical bill in the past $90 - $150; we might have enough if we skip some bills but definitely a difficult option.
11. Newly blue-tipped comb only visual change
12. Walk-in coop, sand-covered tables under roosts cleaned daily, dirt floor bedded with chopped leaves fully cleaned twice a year, doesn't seem to need more because flock is outside every day (by choice; coop door is open all day) unless it's snowing or raining really hard
I'm extremely grateful for any help. My birds are pets and every one is special to me. Miriam is my friendliest bird, following me around and "talking" to me while I clean the coop.
2. Behavior: Yesterday, slightly wobbly on her legs, otherwise fine: eating, drinking, doing normal chicken things with the flock. This morning, staggering but managing to walk. Walks "like a drunk." Points of her comb are now blue. Still eating and participating in the flock.
3. How Long Symptoms: 18 hours
4. No other bird exhibiting symptoms
5. No bleeding, injury, broken bones, or other signs of trauma
6. Cannot think of anything that has happened that may be causing this behavior.
7. Food: Commercial laying-flock feed available 24 hours, multiple water sources available 24 hours, and cleaned daily; approximately a tablespoon of scratch + sunflower seeds per bird every morning; occasional produce, most recently zucchini squash from organic garden yesterday morning
8. Have not identified poop specifically from her yet.
9. Topical Ivermectin, 4 drops, approximately 4 hours from onset, after reading that worms can sometimes cause wobbly legs. Flock has not been wormed in approximately 6 months. I have noticed a roundworm in a dropping possibly twice a month.
10. Treatment: prefer to treat myself as money is a real problem. Vet available but typical bill in the past $90 - $150; we might have enough if we skip some bills but definitely a difficult option.
11. Newly blue-tipped comb only visual change
12. Walk-in coop, sand-covered tables under roosts cleaned daily, dirt floor bedded with chopped leaves fully cleaned twice a year, doesn't seem to need more because flock is outside every day (by choice; coop door is open all day) unless it's snowing or raining really hard
I'm extremely grateful for any help. My birds are pets and every one is special to me. Miriam is my friendliest bird, following me around and "talking" to me while I clean the coop.
