My dad thinks it's a brain tumor...

[Keltara]

Quote:
If it's smelly, it's a sign of infection. Is she still on Antibiotics?

 

[Moochie]

Why yes, yes she is.

Ehh, today isn't my day. Just had to cull a cochin. She couldn't stand on her legs.. I found her in the coop on her side, at first I thought she was dustbathing, but no. She probably didn't get any food or water today. Mom even tried to give her water and she wouldn't drink it. She was much lighter than she usually was...

She was limping on her right leg the past week. I thought she may have pulled something and it would heal on it's own. Instead both legs went. Mom and I have never twisted a neck on an animal and didn't wanna try, so mom put her in 2 plastic bags and then a garbage bag. Sigh.
I wonder what it was.

 

[cocosandy]

Are your chickens vaccinated for Mareks? it sounds a little like mareks to me. They limp and then it gets progressively worse with paralysis. Its 99% deadly so culling is often the most humane thing you can do.
But its also been hot and all...bantams are not as strong as large breeds.
The UConn vet assistant told me that they consider the most humane way to kill a chicken to be neck dislocation.
You dont have to twist but rather pull until you feel the spine disconnect.

As far as sugar goes, I think you need to scrape the thing out and flush it well with saline or bactine....there is something in there that is rotting or going necrotic. It could just be some dead tissue from the cyst or whatever the root of the problem was or it could be infection...but the more you can get out, even if it bleeds a little, the better. aim to clena it until it bleeds a little and you can see bright red flesh. The black is old blood and pus (which in chickens is very thick)
so try to get it all out. Does it seem like there is more there than before? It could be the last of it coming out.
Keep her on antibiotics and keep the neosporin packed in it....but try to get the icky stuff out...because if its infection or necrotic (dead) tissue, it will cause more problems.
Youre doing a great job ...and obviously, this is a long process. Hot compresses cant hurt either.
Ive had chickens with infections get smelly like that and I had to go in and get the smelly stuff out ...then the healing continued.
Keep us updated. and hang in there!!

 

[Moochie]

I was thinking it was Mareks too. Unfortunately no, mine aren't. Last year when I first got chickens I got them from an auction, 8 babies. I never really learned about chicken diseases till later on. The cochins were bought from a ranch, my mom doesn't want to buy anymore chickens from there anymore. The rancher sexed a few wrong (we got roos that we didn't want), the silkie roo I don't mind though, like a little lap dog he is. The youngins were infested with mites and the silkies had scaly-leg mites. We're gonna stick with this animal auction downtown for now on.
What about medicated chick feed? I know some pullets that we got from a horse rescue were eating that.
Oh and she was a standard cochin, not as poofy as some I've seen though.

The lumpo on Sugar's head is warm too. I forgot to add that.

 

[crawfordmama]

I'm sorry to hear about your cochin. You were kind to cull her. Was your question about medicated chick started in reference to Marek's? Sorry, I'm still a little hazy this morning. Medicated starter is used to help prevent cocci (but isn't 100% effective).

I think the infection is what is making little Sugar's bump warm. Keep caring for her as you are to rid her of that nasty infection.

I think about you guys every day and I'm hoping Sugar gets back in the swing of things soon!

 

[chicktwins]

Sorry to hear about your other chicken.

Back to Sugar......maybe you need to try a different antibiotic. Sometimes when there is a really nasty infection more than one type of bacteria can be the cause. Not all antibiotics are created equally just like bacteria. There are some antibiotics that do one "level" of bacteria and there are others that do other "levels". That's why sometimes certain wounds that do not heal in a timely manner must be cultured. When a culture is done the bacteria is named and antibiotics that will work at killing that particular bacteria are named with the results. I wonder if a vet would allow you to culture it and dispense whatever antibiotic needed to you to get rid of this persistent problem once and for all. The animal hospitals I used to work for would often do this for farm animals that we didn't normally see in office as long as you had other pets that were patients there. We often would make a "FARM" file for them.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I just have to say, every time I look at the subject of this thread I think of the line in "Kindergarten Cop" when Arnold says, "It's not a tuma!"

Sorry she is having a bit of trouble and that you had to cull another. I hear ya there. I swear, this has been my month for chicken illnesses and injuries too.
There are other quick and humane ways to dispatch small animals besides wringing their necks. I am not going to get graphic, but there are other ways. I find it the hardest when I have to cull a chick. That is a tough one every time.

 

[Moochie]

Culling chicks is supa tough.. And this Saturday mom and I are going to the animal auction so we will stop by Van Dam Farms or Hemy-Hay.
She's acting a little funny today. Not socializing much and she doesn't chase after the roos or the pullets (she chases after the pullets too if they bump into her). I did trim her beak and nails and she's eating better, but not much. She's also a little bit lighter than usual. I wanna keep her inside with me so none of the chickens bother her, anyone got any info on making a chicken diaper from scratch?

 

[cocosandy]

Antibiotics will treat either "gram positive" infection or "gram negative" infections. If you google the antibiotic you're using you shouldbe able to figure out if its for gram positive or negative, and then google which antibiotic would treat the opposite type of infection. Most of the water antibiotics in the feed store are made to treat a very wide range of infection types, but you can probably just change it up.
The ideal thing to do would be to get an injectable from someplace like valley vet or randall burkey.
there is a "chicken Dr" working at one of the places named Brown: http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/
and he consults over the phone. If you tell him which antibiotic you're using, he may be able to suggest another one. I hear that he knows his stuff and his place sells the meds over the internet. Its pretty reasonable.
But you may be able to google this and figure out what to try.
even with alot of expensive smears its not always possible for a vet to diagnose the type of infection, especially after treatment with a broad spectrum antibiotic.

Whatever you do, keep up the good work and just keep on....it could be that its just going to take her body some time to throw off the infection...but do keep up hot compresses and try to get the smelly stuff out to help her out.
also try to feed her some scrambled eggs and yogurt to help her body get stronger and rebuild its enzymes.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Me too, it breaks my heart, but believe me, I do it when there's no hope. I can't see them suffer along.
Putting a chicken in a plastic bag is kindof a long slow death. It may not be best for the chicken. I can't wring a neck either. So I get a block of wood and a sharp knife and a hammer. I also cover their eyes.

That's the quickest death for the chicken and the most painless. I call that humane.

As an antibiotic, Penicillin is good for injuries/infections, my favorite is LS-50. 1 tsp per gallon of water. It's 2 different antibiotics so you don't have to figure out if it's gram + or neg

A good drawing soak also would be a rag wet in warm water with epsom salts. It's know for drawing out infection.