1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Welsummer pullet, 3-1/2 months old, 2.7 lbs. She has always been on the small side compared to her two 'sisters' (a BR and a Rhode Island Blue), but is seeming especially light to me.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Gemma is a very avid bird but the day before yesterday she was flat, not eating, staying to herself. Midmorning I noticed a normal looking poop with a bit of blood in it, and another that looked mostly like blood; glistening, mucousy-looking. She has continued to have bloody poops. She is being kept indoors. She sleeps a lot and when awake her tail is usually down, feathers on head ruffed up; but she has periods where her tail is up, her feathers are smooth, she preens, she walks around, 'chats' to us. Has not eaten until today, just a very little bit so far.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since the day before yesterday.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, other two pullets are their normal, active selves.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No, she was not injured, no external signs of trauma.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Vet x-rayed; said it looked like there was a lot of grit in her gizzard, and suspects some sort of blockage (she does poop, but bloody -- more on that at no. 8 below).
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
All three pullets eat Modesto Milling organic chick starter. I give scratch and BOSS as treats. Grit is available to them and she is especially enthusiastic about it. I regret offering grit freely, as I'm afraid this is the problem and may have caused a blockage. She has not been interested in food until a bit last night and today -- interested meaning: a few bites, eating some, picking and tossing some. She would not approach the food at all the first two days. Had fluids 2x at vet (crop was full of water so I didn't offer her water). She did not get fluids today but drank some water with added electrolytes this afternoon.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Poop has varied. They are very runny, especially after given fluids at vet. Early on poops had gelatinous black rubbery bits, no longer present, then poops were glistening, sometimes with small bubbles. Some poops occasionally have a splash of white. Only consistent thing with the poops is that they are all bloody -- darker, brownish, not bright red, so issue seems to be higher up the digestive tract. Mostly they are watery now since she hasn't eaten the last three days.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Took her to vet first day of symptoms, the day before yesterday. He ran a fecal (blood, no evidence of parasites). Water in crop, urped up a little when they picked her up. X-ray: no metal showed up but looked like a lot of grit in the gizzard and he suspects some sort of blockage (she does poop, but bloody -- see no. 8 above). And he mentioned possibility of Marek's, could be another infection. I just called the feed store where I got them as day-olds and they only purchase chicks that have been vaxxed for Marek's -- though with the number of chicks hatched, it's possible she was missed. Vet gave her fluids and Loxicom injection for pain/discomfort. I took her home with Sucralfate (to coat esophagus and intestinal tract since we know she's bleeding) and Trimethoprim Sulfamethaoxazole, an oral antiobiotic pill. Both to be given 2x daily. No interest in her chick starter.
Yesterday: Fluids again, no exam. More bloody poops throughout day, mostly watery after fluids. Still not interested in food.
Today: recheck appt this AM. He felt she looked worse, observed that her feet were uncoordinated (I think I saw this when I checked on her about 4a this morning). Crop not watery, more of a slurry, with some food bits, I think. I asked about euthanasia. I took her to my vehicle to spend some time with her and as she walked about, I didn't observe uncoordinated movement. She pecked at things, preened a bit, chatted occasionally, picked at underside between her legs -- by her behavior, this seems to be the location of the irritation/pain. But she didn't seem like a bird who had given up, so I took her home.
Stopped and picked up some electrolytes (Sav-a-Chick) from feed store and mixed in her water. (Also got Durvet Probiotics for Poultry, but didn't add as it also has most of the same electrolytes in addition to probiotics -- thought I might alternate and use each one every other day?) She drank some quite enthusiastically, then a little later had a very watery (still bloody) poop afterward. Hope this means the water is going through and not sitting in her crop. She just now ate a bit of her chick starter from my hand -- didn't toss any -- and is preening her feathers. Also, another watery, bloody poop.
Am getting better with meds, she urped up water the first time and I gave up; vet tech showed me -- twice -- how to medicate (so grateful!) and now I think I've got it.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
She is getting vet care but without expensive diagnostics, don't think we can absolutely know the cause of her ailment. I don't think surgery is in the cards for her (financially). I would like to know what supportive/comfort care I can give her in hopes she can work this through, but that may not be realistic. If not, I will take her to vet for euthanasia. I was hoping she would rally or drop off a cliff because then I would KNOW. She has done neither. The weekend is coming up and no bird specialists available, so I'll be on my own.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No wound.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She and the other two pullets have been on pine shavings at night and outside it is mulch. No green things in high summer in CA in their enclosure and few when they are out to free range. Vet noticed -- and I did, too -- that she picks at shavings and I don't know if she is eating any. She has been indoors and on newspaper since this bout of illness began because it's easier to see what comes out of her. I transported her in a carrier with shavings, won't do that again.
Thank you in advance for any help. I am so sad about this for her and kicking myself about the grit.
Welsummer pullet, 3-1/2 months old, 2.7 lbs. She has always been on the small side compared to her two 'sisters' (a BR and a Rhode Island Blue), but is seeming especially light to me.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Gemma is a very avid bird but the day before yesterday she was flat, not eating, staying to herself. Midmorning I noticed a normal looking poop with a bit of blood in it, and another that looked mostly like blood; glistening, mucousy-looking. She has continued to have bloody poops. She is being kept indoors. She sleeps a lot and when awake her tail is usually down, feathers on head ruffed up; but she has periods where her tail is up, her feathers are smooth, she preens, she walks around, 'chats' to us. Has not eaten until today, just a very little bit so far.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since the day before yesterday.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, other two pullets are their normal, active selves.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No, she was not injured, no external signs of trauma.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Vet x-rayed; said it looked like there was a lot of grit in her gizzard, and suspects some sort of blockage (she does poop, but bloody -- more on that at no. 8 below).
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
All three pullets eat Modesto Milling organic chick starter. I give scratch and BOSS as treats. Grit is available to them and she is especially enthusiastic about it. I regret offering grit freely, as I'm afraid this is the problem and may have caused a blockage. She has not been interested in food until a bit last night and today -- interested meaning: a few bites, eating some, picking and tossing some. She would not approach the food at all the first two days. Had fluids 2x at vet (crop was full of water so I didn't offer her water). She did not get fluids today but drank some water with added electrolytes this afternoon.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Poop has varied. They are very runny, especially after given fluids at vet. Early on poops had gelatinous black rubbery bits, no longer present, then poops were glistening, sometimes with small bubbles. Some poops occasionally have a splash of white. Only consistent thing with the poops is that they are all bloody -- darker, brownish, not bright red, so issue seems to be higher up the digestive tract. Mostly they are watery now since she hasn't eaten the last three days.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Took her to vet first day of symptoms, the day before yesterday. He ran a fecal (blood, no evidence of parasites). Water in crop, urped up a little when they picked her up. X-ray: no metal showed up but looked like a lot of grit in the gizzard and he suspects some sort of blockage (she does poop, but bloody -- see no. 8 above). And he mentioned possibility of Marek's, could be another infection. I just called the feed store where I got them as day-olds and they only purchase chicks that have been vaxxed for Marek's -- though with the number of chicks hatched, it's possible she was missed. Vet gave her fluids and Loxicom injection for pain/discomfort. I took her home with Sucralfate (to coat esophagus and intestinal tract since we know she's bleeding) and Trimethoprim Sulfamethaoxazole, an oral antiobiotic pill. Both to be given 2x daily. No interest in her chick starter.
Yesterday: Fluids again, no exam. More bloody poops throughout day, mostly watery after fluids. Still not interested in food.
Today: recheck appt this AM. He felt she looked worse, observed that her feet were uncoordinated (I think I saw this when I checked on her about 4a this morning). Crop not watery, more of a slurry, with some food bits, I think. I asked about euthanasia. I took her to my vehicle to spend some time with her and as she walked about, I didn't observe uncoordinated movement. She pecked at things, preened a bit, chatted occasionally, picked at underside between her legs -- by her behavior, this seems to be the location of the irritation/pain. But she didn't seem like a bird who had given up, so I took her home.
Stopped and picked up some electrolytes (Sav-a-Chick) from feed store and mixed in her water. (Also got Durvet Probiotics for Poultry, but didn't add as it also has most of the same electrolytes in addition to probiotics -- thought I might alternate and use each one every other day?) She drank some quite enthusiastically, then a little later had a very watery (still bloody) poop afterward. Hope this means the water is going through and not sitting in her crop. She just now ate a bit of her chick starter from my hand -- didn't toss any -- and is preening her feathers. Also, another watery, bloody poop.
Am getting better with meds, she urped up water the first time and I gave up; vet tech showed me -- twice -- how to medicate (so grateful!) and now I think I've got it.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
She is getting vet care but without expensive diagnostics, don't think we can absolutely know the cause of her ailment. I don't think surgery is in the cards for her (financially). I would like to know what supportive/comfort care I can give her in hopes she can work this through, but that may not be realistic. If not, I will take her to vet for euthanasia. I was hoping she would rally or drop off a cliff because then I would KNOW. She has done neither. The weekend is coming up and no bird specialists available, so I'll be on my own.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No wound.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She and the other two pullets have been on pine shavings at night and outside it is mulch. No green things in high summer in CA in their enclosure and few when they are out to free range. Vet noticed -- and I did, too -- that she picks at shavings and I don't know if she is eating any. She has been indoors and on newspaper since this bout of illness began because it's easier to see what comes out of her. I transported her in a carrier with shavings, won't do that again.
Thank you in advance for any help. I am so sad about this for her and kicking myself about the grit.
