16 week old pullet- bantam- open mouth breathing-Update. Not happy.

[libbyhan]

Thanks in advance for any advice. I need to know- should I start to panic?

I have a flock of 6 chickens that are 20 weeks and a trio of 12-16 week olds that I just started to mix with the others about a week ago. They 2 groups were quarantined from each other (one inside and one outside) for 30 days before I mixed them.

My tiny, dove sized, seabright bantam has something going on. I noticed her sneezing a few times yesterday- but didn't think too much of it. She's very active and eating well, it looks. She's been allowed to free range in the back yard for the last few days. She's scratching and calling to her friends letting them know about any food she finds. Her eyes are bright and she's running around. I saw her drink last night.

Today, I've noticed she's stretching her neck and opening her mouth. She's been doing a bit of open mouth breathing after the stretch. No nasal or eye discharge. I can't hear any wheezing.

Her wings do drop occasssionally- but she's done that for a while. When ever she gets nervous, her wings drop and her tail goes up.

Also, she is closing her eyes during and after a neck stretch. I was able to get a good look down her throat. Although I don't know what I am looking for- it didn't look red or swollen. No mucus.

I can't tell if her crop is full or what. I've never been good at that and I'm not sure that I'm even feeling the right part of her neck. This open mouth breathing is MUCH more pronounced than any yawning I've seen before.

I have some antibiotics- something that starts with a d? I am also going to the vet tomorrow and she might give me some tylan.

Any ideas? Panic or not? I just don't like that this started after I mixed the 2 groups. Seems like the perfect incubation period for something nasty- although no one has been sick. My older group and the bantam are hatchery chicks- the bantam's 2 buddies are from a local woman that breeds.

Thanks!

Libby

 

[lurky]

I would say not to panic. I have seen birds do that, dont know why, but never lost any

Keep an eye on her, but dont panic.

 

[winekntrychicks]

does the shape of her beak look normal? Sneezing and gasping doesn't sound good to me! Look up infectious bronchitis. I believe I have bought preps in the feed store that cover this. Forget what it's called at the moment. It comes in a yellow and red bag. Check this website: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/78/infectious-bronchitis-ib

 

[libbyhan]

The shape of her beak looks fine. I just went out to see her (and stress out some more) and put her in the cage in the coop with her buddies that we've been using to introduce the 2 groups . She's eating for sure and I took another look down her throat and the throat of her buddy- they look the same. Her beak is almost always open a bit, now. I think that I felt her crop and it felt appropriate compared to her buddy. I tipped her upside down (didn't I read that if her crop is impacted, something will come out?) and she FREAKED out. I think fighting an exam is a good sign? Anyhow, nothing came out.

It's not hot here tonight. Maybe 75.

My vet doesn't care for chickens, but she's a buddy and will help me out. I have a lot of experience with cats (I run a shelter) and if this was a kitten, I'd think that this was viral and let it run its course. But, chickens seem so much more fragile.

This particular chicken will jump through hoops for corn. She dove into a corn cob that I used to catch her. We love this little chicken, but have been worried about how SMALL she is compared to the others in the flock. She's a tiny, tiny bantam. But, she's quick and hasn't gotten pecked once. Her name is Dory. She flew up to the roost for the first time last night (we didn't let her stay- they others aren't trustworthy yet)- such a big girl.

Oh, and the antibiotic that I have is the duramycin (tetracycline) that you disolve in water.

Should I give her some apple cider vinegar to be safe? Just a cap full in her waterer, right?

 

[winekntrychicks]

its so hard to know what to do with chickens. What does her poo look like? You said she was breathing with her mouth open; sound like me when I have a cold and the neck streatching sound like upper respitory to me. Read the antibiotics bag to see what it covers.

 

[libbyhan]

Update. And, UGH!

I went down to check on her and she was in her pullet pile with the other 2 young gals. I grabbed her and she immediately started open-mouth breathing. It's clearly associated with an inhalation, darn it. So, I guess we have upper respiratory infection.

I gave her some of the tetracycline- but I have no idea if the dose was good or bad. The bag was vague- it looked like 400 mg to a gallon is what I need. But, I don't want to mix a gallon and I have no mg measurer. Figuring some was better than nothing, I gave her some crystals diluted in water.

She was weird cause I woke her up, but she did sqawk, fluff up and poop a nice, hearty poop. Also, I found her crop for sure and it seemed nice and full.

I figure the damage is done, so I put her back in with the youngsters.

Should I pull them from the coop tomorrow and set them up someplace else? I can't bring them back in the house, so it wouldn't be a great isolation from the others. Dory does NOT do well alone and I think that the trauma would kill her. Long story, but she was one a pair and I lost her buddy. I went out and picked up the other 2 newbies- tossed quarantine aside and put them together. Dory was having a FIT without another chick. It was torture for her (and all of us). That was over 4 weeks ago.

Again I am basing this on my kitten experience but, my guess is that the older chickens are carriers of some virus that they've never gotten sick from. My bantam was stressed cause of the move outside and that weakened her immune system? That's why she got this? The others may or may not get it, but I'd be surprised if the older guys got sick.

Comfort me, please. I need some stories that start like mine and END with me and 9 healthy chickens laying more eggs that I can give away.

 

[viktoriacl]

OK..First of all mg is not mesurable. You need to find a volume measurment like mg/ml or mg per cc or something like that. Then you have to do the math to devide it down to a useable dose. It should give the volume dose on the package.

 

[NC29mom]

If I remember correctly Duramycin is 1 tablespoon per gallon if you are giving 800mg

Check out this link about Duramycin dosing:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=193203&p=1

 

[winekntrychicks]

Quote:
Okay, 1st of all just relax. You can only do what you can do. We are not vets and we learn as we go. For the measurements a ml and a cc are the same. Next you are right. Some medicine is better than none. Next why can you not bring them inside? I use my spare bathroom shower enclosure for the hospital. If you have to give the whole darn flock med so what? Do you rely on them for income? It not don't worry. Do what you can do. Let's go from here.

 

[libbyhan]

Thanks everyone. I did OK on the dose- I did look it up beforehand, but there seems to be a million variables and a lot of room for error. I only mixed 2 cups, since I found the quart dose. She's a tiny, too.

Isn't this stuff meant to go into the free choice waterer? Since I gave some from a syringe, I wonder if it will have any impact at all. I wanted her to have something "on board" tonight.

I have a vet appt. tomorrow am for my dogs and I will bring her with me. Maybe we can get tylan? I like that it's 3 days. But, I assume there are draw backs to starting with the big guns, like tylan? Thoughts?

And, we will bring them in- at least to the basement. I'm so bummed as these 3 are LOVING their free range time.