16 week old with mouth-breathing, white diarrhea

[jodi515]

AGH! Don't Google Gapeworm in Chickens and look at photos!
So gross!! Poor chickens!!

 

[jodi515]

Update: I took her to the vet. There was no evidence of gapeworm in her throat or other parasites in her poo. No egg issues, nothing in there (she hasn't started laying yet). Crop was empty. Vent looked fine. No mites or lice, skin and feathers were good. She did inspect her mouth and throat pretty thoroughly and she saw some ulcers in Ruby's throat. Ruby was a very cooperative, good girl. So she gave her a shot for pain, gave me oral antibiotics and told me to give her a baby aspirin each day.
The only concern I have is the antibiotic. It was a powder and I was to put all of it in one gallon of water and then Ruby is to drink the whole gallon. I feel like that would take a month (or longer!). She sips willingly. And she is still not eating. I will start forcing those with a syringe. If she will cooperate with that I may be able to avoid tube feeding.

 

[azygous]

What is the antibiotic? Your chicken isn't expected to drink an entire gallon of the antibiotic laced water to get her daily dose. It's enough to provide it as her source of water and let her drink what she needs. The antibiotic will be in her system then, doing it's job. Just be sure she drinks only from that source.

Did the vet specify what the lesions were caused by? Canker, perhaps?

 

[jodi515]

I'm at work and don't have the vial with me.
She didn't specify the illness. I didn't hear her mention that term.
I've got supplies ready in case I need to tube feed, but I am hoping the antibiotics will kick in and she will start feeling better.
That is the only water I am giving her. She sips from the bowl or spoon if I hold it up to her beak. But I think she needs more than what she's getting in a day.

 

[jodi515]

Ruby passed while I was at work today.
I wish I knew what it was. So I could make sure the others aren’t sick. They aren’t displaying symptoms at this time.