2 year old Spanish Black hen can't stand/won't eat/drink since May 22nd

[Dorene]

I am in my first 2 years of Heritage turkeys (my other is Cricket, a RP, also 2). I got them as less than 24 hour Poults and raised them together in my house and office, they are very much pets.

This year, when Bleu Belle went broody, I did see her initially come of the nest to eat, drink na poop but after I few weeks, as I was preparing to tear it down, I went into the hospital, so she could have sat for longer than I realized.

I fianlly took her to my avian vet, who put her in ICU on IV fluids for 5 days, with force feedings of baby food, Esbilac (hand feeding bird formula) mixed with Pediasure, and anything that I can force down her (grapes, melons, banana, sweet potatos). On her discharge date, she was pecking at her turkey chow, grapes, cracked corn and watermelon, and drinking her water.

She has not done that for me since coming home. Two days ago, she grabbed 5 grapes from my fingers. Yesterday, I did not feed her beyond the am (120 ml) on the off chance that maybe her crop is too full and she does not want to eat (I would run into that rehabbing waterfowl).

She has been on Baytryl and Metacam, today we switched her to Prednisone (steroids). I ordered some Kyolic Garlic this morning at the advice on a friend of mine from the Heritage Turkey List.

PLEASE HELP!!!

I attended much of vet school, I worked for 11 years at my vet clinic, I am a waterfowl rehabber, I do accupuncture (and have been doing that on her, especially for nerve damage along the spine, and she is getting P/T 5 times a day - leg, wing and foot extensions.

ANY IDEAS?!?!??!

I have two calls into Kevin Porter, hopefully he will have some ideas for me, thank you in advance for yours -

Dorene Olson

 

[kuntrygirl]

How is your hen? DId Kevin Porter call you back with suggestions?

 

[Dorene]

OK, sorry, I typed a reply and did the ADD thing and looked at a comment on the side of the page, when I tried to go back, my reply was missing and I could not re-find it, so sorry if this answer will post twice.

Kevin did call me back, he was very kind and generous but alas, had no suggestions as he only incubates and he has no broody hen experience. He was my last hope, now I am going to start calling vet schools around the country.

Bleu Belle actually pecked at some food last night and took a hearty drink of water; I had not fed her all day the day before (tube fed, that is) wondering if her crop was always full and that prevented any natural hunger (a double whammy that I used to run into with waterfowl rehab).

Today is a LOVELY day for this time of year in wretched St. Louis - sunny, warmish/cool, NO humidity, and I have her out in the 8 x 12 dog run, she is still not standing or walking, I am getting quite discouraged.

Anyone else have any thoughts??? The Rare Heritage Turkey list all assure me that this is "normal" and after a week to 10 days they stagger around and start eating and drinking. I repeated her blood work on Tues and other than having elevated CPK (a muscle enzyme, also a possible dehydration issue) everything was fine, kidneys, liver, etc.

Dorene