20-week old pullet sneezing/gaping

[chickenjane]

Wow, you have been through the mill.

I am no vet, but in my experience, you have to be very careful tube feeding because they can aspirate the food very easily and die right there in your arms. I think you are better off syringe feeding. Also, 60 cc is an AWLFUL lot to get into a crop at one time without aspirating them, especially if they are struggling. It has just been my experience when they are that sick, the crop moves slow anyway, and if they struggle on top of it, you can aspirate them very easily. I know 60 cc is really only 2 oz, but I would work my way to that goal if she is not already used to getting that amount in right now.

If you do tube feed her, try wrapping her in a towel, then put the towel between your legs. After that, just take the syringe and put it down the throat. Believe it or not, it just takes a little practice. Try tube feeding a turkey---NOT fun ! They have long necks and swivel them around.javascript:insert_text('

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As for the actual formula, what are you feeding her? I use Exact parrot rearing formula mixed with hard boiled egg yolk and baby rice cerel for the extra protein/calories because they really need that to carry them through. And she may not be drinking, so I would add that Hydroxyzine to the syringe/tube formula to make sure she is getting it. Also keep her under a heat lamp if she is really thin but don't overdo that either because they can become so weak they die from overheating.

I know you have spent a lot of money, but I think it would be worth the investment of buying a gallon of Oxine (First State Vet sells it), and then go to Dick Blick Art Supplies and buy the complete Preval sprayer which is only like $7. Then I would mist her 3-4 times day. This will help get rid of whatever she has. If you want to see the complete article on Oxine go to www.shagbarkbantams.com.

Again, I am no vet, just trying to offer practical advice based on my own experiences. I hope that helps your girl!

Marlene

PS--I know what it is like to scrap up the money for a vet. Last year I actually took my Silkie Sunshine in for a hysterectomy only to die a few hours later (and that was over $1,000). Yes, I was devastated.

 

[Wynette]

Hey, Marlene; sorry to hear about your poor little Silkie girl.

Oh, 60cc's is most DEFINITELY too much for one feeding! It's more like about 1/2 a cup or more. It's a huge syringe (I've never even used one that big for my horses), but it's the syringe that fits right into the end of the rubber tube, so I'd not fill it completely full of course. It's easy to do - I put it down her throat in the doc's office (wanted her to watch me to make sure I was doing it right). Just would be much easier with two people, because to put the tube down, you need to be facing the bird...so if you can visualize, the bird would be sitting by itself and you'd be facing it; sorta hard to put a tube down a throat and keep the bird from moving, even if she WAS wrapped in a towel quite securely.

The way the vet showed me to put the tube down is to hold the head up, and put your left thumb to the left (chicken's right) side of the throat, just under the beak. The head it tipping upward. Put the tube down the left side of the throat, and you can feel it going down though the skin with your left thumb. If you can feel that, then you're in the right place. It goes down maybe 8", and you can actually even sort of feel it at the top of the crop. Pretty neat, actually, and you could do a feeding in a few minutes rather than the 15-20 that it takes for the syringe feedings. But, thing is, I've been syringe feeding for almost 2 months now; she's used to it, and so am I. Yep, I've been starting with a few syringe fulls of medicated water (right now she's just got AC2000 in her water; I need to call the vet and see if I can use it along with the Hydroxyzine or not), and then the slurry, which is a higher protein feed (20%), a cooked egg, yogurt, and vitamins/electrolytes, along with the water she's drinking. I then blend for a few mins. to make it "syringeable." It's working out great.

I already have the Oxine and I've been using oxine for a few months now, but haven't found a sprayer I'm pleased with yet. (I PM-d you, by the way).

She's been under a heat lamp, typically only at night time, as it's warm during the day. I know she really misses her buddies; I'm hoping & praying that this stuff does the trick so she can return to normal chicken life!! Thanks SO much for your feeback & opinions - all are appreciated!!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Holy cow! $181!!!

I knew it would be a lot (anything at the vet's is), but I am right there with you in hoping that the trip and $ will be worth it. It seemed like you really were at a dead end so I believe you did the right thing, since she is so important to you. Here's hoping that by Sat. you'll have a new splash!

 

[Wynette]

Yes, I sure hope so. I gave her the first dose of the new medicine late last night...was so hoping when I went out this a.m., I'd notice a hint of a change, but nope. WAY too soon, I know. Just excited and hopeful....

 

[gumpsgirl]

Give it 2 or 3 days and hopefully you'll start to see a change. I don't think she'll be 100% in that amount of time, but I would think you should start seeing some changes. Fingers and toes are crossed here for your little hen anyways!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Wynette,
Spirochetes are a type of gram negative bacteria. They are normally in the gut of dogs, swine, racoons, etc...not typically in poultry EXCEPT in wet bedding (what they call litter).

The clindamycin is specifically for gram negative bacteria and IF this is the problem, you should begin to see a difference in a couple of days. Remember, she is quite debilitated and her recovery is going to take a while. One thing to remember...as long as you feed her, she isn't going to be hungry and try to eat on her own. After a couple of days of antibiotics, I would feed her a little bit less and see if you can get her "hungry". I would try a couple of treats that you know she likes. If she acts interested in them, then you know she is getting her appetite back. I'd also keep making sure she is getting some yogurt every day. Not much...just a teaspoon or so will help with her gut flora. Keep us posted and good luck to you! Keep your chin up...I know it's tough.

 

[Wynette]

Okay, now this is even MORE perplexing to me, gator - she's NEVER, EVER been on wet bedding! I am meticulous about changing the pine shavings; I change it weekly, and really I could get away with every 2 weeks, but I don't, simply because I know how moist bedding can cause problems. It's not wet, nor has it ever been wet, in their outdoor run. In fact, if anything, it's too dry. Sheesh! Now I'm wondering if this is even the problem. sigh...

 

[keljonma]

Wynette, I'm hoping that Splash improves within the week. Please keep us posted.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Oh...I didn't mean that she was ever on wet bedding...just that poultry on wet bedding HAS been found to have spirochetes! It's unusual to find in poultry...but not impossible! Who knows where they pick up some of this stuff.

Example...I had foot surgery (long ago history of multiples surgeries, infections, etc) last Friday and the tissue cultures grew out Staph Epi. This is usually considered "contamination" because it is usually found on our skin. But this was NOT contamination of the culture...it was actually growing down in the tissue of my great toe/foot joint.

If the vet found spirochetes, you do need to treat them! Without being able to see the original symptoms, did your hen have yellow diarrhea? It's easy to keep second guessing...you're doing great...this is very stressful!

 

[Wynette]

She MAY have had yellow diarrhea; when I decided to separate her, I'd been noticing her sneezing (a dry sounding sneeze) for a few days; I watched her closely, and then noticed she was separating herself from the flock; off to the side, head down, eyes half shut, uninterested in what the others were doing. When I put her in her own cage, she was not eating, so I immediately began force feeding her with a syringe. The food was a slurry made of her current feed, medicated water, some yogurt, a cooked egg, electrolytes/vitamins...I do recall noticing some yellowish runnier-than-normal poops, but I figured that was as a result of the concoction I'd made for her. Perhaps not? Anywho, after about the third day of hand feeding, her poops got more normal looking (more green than they they should be, but I'm sure that's because she wasn't eating enough).

Edited to say: Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your foot surgery! Sounds like that's been a battle for you!!