7 m/o Hen Heavy Breathing, Fever?

[Sydnicst]

Unfortunately she passed yesterday. She had seemed to improve Fri/Sat, eating eggs and chopped greens, drinking, (edit to add: crop not doughy, crop emptying more quickly) having firmer poops, stopped panting, moving around more normally, and being more alert (and possibly sleeping- while she was panting, she did not sleep as far as I could tell- just stood and panted or laid and panted). Took a nosedive Sunday and passed Monday. I did not change my approach.

I did not see any obstruction, canker or lesions, but I am also new and may have missed something, or it may not have been very visible.

I have not had respiratory illness in the flock

No bloat or fluid, no lice/mites, had not been de-wormed.

I have another bird that might be showing early signs of illness that I did not take seriously with Quail (attributing it to stress/weather changes)- eating less, spending more time laying down alone when the other birds are foraging, and possibly slower/no egg production. She is also a Whiting True Blue, same age, also has bumblefoot (not super severe, to my knowledge, and being treated). If these are the early signs that I missed with Quail, what would be your approach?

ALSO! I figured out that a mouse had been living in the coop, eating their All Flock, and pooping in the food. This has all been rectified now, but it's something I didn't initially know going into Quail's illness.

I can start a new thread if needed, not sure of protocols.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have another bird that might be showing early signs of illness that I did not take seriously with Quail (attributing it to stress/weather changes)- eating less, spending more time laying down alone when the other birds are foraging, and possibly slower/no egg production. She is also a Whiting True Blue, same age, also has bumblefoot (not super severe, to my knowledge, and being treated). If these are the early signs that I missed with Quail, what would be your approach?

I'm sorry to hear about Quail

If you still have the body, sending it for necropsy would be a good idea. Understandable if you have already taken care of it and had a burial.

Is the other pullet having a hard time breathing?
If she were mine, I'd consider treating for worms and coccidiosis.
Check to make sure the crop is emptying.

For Coccidiosis, use Corid or Toltrazuril. For deworming, albendazole is a good choice or you can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer.

Albendazole dosing is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10days.
https://totaltails.shop/products/albendazole-11-36-liquid-solution/

Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer 10% dosing is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once daily for 5 days in a row.


If by chance you lose this one, getting some more info as to the cause would be good. You can look up your state lab below. Depending on your state, fees may be "free" to very expensive, so sometimes it's not an option.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...FZC90P4FgtYd8XAQ4Sa-5KLxW8pO5ST81TgSI3BvCqkfX

 

[Sydnicst]

Val's not having trouble breathing (yet?). None of my others are either.

I went on PoultryDVM, roundworms sound like they match Quail's symptoms almost to a T. I can get the Safe-Guard and Corid locally tomorrow and just get everybody squqred away so I don't have to play whack-a-mole.

Thank you so much for your help. I'll be sure to post updates on Val. you're amazing, thanks for all the work you put into this community.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Val's not having trouble breathing (yet?). None of my others are either.

I went on PoultryDVM, roundworms sound like they match Quail's symptoms almost to a T. I can get the Safe-Guard and Corid locally tomorrow and just get everybody squqred away so I don't have to play whack-a-mole.

Thank you so much for your help. I'll be sure to post updates on Val. you're amazing, thanks for all the work you put into this community.

Please do let me know how she's doing.

 

[Sydnicst]

Holding steady so far, crop emptied overnight and she has a little food in it now (no one seems to have crop issues right now). If you weren't aware that she stopped laying eggs and wasn't eating much, she looks and acts basically normal (which was the same with Quail until she got really bad).

I bought Safe-Guard Goat Dewormer liquid and Corid liquid and will dose everybody tonight when they're not so feisty. I've seen the other threads with dosing, so I should have that covered.

Are there any side effects of the dewormer or Corid that might be good to know as side effects rather than additional symptoms/complications?

Thanks much. We're all out enjoying the sun, having some good dust baths, and digging in the fallen leaves.

 

[Sydnicst]

All birds dosed and Val torpedo fed. She had some food in her crop but not much compared to when she's feeling good.

Had a variety of poops from the birds, some very healthy looking and some looser, none with obvious worms or blood.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Holding steady so far, crop emptied overnight and she has a little food in it now (no one seems to have crop issues right now). If you weren't aware that she stopped laying eggs and wasn't eating much, she looks and acts basically normal (which was the same with Quail until she got really bad).

I bought Safe-Guard Goat Dewormer liquid and Corid liquid and will dose everybody tonight when they're not so feisty. I've seen the other threads with dosing, so I should have that covered.

Are there any side effects of the dewormer or Corid that might be good to know as side effects rather than additional symptoms/complications?

Thanks much. We're all out enjoying the sun, having some good dust baths, and digging in the fallen leaves.

When you finish deworming and treating for Coccidiosis.

Give some probiotics for a few days. It wouldn't hurt to give her poultry vitamins 3x a week for a couple of weeks after the Corid.

I'm glad she's hanging in there. Sunshine and digging through leaves sounds wonderful.

In case you need it (or for future readers).

Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer (10%) dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.

 

[Sydnicst]

Still hanging in there, in good spirits but losing feathers and continued poor appetite. what can I do to help her? Her crop empties well. I've been torpedo feeding their usual Purina Flock Raiser (mushy) and plan to do that more frequently.

How quickly should I expect improvement in appetite and everything after treatment? I torpedo fed her this morning and she picks around but I know she's not getting nearly enough and she's losing weight.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Still hanging in there, in good spirits but losing feathers and continued poor appetite. what can I do to help her? Her crop empties well. I've been torpedo feeding their usual Purina Flock Raiser (mushy) and plan to do that more frequently.

How quickly should I expect improvement in appetite and everything after treatment? I torpedo fed her this morning and she picks around but I know she's not getting nearly enough and she's losing weight.

Is she molting now? She's losing feathers, do you see pin feathers coming in?

 

[Sydnicst]

Is she molting now? She's losing feathers, do you see pin feathers coming in?

Was able to get a good look last night. She does look like she's getting some pin feathers, but not very many yet. She's not pulling her own feathers or being picked by others, so it might "just" be her first molt!

I've got another chicken with pin feathers, sleeping standing up (not puffed, just exhausted looking), low appetite. Gave Poultry Cell and some egg and access to water, which I hope will replenish

Seems like the beginning of molt season for these gals!

Seems like they're going to need a lot of supportive care, especially after Corid and de-worming. They've got access to fresh water as well as Poultry Cell water, which I will offer every other day. Birds that seem to need more attention will get a dose of Poultry Cell (but I also have a couple other vitamin/electrolyte water mixes).

Thank you for all of your hand-holding. It's been terrifying, but I'm so glad this community exists and that you and the other Educators are here!