Any help REALLY appreciated please x

[Rachy]

I have a 10 week old Pekin pullet (Betty), she has a temperature of 107. Her wattle and comb are a very pale pink, she is very quiet but wanders about pecking at things, dust bathing, preening and doing chicken stuff but quieter and at a slower pace. She is eating (not in a mad eat everything chicken fashion but enough) and drinking. Her poo has varied from very runny to normal, which is it now but we have noticed it seems to contain a bit of mucus.

We've been to the vet twice, the first time she had an antibiotic injection and another to get her temp down. The vet wanted her back today 'cause her temp was so high, temperature still 107 and another antibiotic shot as she is (very) slightly perkier today. If her temp goes down, or she seems a little better tomorrow they are going to give me antibiotics to put in her water.

When I bought her, she had what appeared to be lice and red mite but I have treated for this and the vet checked her and she now seems to be clear.

The vet is stumped as to what is wrong. I really hope someone has some help to offer as she is an absolute darling and the family favourite

 

[chkn]

That seems like an awfully high temperature although I don't know what's normal. It has to be a sign of an infection somewhere and she seems to be responding to the antibiotics so keep it up. It seems I was reading somewhere about one of these fowl diseases where some type of meningitis was a secondary infection. That would causes high fever definitely. She doesn't seem off balance though which brain swelling would cause.

 

[Rachy]

She doesn't seem off balance, only a little wobbly but nothing particularly noticeable. The vet said the highest temperature he would expect to see for a bird is 104, he was pretty shocked at how high it was.

Thanks for your reply & help, I will check it out x

 

[tellynpeep]

The avian referral vet tells me 107 is a normal core body temperature for a leghorn chicken. Don't know about pekins, but I wouldn't be alarmed by that alone. Temp varies greatly depending on how it is taken and how stressed the bird is. If that were truly a fever, I wouldn't expect her to be acting that normally (interested in her surroundings, eating, etc.)

 

[chicktwins]

The normal body temperature for a chicken ranges from 104-107. If her temperature was high she wouldn't be eating or walking around but instead lying around very lethargic. Maybe she just needs some vitamins or electrolytes because of what her body is losing in this heat. Maybe she needs to be dewormed as well. Hope she is ok. Good luck with her.

 

[Rachy]

Thank you for your replies! She's not what I'd call lethargic, she just does everything slowly and carefully.

She's living in the house at the moment so I can keep a check on her and away from the others and tbh, she really likes human company. She's actually just eaten the most she ever has since we got her (Sat), before it was just little and fairly often but no great appetite, just enough to keep her not hungry. She likes to snuggle in for a long cuddle but she's not lying around as much as she was on Sunday.

I mentioned worming to my vet and he said that would be a good idea but said he was more immediately concerned with her temp and mucus in her poo. I'm in the UK, what wormer could anyone recommend?

And thanks everyone SO much for all your thought

 

[Rachy]

I wish her wattle and comb would gain a bit more colour, they are very pale.

 

[chkn]

Well that's interesting, the vet is wrong about the temperature? I would move ahead with the worming. Keep an eye on her though if she's improving leaps and bounds let it alone for a few days then worm.

 

[Rachy]

I was a bit puzzled about that to the point I've been checking the internet to clarify, some say 104, others up to 107 but the general feeling seems to be 107 isn't shocking.

She does seem a little brighter this evening, she's back to the vets tomorrow for a check up, then I'll go buy some wormer for her and do that when she seems more herself.

The mucus that the vet pointed out in her poop today, after researching the internet this evening, has the possibilities of being shed intestines linings that they do every so often. Am I correct in this?

And thanks again for all your help and good wishes