Some weeks ago I gave BJ roo one dose of Ivomec Eprinex pour on (for those new to this, it's a wormer+ and is dosed topically between shoulder blades. Usually a one dose deal.). I didn't see any worms or other parasites whatsoever but he was seeming thinner and he was going into a molt and I wanted to catch anything brewing before the molt weakened him.
Today I weighed him and he has indeed lost weight. In his hey day he was maybe 6 pounds, now on a regular scale he appears to weigh less than 5 pounds, could even be 4 pounds
. Because he was molting and very uncomfortable being touched while molting, I didn't weigh him till just now. I weighed him because he's clearly under the weather, hiding indoors for days and looking discheveled, like almost a greasy look to some feathers:/). I hoped it was 'just' the molt because that can make them act exactly like this, but his molt appears very mild - barely a few feathers scattered about and some coming in but nothing compared to the past. So I'm not sure I can attribute how he's feeling entirely to the molt. He is not a spring chicken - maybe going on 10, but certainly 9 years of age.
The one bit of good news is that he's still eating and drinking - but does seem to need some coaxing at times. I have been giving him extra protein because of the molt - he was loving a very high end dry cat food for about one week (just as a supplement while molting - not the mainstay) - now he won't touch it. He is gobbling down mealworms from my little worm farm and he'll eat a little scrambled egg. (my birds also have game bird maintenance available 24/7 and Avia Charge 2000 nutritional supplement in their water daily). He likes sunflower seeds and other stuff from bird seed mixture treats. He still loves his fruit - he and Ellie get a little variety of cut up fruit daily - usually berries and grapes though I just gave him some bits of cut up apple and he was so excited about it that he jumped up in the air in anticipation - thankfully he is not yet so compromised that he can't do that (I watch him like a hawk for signs of anything off kilter). Our weather is no longer impossibly hot but in any case, BJ is very heat tolerant - temps are good around here for chickens right now.
BJ's lady companion Ellie looks and feels fine. She stopped laying eggs a few days back so I predict her molt will begin within the week.
So here's the deal. No known parasites but there is the weight loss and his behavior. I am debating whether to reapply the normally one dose EI - something I'd rather not do to a compromised bird if they don't have a parasite problem but if they do have the problem it's crucial to treat of course. Could do the stool sample thing - would need to get the sample 45 minutes away to vet and they are never open after work which is another half hour further away and he has told me that the sample doesn't always catch things anyway. I am trying to look at BJ's skin closely to see if I see anything there or on his feathers and I don't - I don't know whether there is something too small for my eyes to pick up. Not sure what else could be going on with him - anything else would probably be more nefarious, unfortunately. He has no discharges, seems to breathe beautifully.......
I haven't had to do one of these worried posts in quite awhile - it's good to have kindred spirits here
JJ
Today I weighed him and he has indeed lost weight. In his hey day he was maybe 6 pounds, now on a regular scale he appears to weigh less than 5 pounds, could even be 4 pounds
The one bit of good news is that he's still eating and drinking - but does seem to need some coaxing at times. I have been giving him extra protein because of the molt - he was loving a very high end dry cat food for about one week (just as a supplement while molting - not the mainstay) - now he won't touch it. He is gobbling down mealworms from my little worm farm and he'll eat a little scrambled egg. (my birds also have game bird maintenance available 24/7 and Avia Charge 2000 nutritional supplement in their water daily). He likes sunflower seeds and other stuff from bird seed mixture treats. He still loves his fruit - he and Ellie get a little variety of cut up fruit daily - usually berries and grapes though I just gave him some bits of cut up apple and he was so excited about it that he jumped up in the air in anticipation - thankfully he is not yet so compromised that he can't do that (I watch him like a hawk for signs of anything off kilter). Our weather is no longer impossibly hot but in any case, BJ is very heat tolerant - temps are good around here for chickens right now.
BJ's lady companion Ellie looks and feels fine. She stopped laying eggs a few days back so I predict her molt will begin within the week.
So here's the deal. No known parasites but there is the weight loss and his behavior. I am debating whether to reapply the normally one dose EI - something I'd rather not do to a compromised bird if they don't have a parasite problem but if they do have the problem it's crucial to treat of course. Could do the stool sample thing - would need to get the sample 45 minutes away to vet and they are never open after work which is another half hour further away and he has told me that the sample doesn't always catch things anyway. I am trying to look at BJ's skin closely to see if I see anything there or on his feathers and I don't - I don't know whether there is something too small for my eyes to pick up. Not sure what else could be going on with him - anything else would probably be more nefarious, unfortunately. He has no discharges, seems to breathe beautifully.......
I haven't had to do one of these worried posts in quite awhile - it's good to have kindred spirits here
