Botulism

[Judyblevins]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Do you know how they contracted botulism?

A raccoon had pulled away some of the netting from my covered run and a turkey vulture got in with some kind of dead rotting meat. The vulture freaked out cause it couldn't find its way out so it must have dropped some of the carcass. Within 4 hours the first one was really sick so I isolated her. Then 2 more didn't go in the coop to roost that night and the isolated hen and one that didn't roost were dead in the morning. All 6 were desperately ill. The other one that didn't roost died in that second day. All this while I am out of the country. 2 have recovered enough to roost tonight. One still not drinking and barely moving.
I have been trying to keep them hydrated. Since botulism paralysis them my research says not to try and give fluids down the throat or they could get it in their lungs and make breathing even worse. I have given them a soak in water which I think may have helped. Has anyone successfully rehydrate a hen by way of the cloaca?

 

[casportpony]

How are your chickens doing? I once had a peahen that had trouble holding up its head and neck. To help it, I created a comfortable nest inside a box using towels to prop up its head. This allowed me to administer the appropriate amount of fluids through a tube.

 

[Judyblevins]

How are your chickens doing? I once had a peahen that had trouble holding up its head and neck. To help it, I created a comfortable nest inside a box using towels to prop up its head. This allowed me to administer the appropriate amount of fluids through a tube.

Thanks for asking. 3 died and 3 fully recovered. I spoke to a vet who said once they are paralyzed the only way to give fluids is intravenously. If you attempt to give fluids down the throat there is a high chance of aspirating. He said they either live or die. It seems to depend on how much poisoning they consumed. Usually the highest on the pecking order eats the most
and therefore dies first.