BYC Café

[DobieLover]

I need to get a little cleaning done on the run and coops, like wash the windows, brush out the cobwebs from the run and leaf blow the dust out, before the big clean out. I still haven't made my mind up on what bedding I'll use this year. It would cost me about $160 to bed down the coop with hemp as I'd have to have it shipped up from VA. The guy in New Woodstock isn't carrying it any longer. No demand. You'd think with all the hemp processors in Upstate they would have SOMEONE that manufactured bedding from the waste product.

 

[aart]

Rainy here still, then a couple warm sunny ones before more rain.
Got to get groceries today, need some essentials and the cupboards are about bare.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, Cafe', and thanks, DL.

 

[DobieLover]

One of Astrid's pullets, Juniper, has been sick for about 2 weeks. I've tried treating her but rather blindly. She had the "starving" poop and was getting weaker by the day. I heard her sneeze one night and noticed she had rapid shallow breathing. I treated her with Tylan. No improvement, no additional sneezing.
She was drinking lots of water and eating lots of snow but little to no food. Empty crop. No firmness between the legs or ascites. Still had a bright red comb.
I hit her with a dose of fenbendazole three nights ago and she seemed worse in the morning. No worms in her poop. She didn't roost 3/17 but instead stayed on the coop floor. She was extremely lethargic yesterday but still came out to enjoy the sun and very slowly wandered around the pen, pecking at the grass. Last night I found her by herself long after the rest of the flock had gone up to roost, out near where her sister was killed by the hawk. I just walked right up to her and picked her up. I left her on the coop floor.
I had made arrangements with the neighbor to come shoot her last night. He never came.
She was dead this morning.
I'm relieved she is no longer suffering but I still have no idea what killed her. All other flock members are in fine health. I wish I had the nerve to necropsy her. I suppose I could ask the neighbor if he'd help but he has proven himself to be totally unreliable time and again.

 

[CapricornFarm]

One of Astrid's pullets, Juniper, has been sick for about 2 weeks. I've tried treating her but rather blindly. She had the "starving" poop and was getting weaker by the day. I heard her sneeze one night and noticed she had rapid shallow breathing. I treated her with Tylan. No improvement, no additional sneezing.
She was drinking lots of water and eating lots of snow but little to no food. Empty crop. No firmness between the legs or ascites. Still had a bright red comb.
I hit her with a dose of fenbendazole three nights ago and she seemed worse in the morning. No worms in her poop. She didn't roost 3/17 but instead stayed on the coop floor. She was extremely lethargic yesterday but still came out to enjoy the sun and very slowly wandered around the pen, pecking at the grass. Last night I found her by herself long after the rest of the flock had gone up to roost, out near where her sister was killed by the hawk. I just walked right up to her and picked her up. I left her on the coop floor.
I had made arrangements with the neighbor to come shoot her last night. He never came.
She was dead this morning.
I'm relieved she is no longer suffering but I still have no idea what killed her. All other flock members are in fine health. I wish I had the nerve to necropsy her. I suppose I could ask the neighbor if he'd help but he has proven himself to be totally unreliable time and again.

Sorry for your loss. I would think it was a bacterial infection. Once you see they are not well, separate from the flock. Bacteria can be killed by antibiotics, so i would try that in the future. Also ,keeping them comfortably warm is important. I would try tempting a sick bird with high protein treats like tuna, cooked egg or finely chopped meat.

 

[DobieLover]

Sorry for your loss. I would think it was a bacterial infection. Once you see they are not well, separate from the flock. Bacteria can be killed by antibiotics, so i would try that in the future. Also ,keeping them comfortably warm is important. I would try tempting a sick bird with high protein treats like tuna, cooked egg or finely chopped meat.

I did treat her with an antibiotic. She was on Amoxicillin for about 4 days. No effect but who knows if that would have been effective against the strain of bacteria, if that is what it was.
She would eat her raisins. I offered her sardines in the fermented mash and she would pick at it but not really eat.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I did. She was on Amoxicillin for about 4 days. No effect but who knows if that would have been effective against the strain of bacteria, if that is what it was.

Yeah, it's not easy when we are guessing what to use but many vets will not look at chickens, and the cost is crazy high. We do the best we can.

 

[DobieLover]

Yeah, it's not easy when we are guessing what to use but many vets will not look at chickens, and the cost is crazy high. We do the best we can.

There aren't any vets in the area that could deal with chickens and for me, that's not practical. I do love and enjoy my flock but they aren't pets.

 

[CapricornFarm]

There aren't any vets in the area that could deal with chickens and for me, that's not practical. I do love and enjoy my flock but they aren't pets.

I have never taken a chicken to a vet. And only once a goat. The cost is prohibitive.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Cafe .. Sucks even for a Vet to guess on chicken ..
Did not do fowl in vet school ..
Second cup