can anyone help with this?

[shemarie]

A gal on another forum posted the following...any Ideas?

We recently bought some chicks. Some of them were a trio of rare Columbian Cochins. They are about a month or two old. They were fine, but today one of the hens is almost dead. One eye is swollen shut, and the other is just shut. Her mouth is open, slowly gasping for air. She occaisionnaly falls backwards. She started doing this today. I have her in a cage with chicks that are a little smaller, under a heat lamp. There is a little crusty vomit looking stuff around her beak. Is she choking on something? Then what would explain her eye? I need help fast! The other hen is doing the same thing, but on a much, much milder scale. The breed is very rare, I think, so what can I do to save her? Quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cookinmom]

Could they have gotten hold of some bad feed or something toxic?

 

[iopele]

How are your chicks today? Any better? I'm sorry I don't have any ideas what's wrong, but your babies are in my thoughts.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I would think botulism too. Cross post this on the EZBYC and DLHUnicorn will probably see it and can help you a bit better.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Just a note, but hoping by this point you got some great advice on your chicks.


You might want to COMPLETELY seperate the sick ones from the rest, just in case it is something contagious.

Good luck with your babies. I hope they get better very soon!

Meghan

 

[dlhunicorn]

outside of a respiratory condition (something like infectious coryza) then a deficiency of vit A is known to cause eye problems and such as described... no ill bird should ever be put in with birds that are not ill and always should be separated... since these are not your birds and we do not know what they are eating nor any other details it is very difficult to hazard a guess.