Chicken found in park

[theoldchick]

Bless you for taking care of a meat bird destined to be someone's dinner. I've seen these birds live a relatively normal though short life. Here's some more info: https://sshalimar16.wixsite.com/katiesplace/pet-cornish-x-cross-care-sheet

 

[Lumikko]

several broken bones, gargling, wheezing and sneezing. That is why it was abandoned. Best thing for it? Put it out of its misery. Anything else would be less than sympathetic. I don't like saying that but I don't like a lot of things about the world we live in, I've just got to make the best of it, that includes minimising suffering and since introducing it to a flock seems unfeasable, there is not much else.

No broken bones. An injured toe and some broken feathers.

 

[Lumikko]

Bless you for taking care of a meat bird destined to be someone's dinner. I've seen these birds live a relatively normal though short life. Here's some more info: https://sshalimar16.wixsite.com/katiesplace/pet-cornish-x-cross-care-sheet

Thank you for this information! I'm hoping to get the little dude to a vet today and at least see about some antibiotics.

 

[Lumikko]

Keep the chook in there for the time being. How is she doing currently? Give her some electrolyte water (E.g. Gatorade). Maybe mush up some cooked eggs, a bit of wet oats, maybe some rice bubbles. Some carrot (small bits so she doesn't choke). Just give her some energy, easy to eat food, along with a bit of chook seed if you have some handy.

So the little dirty snowball chicken is doing okay. Eating a little all flock and drinking. Just the sneezing, nasal discharge, and sounding kind of fluidy. We have an 11a vet appointment so I'm hoping for some antibiotics. I've ordered denagard and will be using the preventative dose for my main flock to try reduce the chance of spread. This little one is inside and will not be going anywhere near the flock until less...sad and snotty. It's sad, poor little thing.

 

[Jenjens]

Thank you for caring for this fella and giving him a chance for a good life. You are an angel.

 

[Lumikko]

Thank you for caring for this fella and giving him a chance for a good life. You are an angel.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I can't imagine this is the smartest thing I've ever tried to do but I can't just let him suffer. Being abandoned in a park mid-winter isn't exactly a fair shot at life.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

2) What is the behavior, exactly. Sneezing, clear nasal discharge, raspy sound to breath. No open mouth breathing. Eyes are clear.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. injury to one toe and looks like trauma to tail feathers. Number are broken and looks like damaged pin feathers.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? I'm going to call my vet tomorrow but they may not have openings. Looking for recommendations on antibiotics and treatment.

Just the sneezing, nasal discharge, and sounding kind of fluidy. We have an 11a vet appointment so I'm hoping for some antibiotics. I've ordered denagard and will be using the preventative dose for my main flock to try reduce the chance of spread.

his little one is inside and will not be going anywhere near the flock until less...sad and snotty. It's sad, poor little thing.

Sorry about the cockerel.
I agree, he's a meat bird.

It's nice that you want to help him.

You are ordering Denagard as a preventative for your existing flock to help "reduce" spread of disease that you (think?fear?) that this new bird may have?
Does your existing flock already have a respiratory disease - are they carriers already?

I'm sorry, but while Denagard will treat Symptoms of Mycoplasma - it is not a "preventative". Folks that have Mycoplasma positive birds often use this antibiotic as a "maintenance" to keep birds from becoming symptomatic (or reduce symptoms - birds are still carriers). It's not designed for what you have in mind unless I'm misunderstanding. (Folks that have MG positive flocks generally keep a closed flock as well - no new birds, no selling/trading, etc.)

I'm really sorry, but personally I would cull him. Not popular I know and this will make you or others not happy, but that's o.k. Before you get too upset, consider the long term impact that this may have on your existing and future flock(s).

Do some reading up on poultry diseases, how they are spread and how most make birds carriers for life. Read up on long term impacts that the disease can have in a flock - how these diseases affect reproductive systems, production, egg quality, the overall health of the birds and how they can be spread throughout a flock. Some like diseases like Mycoplasma are also passed along to the embryo of hatching eggs.

 

[Lumikko]

Sorry about the cockerel.
I agree, he's a meat bird.

It's nice that you want to help him.

You are ordering Denagard as a preventative for your existing flock to help "reduce" spread of disease that you (think?fear?) that this new bird may have?
Does your existing flock already have a respiratory disease - are they carriers already?

I'm sorry, but while Denagard will treat Symptoms of Mycoplasma - it is not a "preventative". Folks that have Mycoplasma positive birds often use this antibiotic as a "maintenance" to keep birds from becoming symptomatic (or reduce symptoms - birds are still carriers). It's not designed for what you have in mind unless I'm misunderstanding. (Folks that have MG positive flocks generally keep a closed flock as well - no new birds, no selling/trading, etc.)

I'm really sorry, but personally I would cull him. Not popular I know and this will make you or others not happy, but that's o.k. Before you get too upset, consider the long term impact that this may have on your existing and future flock(s).

Do some reading up on poultry diseases, how they are spread and how most make birds carriers for life. Read up on long term impacts that the disease can have in a flock - how these diseases affect reproductive systems, production, egg quality, the overall health of the birds and how they can be spread throughout a flock. Some like diseases like Mycoplasma are also passed along to the embryo of hatching eggs.

While perhaps not the popular opinion but likely the most logical. And I appreciate it. I adore my little flock and introducing an infectious disease that could have devastating impacts is on the list of things to avoid. I appreciate your input.

I'm taking the little guy to the vets and I'll see what they say. If it looks to be infectious, which I imagine it is, and he doesn't seem to be improving then we'll have that discussion. Even if he recovers from this, he'll never be able to join the main flock because of the necessary dietary restrictions and the coop set up not being ideal for him.

My current flock has shown no signs of respiratory illness. I've seen denagard recommended as treatment and maintenance with the occasional reference to using it as a preventative. I'll do some additional research on this before adding it.

Again, thank you. I really appreciate the information.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be hard to ignore a poor abandoned chicken left outside in winter. You are kind ro try and help him. I tend to agree with @Wyorp Rock and I would not mix him into my flock. Most respiratory diseases can make carriers of survivors for life. An exception is infectious bronchitis virus which makes them carriers for 5 months up to a year, but that could spread through your flock and cause egg problems and reproductive problems later. Perhaps a friend without chickens might give him a home. Meat chickens do not live long lives, most being butchered between 6-8 weeks old.

 

[Lumikko]

It would be hard to ignore a poor abandoned chicken left outside in winter. You are kind ro try and help him. I tend to agree with @Wyorp Rock and I would not mix him into my flock. Most respiratory diseases can make carriers of survivors for life. An exception is infectious bronchitis virus which makes them carriers for 5 months up to a year, but that could spread through your flock and cause egg problems and reproductive problems later. Perhaps a friend without chickens might give him a home. Meat chickens do not live long lives, most being butchered between 6-8 weeks old.

This is good information as well. The current plan, after meeting with the vet, is to treat the little one with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. Once the upper respiratory symptoms are resolved, we may see about placing the little one with some people she knows. Until then, little chicken will be kept separate from the main flock (in the house for now) and I will do everything I can to reduce the chance of spreading anything.