chicken not eating

[albertaeb]

I have a 5 month old standard cornish hen. we bought her at a poultry show a few weeks ago along with another hen and rooster the same age. they came from NIPP stock.
she seemed ok when we brought her home and I think she was eating but not 100% sure as she was in with the other two.within about 2 days her right eye was closed and she didn't want to open it. I thought maybe is was just from the move and we has a lot of rain and it was just yucky outside. I put electrolytes and probiotics in their water. she still wasn't looking good after a few days so I brought her inside to keep and eye on her. I checked her over and noticed canker in her mouth. I got metronidazole powder and mixed it with baby bird food and tubed it to her for 5 days. the canker cleared up great. Her eye was still closed. there was no puss or anything coming out of the eye but when I opened it the 3rd eyelid was covering her eye and looked like it has some greenish gunk under the eyelid.
She still wasn't eating or drinking. I have been tube feeding her the whole time.
I started her on penicillin for 5 days. her one eye is now open some but she is squinting alot. the third eyelid is no longer visible when I open her eye. She seems stronger and it is a fight to tube feed her each time.
the last 2 days I have only been tube feeding her once a day to see if she would start eating on her own. I have also taken her outside to walk around. she isn't interested in pecking anything and just stands there. she does move when you go to try to pick her up.

One other thing I did notice that she couldn't close her beak all the way. so about 3 days ago I trimmed her beak so it closes right now. still not eating or drinking.

one thing she still does is stretch her neck a little like she is trying to swallow when she hasn't put anything in her mouth.

I think that is everything I can think of. I am hoping for more suggestions because I don't know what else to do.


the food I am mixing to tube feed her is Kaytee hand feeding formula, baby powdered oatmeal that has bananas in it. once a day I add a teaspoon of greek yogurt mixed in. I have also added a tiny bit of braggs apple cider vinager to the mix for a few days. I mix it once a day with water and once a day with pedilyte.


thanks for any help or suggestions
Alberta

 

[albertaeb]

I am thinking I should maybe try a round of LA -200. I can't find tylan locally and I didn't want to wait on it in the mail.
thanks Alberta

 

[Eggcessive]

That is quite a bit of illness in a new chicken from an NPIP seller. Was this chicken in the show? Canker is something a lot of people with show birds would cull for, since it can spread to other chickens, and is never cured. She may not be eating because her mouth is still sore from canker, or perhaps she has some problem with her lower digestive tract, in her proventiculus or gizzard. Yeast infections of the crop and GI tract from antibiotics might be possible, and they can be painful. If I were you, I would stop the ACV in her water for now because it could be making matters worse. As far as her eye goes, the oxytetracycline may help. Have you tried putting some Terramycin or Neosporin ointment in her eye?

 

[casportpony]

Can you take her to a vet to have a swab looked at?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

That is quite a bit of illness in a new chicken from an NPIP seller. Was this chicken in the show? Canker is something a lot of people with show birds would cull for, since it can spread to other chickens, and is never cured. She may not be eating because her mouth is still sore from canker, or perhaps she has some problem with her lower digestive tract, in her proventiculus or gizzard. Yeast infections of the crop and GI tract from antibiotics might be possible, and they can be painful. If I were you, I would stop the ACV in her water for now because it could be making matters worse. As far as her eye goes, the oxytetracycline may help. Have you tried putting some Terramycin or Neosporin ointment in her eye?

I think canker can also affect the the organs, which maybe harder to treat, but don't quote me on that.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

I was just reading in these two links about canker causing watery eyes and canker lesions in the crop and proventriculus, so it may be that she needs more time to recover or further treatment. Here are the links: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/trichomoniasis/overview_of_trichomoniasis.html
http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/trichomonas.html
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/digestive-problems/index.aspx

 

[albertaeb]

thanks for the information. No she was not in the show. He had other birds in the show though. I have been putting neosporin in the eye. her eye is mostly open now. she just squints it some. I will stop the apple cider vinegar. the yogurt that I am giving has a lot of probiotics in it so I will continue that to see if it helps. I did get some LA 200 and I am going to give her a round of that and maybe another round of the metronidazole for the canker.
She is very feisty and it takes two people now to feed her. Maybe she just needs more time. she hasn't lost any weight.
most of the vets around here are expensive so I try to do everything I can myself first.
the other two chickens that I got with her are still in quarantine and haven't shown any signs of illness.
I will keep updated on how she is doing.
thanks Alberta

 

[Eggcessive]

Some of the oldtimers on BYC recommend the use of acidified copper sulfate in the chicken's water once a month for 3 days to use as a preventative for birds with canker in the flock. Dosage is 1/4 tsp per gallon of water. Here is a link: http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/acidified_copper_sulfate.html