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Joycejaffee
In the Brooder
As we are 5 weeks post Coop fire I thought I'd offer an update. Of the 42 chickens that received smoke inhalation (no burns-thank goodness) we lost only 5. This was a miracle as research supports a 60 percent mortality rate for chickens receiving smoke inhalation. What we observed was three distinct phases. During phase one (48 hrs) during which the airway can swell and close-the chickens stand still in one place and make a horrible wheezing sound on inhalation and exhalation. They aren't interested in eating or drinking and look traumatized. Our treatment was to put all the chickens into a cool (but not cold) garage-hanging plastic tarps to block them into a small area. We added two humidifiers that ran non stop with Vicks. When we saw no interest in eating or drinking -we purchased all the available watermelon at the local market. This they ate! We lost two during this phase as their airways swelled and closed despite our efforts. Other hens managed to push through despite laying on their sides at one point ready to give up. We kept rousing them and putting Vet RX on their chests and put the most symptomatic into the bathroom where the steam from the shower could fill the room to increase the humidity levels at regular intervals for 24-48 hours. During Phase two-the next 48-72 hrs-pulmonary edema (This is when the lungs fill with fluid) we lost two more. The chickens stretch their necks out gasping for air. What was difficult during this phase was determining when to do the humane thing. Ultimately we decided that a chicken laying down with wings spread out- simply gasping- was too far gone for any treatment. We brought two to the vet who threw whatever intervention that he could their way but they only got worse so they were euthanized. Your hands feel tied during this phase as treatments to keep the airway open do not expel fluid from the lungs and treatments to clear the mucus from the lungs constrict the airways. Apparently there isn't an available medication that can do both. Keep the humidified (cool not hot) air going and provide watermelon and blueberries and add apple cider vinegar plus nutrition drench to the water. During phase three-we lost one more. During phase three most of the flock gets pneumonia. Apparently we all walk around with germs in our lungs that are opportunistic and lungs full of fluid are just the right foundation to set this ball in motion. While controversial- I started the entire flock on a broad spectrum antibiotic ( powdered penicillin) in the water and sprinkled onto the watermelon on day 4-before symptoms of pneumonia arrived. I figured it would be hard to make a distinction between the pulmonary edema phase and the pneumonia phase and I wanted to preempt pneumonia altogether if possible. The one little guy that did die-I suspect was at the bottom of the pecking order and did not eat or drink as much as the rest of the flock. For those choosing to wait to see signs of pneumonia first (before giving an antibiotic) Little Leo was not gasping for air (as in phase two) but-he did have a fever with feathers plumped up and was basically sitting still uninterested in eating/drinking even th watermelon. We moved everyone back to the (repaired) coop on day 7. I kept the antibiotic water with added nutri drench going for what became 10 days of treatment.
All in all I think we saved most of the flock because we didn't give up on them. Today is Jan 18th (the fire was Dec 13th) and the remaining flock is back to normal with no long term signs or symptoms
observable. We are so appreciateive of all the support and advice this forum has provided. Thank you all!
All in all I think we saved most of the flock because we didn't give up on them. Today is Jan 18th (the fire was Dec 13th) and the remaining flock is back to normal with no long term signs or symptoms
observable. We are so appreciateive of all the support and advice this forum has provided. Thank you all!
