Favorite Silkie Chick is Sick, help please!

[posey]

My favorite Silkie chick is sick. She is 5 1/2 weeks old and was vaccinated at the hatchery. She was fine yesterday and is normally very active. An hour ago when I went out to the coop to check on all of the chicks (12 in all and all same age, breeds see below) she was the only one not up moving around. I Picked her up with no protest. Her eyes are closed. I took her out of the coop and sat her in the grass, thought that might be exciting but no go. She just sat there. I picked her up and came into the house. She is sitting on my lap or in my hand.

I dipped her beak in water and she drank a little.

She does have a very loose and runny stool but no blood.

After looking her over I can see that the Left eye and side of face are a bit swollen. I can see a clear liquid (like tears) coming out of that eye every so often.

I called the man we purchased from and he told me she needed terremycin or sulmet.

I got the terremycin powder but I need to know how to measure the recommended dose in mgs.
Suggestions and any othe help please!!

Thanks all
Posey

 

[Country4ever]

I can help you with the math if you read the info off the bag to me.

 

[posey]

Durvet brand
Duramycin-10, Tetracycline Hydrochloride Soluble Powder

Instructions:
400-800 mg tetracycline hydrochloride per gallon of water per day
Administer for 7-14 days

She is not eating and doesn't seem to want to drink anymore.

Any other thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks so much
Posey

 

[purpletree23]

Please get her to drink and eat. She won't last too long if you don't. Try a little sugar water or pedialyte. I use a dropper and drop drops on the top/side of their beak so it runs into their mouth slowly and they don't drown. The most important thing is fluids.

The breakdown for the Terramycine is 1/4 teaspoon to gallon water. She is not going to like the taste but try to get some in her. Make a scrambled egg....cool it, mash it and try to give some to her.

Keep the medicated water available to her at all times. Make new solution every day. Use medicated water for 7 to 10 days.

 

[purpletree23]

Keep her separate tonight so she can rest and give her lots of TLC and warmth. Keep her in the house and give her a few old washcloths to cuddle up with. Keep up with the water and make sure she has food available. The rest of your flock will need to be treated also. Chickens never let on that they are sick until it's too late.

 

[posey]

Thank you thank you!!!
That 1/4 tsp is what I came up with while trying to use my postage scale set to grams. It doesn't record below 1 gram but I just kept playing around with it. Thanks for giving me the YES to the 1/4 tsp.

You are correct, she doesn't like the taste. I have continued to dip her beak into it and she has taken some throughout the afternoon.

I will try the dropper suggestion and the feed ideas.

She's been in the house with me and I will keep her here until.

I have a lamp I will put over her tonight. She really does like the cuddling so thanks for the suggestions of the bedding too.

I'll keep you posted
Posey

 

[threehorses]

By the way, because she's on a medication ending with -mycin, you should not give her any milk products whatsoever.

Unfortunately, she does need probiotics (living bacteria filled food) and the most common way of giving those are through plain yogurt. She should still get some probiotics daily if possible so that she doesn't develop a secondary gut infection.

If you can get Probios brand probiotics from the feedstore (paste or powder), or acidophilus tablets or capsules from the grocery/pharmacy/health food store's vitamin section, those can work WITH mycin and cycline drugs. You would just use 1/4th teaspoon of the powder, paste, or crushed tablet or contents of the capsule. Mix with just enough water to make a paste and feed into the side of her mouth.

If you can't get those, please start with the yogurt (1 teaspoon daily) the day after the last day of treatment and use daily for 14 days straight. This is very important.

Also, keep the meds out of light. Do not use one day less than suggested - you must give for the full term or risk antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Good luck with her! If you have VetRx, you can use that on her nostrils and roof of her mouth even under her eye to keep her sinuses more clear and less chance of them congesting and causing bacteria to thrive in the airless pockets. (Bacteria HATE air - vetRx helps by causing them to breathe better, causing bacteria to be exposed to air).

 

[posey]

Thank you for your post too.

I'm so concerned that she is not going to make it. Poor baby, I've been relentless at trying to get medicated fluid into her. I feel like I have barely been able to do so.

I mixed a little applesauce with antibiotic water, that seems to be helping. I don't have vetrx can I get that at the feed store?

I have antibiotic eye drops and I did do that once.

She can't even hold her head up anymore. She does respond when I hold her of move her around a little bit.

I appreciate all the help and suggestions, everyone

 

[threehorses]

You should be able to get VetRx at the feedstore, yes. But if you can't, it's not going to hurt her treatment. It just helps treatment.

Right now I'm more concerned about getting nutrition and hydration in her. I sure hope she makes it but now it's up to her, really.

By the way, which antibiotic? If it ends in mycin or cycline, stop the yogurt until after she's done with her antibiotic course.

 

[posey]

Thanks Everyone!
I wish I could say things are fine but she didn't make it.
I was holding her and she died at 10:30.
I'm crying but I know it will be okay, eventually.

Bless you all for all of your help and suggetions.
Posey