First flock for us, sick! should we return them?

[casportpony]

This is from a friend that had a respiratory infection going thru his flock. Only the drugs with an S next to them could treat it. Anything with an R would not work. FYI, Tylan = tylosin.


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

here is another:


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

And a third:




-Kathy

 

[tha5150]

Thanks everyone. Very nice of you all to chip in and provide suggestions and documentation.

We just gave the 3 showing signs some Tylan orally since they were all very calm. For Adel, the wife's sick one, we have her a good hours worth of love and some baby food bananas and Gatorade over some VetRX steaming in a pot. She seemed to enjoy it as much as she could in her current condition. Very weak but gave a good effort. Her eyes have been shut for days and we wanted to open them to flush them out and WOW I can not believe what came out!!! Yuk!!

Her is a picture of her poo while drinking.. Looks pretty bad. And another of the stuff that came running out of her eye when I opened it. Was almost like when I opened it gently, looked like a nasty zit that was being popped! Simply opening her eye lid made this stuff come out and when flushed it dropped onto the towel.

 

[casportpony]

Looks like she might have more than just a respiratory infection.

-Kathy

 

[tha5150]

This is killing me!!!

Emily, my 5 year old said, daddy don't worry, just go get a baby one. I guess my wife mentioned to them that I was returning for day olds.

At this point I am doing what I can but as I research I see some become blind to this eye thing. The respiratory problem never goes away and will always need to treat it and live in fear of this getting worse.

I wish I could just start all over with baby chicks but I don't know what to do with this flock. They will all get it if not already.

 

[casportpony]

This is killing me!!!

Emily, my 5 year old said, daddy don't worry, just go get a baby one. I guess my wife mentioned to them that I was returning for day olds.

At this point I am doing what I can but as I research I see some become blind to this eye thing. The respiratory problem never goes away and will always need to treat it and live in fear of this getting worse.

I wish I could just start all over with baby chicks but I don't know what to do with this flock. They will all get it if not already.

Not all respiratory infections are chronic. If they do respond to Tylan, they probably have mycoplasma, which is chronic, though many people have it and don't have to treat very often.

-Kathy

 

[tha5150]

Safe to assume we should not introduce any new chicks later down the road?

Should we cut our loss and get a new flock or some chicks and start fresh or will we be ok after this all passes... And possibly Adel.. ??

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It could be self limiting, work on straightening them out, you should know within a month if they are going to make it or not. I've had sick birds, not all my others are doomed. I would see how these do and if I want more I'd order some chicks in the spring. Not a great start with chickens for you but a valuable learning lesson. Hopefully they will improve.

 

[appps]

Call me what you will, though I don't know if I could cull (nice way of saying kill right?) these chickens! I would probably go deep into the woods and let them go free and hope nature does its thing quickly.

Yeah, I'm hoping for a refund and moving on at this point.

What about the younger chicks, how old do they have to be when not needing a heat lamp anymore?

Sadly nature won't do its thing quickly, or pleasantly. They will starve to death, freeze to death or have their throats ripped out to death. dumping any animal is never an option. If they need euthanising and you can't bear to do it (neither could I) ask round till you find somebody will help you.