Their supposed Hatch Day was June 2, so they are four weeks old. I thought one keeps the medicated feed going for eight weeks? They’ve had a box of dirt from the woods since about two weeks and they got a big new box of woodsy dirt, moss and leaves stuff late last week. They’ve not been outside yet.
What is the schedule you have used with the Phyllistines? I haven’t wanted them mixing with the older birds yet and I’ve been wary about when they could or should have contact. I have been tending them in one set of clothes, then changing clothes for the older birds, then showering and changing back to tend the little ones again.
I am imagining it would be better to be older when they meet so that they will be stronger to deal with the respiratory issues there. Remember what happened with Annie? Hazel is in active disease now, and she is pretty uncomfortable and it’s breaking my heart. Her face on the left upper side is swelling. Her appointment is for Wednesday afternoon, a house call. I couldn’t schedule anything for two weeks but they will be in the area and squeeze in a visit.
The chicks already have had something, might have come with them from the hatchery or they immediately got sick here. One was sneezing on the first or second day. Then more started after a few days, and I put them on five days of Tiagard to help prevent a bacterial second infection which they finished last week. One chick today was again snorting this evening however.
I had thought that whatever the tribe has would be manageable, but maybe this will be a big disaster all around. I really don’t want to cull everyone and “start fresh”. Diane has been symptom-free, and Annie and Tedi have had a light nasal discharge and a little snorting, that comes and goes. So they are coping well. And what do you do if you let everyone live out their lives and there’s one hen left all alone? I’m not even sure where the initial disease came from. Queenie? Wild birds?
Thanks for listening. On top of this the one chick with bulging eyes, Isabel, is definitely not right, she blasts around like a chick, jumps and flies and runs, but soon after she stops, she closes her eyes to doze when everyone else is awake and resting, or just standing waiting for the next game. Late in the day she’s very tired and sinks down to sit and doze. She preens, eats and drinks, and poops well. Seems to be hanging in there, but I fear something congenital that’s going to doom her as she grows. She doesn’t appear uncomfortable though, and is enjoying the life she has right now.
But I must be the dunce of the decade ~ a wireless bridge ~ camera?
