Help! Lost one and don't want to lose another!

[DHcallsmeChickenCrazy]

Please help. I'm new to chickens, and I think my ignorance kept me from saving one of my other pullets last week. Now I have another one exhibiting the same symptoms, and I hope I'm catching it in time this time around!

She is a partridge cochin, "Amelia," about 10 weeks old.

I noticed her acting sleepy about 2 days ago. Her head/neck is withdrawn. I've seen her eating and drinking, but she's not running around scratching, etc. She just stands there and sleeps a lot. I've put Sulmet in their water since all this started happening. Unfortunately, I haven't seen her poop, but I haven't seen any unusual-looking poop in the coop either.

Other chickens seem fine, but like I said before, there was another one (my sweet little Dominique "Fannie"), who did this last week and died. I'm sure I let it go too long (she had been doing this about 3-4 days when I decided something was wrong). I brought her in the house and syringe fed her water with Sulmet in it every 30 min all day but it was too late.

I really don't want to end up with the same outcome. My whole family and I have fallen in love with these babies.

Here's a link to a pic of Fannie who died last week...this is what she was doing and what Amelia is doing. As soon as I can get a pic of Amelia, I'll post it. Until then...any idea what this could be and what I can do to keep her alive?

http://thebeardfamily.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/010.jpg

TIA

Amy

 

[char259]

I am by no means an expert but I had a 'sleepy hen' and was advised by members here to worm her. I did - her plus the whole flock - and she improved tremendously.

I'm sorry for your loss... hopefully someone with more experience than I will be able to help you.

char

 

[Kdub86]

I had a chick that looked the same sleepy not eating, mine was bitten by a cat (cat saliva being toxic to any type of bird) so maybe check her over for any wounds.

 

[chicmom]

It could be anything......I personally would spend the money and buy TYLAN. It's a very powerful antibiotic, and if she becomes really weak, just feed it to her with a dropper. (It's a powder that you put in their drinking water.)

If it was cocci, you would often see blood in their poo, but not always. The sulmet should work on the cocci, but I use a drug called Corid, which is much more gentle.

From what I understand, sometimes having the cocci, which is an organism (I'm not real sure of the scientific terms--doing my best), the cocci causes severe irritation in the bowels of the chicken, and then you also might benefit from the Tylan.

I am guessing here....Since you've already been using the sulmet, I would also use some Tylan, and quickly. (I actually had a sick rooster once, and he was near death, and the Tylan cured him!)

Although, alot of people will tell you that if you get a severe sickness like this, to cull. And I do see their point because these chickens that have been sick become carriers of the illness, and can effect every single new chicken you bring in.

At any rate, sorry for all this info, and good luck to you and your young chickens!

Sharon

 

[DHcallsmeChickenCrazy]

Thanks so much for all the info! After I posted, I decided to separate her from the rest so I can keep a closer watch. She's peeping like crazy, so she's definitely not sleeping right now. I gave her some boiled egg, and she gobbled it up. I'm not sure if that's what gave her the extra energy or if it's because she's not happy being in solitary confinement. This is the liveliest I've seen her in the past 48 hours. She'll peep, peep, peep for a few minutes...then, she's back off to sleep.

So, where can I purchase Tylan? Is that from a farm supply or a vet? Also, is it ok that I'm giving the general population Sulmet in their water? I was hoping this would keep whatever this is from spreading.

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
I buy my Tylan from the farm store, which is Tractor Supply, here in Ohio. I think it's fine if you give everybody the Sulmet, just in case it is cocci that your little chick has.

If your weather is really hot, humid and wet, that is the perfect environment for cocci.......The important thing is keeping their environment as clean and dry as possible. Chickens under 17 weeks are highly susseptible....


I hope everything works out well for you,
Sharon

 

[DHcallsmeChickenCrazy]

Thanks again, Sharon. I'm in South Mississippi, so it's very hot and humid.

 

[DHcallsmeChickenCrazy]

Apparently, the only chicken antibiotic my one and only farm supply carries is Terramycin...I'm headed out to get some...hope it gets this little girl better.

 

[DHcallsmeChickenCrazy]

I get to the one and only farm supply house around to find that it is not Terramycin but Duramycin-10. Will this even help? Or should I go back to Sulmet...or better yet, use both? She is still really sleepy, but she is eating and drinking some...especially eating egg. I finally got a look at her poop, and it looks totally normal. So, what gives? What could this be?

 

[kaitlyn_rae2003]

I am sorry you are having to deal with this! I LOVE my chickens, and when something goes wrong, it breaks my heart. I am not really sure what she has, but I would treat with sulmet, and unless contraindicated by someone wiser then I on here, do the duramyicin-10 as well. I am hearing tons of praise for grapefruit seed extract, a couple drops by mouth, it is sold at health food stores I believe. I am going to treat my flock tomorrow with it, as a preventative/boost of health. It has been a weird summer for me so far...They are just a little off this year. Sleep hens are not healthy hens, I think you are doing the best you can, she is lucky to have you! sulmet, duramyicin, boiled egg, maybe plain yogurt or some other form of probiotics, do you have some vit/electrolytes for the water? that helps sometimes too. Keep us updated! Good luck! I also make a mash out of their starter when they are down in the dumps, they like it a lot. warm water does it!