HELP! My Chicken is dieing!

[hannah301186]

I have 3 black Australorps around 2 years old and live in New Zealand. A few weeks ago one of them (Lula) started wheezing, sneezing and open mouth breathing. We called a vet who suggested Aviverm treatment for gapeworm which we treated them all with. Lula wasn't drinking on her own at the time so he said to syringe feed her slowly.

Her breathing didn't improve so we took her in to another vet (Julia) who was terrible! She made me cry in the waiting room telling us that she had a sky-rocketing temperature of 40 degrees C, and pneumonia. She said it was our fault, that we should never have syringe fed her and that farmers wouldn't even bother bringing their chickens in they would just kill them. Horrified at what she was saying I told her that Lula is not just some farmers chicken, she is a beautiful natured girl and we don't want her to die. I told her she was completely out of line and rude blaming us for it when we were trying to do everything we could to help her.

The vet told us she would have to give her an injection (not sure what medication) and asked us to wait again while she sat at the reception computer for 15 minutes then she called us into the consultation room where Lula was kept in a box - with a sky-rocketing temperature! I was so mad! Julia then told us that it's 'actually illegal' to inject chickens now and made up a liquid solution to treat all 3 chickens 0.5ml per day for 5 days - and guess how we had to treat them... by syringe!!

After the 5 day course Lula did not improve, infact she got worse! We called Julia to tell her it hasn't worked and she fobbed us off to another vet (Christine) telling us to call her because she specialises in birds. I told Julia she should never have told us to bring Lula in if she didn't know what she was doing because she has now suffered for another week! I also asked her what exactly the medication was that she gave us because it wasn't labelled on the bottle and she refused to tell me saying that Christine can call her and she will tell her. So I called Christine who then called Julia and found out what was given to us - she had never heard of it before and didn't even know how to spell it.. it was something that sounded like Boltrum Sulfate - can't find anything on Google. She said to bring her in to start from scratch.

I really don't want to traumatise poor Lula any more so I'm wondering if anyone has had similar symptoms in their chickens and what has worked successfully. I'm desperate to help her and any suggestions would be appreciated!

I will attach a video I have just taken of her

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[ANelson726]

My black australorp has been sneezing like this for a couple months now. Some days are better than others. I tried antibiotics,
No improvement. she also hasnt gotten any worse, and still eats and lays. I dont have a vet anywhere nearby that does chickens, so im just sort of waiting it out. Following this post to see what others have to say.

 

[hannah301186]

Mine is eating and drinking now too and also laying - so sad hearing her like this :-( hope yours gets better

 

[realsis]

I'm so sorry for this! What has worked for me in the past is giving injections of Tylosin brand name in the states is Tylan 50 at the rate for small birds at 1/4 cc large birds 1/2 cc once daily into the breast muscle for 5 days. I have also been successful using baytril injectable. Some respiratory illnesses are viral and in that case I use antibiotics to help with secondary infections be cause antibiotics won't kill a virus. But will help with secondary infections. Can you get tylan50 or baytril where you live? Perhaps online? I'm very sad and sorry by the way you were treated by the vet. That's not acceptable. If you can get these injectable antibiotics I would give one or the other a try. I really hope your bird gets well and wish you the best.

 

[Silkieworld]

So sorry to here. I have a chicken that never stops sneezing just like yours. I am not sure what it is. Try to put apple cider vinegar in her water.

 

[ANelson726]

How is your chicken doing? I still have some sneezing and coughing episodes from my BA, but she has remained perfectly healthy in every other aspect. I think she might be just struggling with the damper weather.