HELP my crusty faced paralyzed bantam Cochin. Help

[makinguscrazie]

my bantam started about a week ago stumbling. I removed her from the flock but se ms to be getting worse. She's eating and drinking but can't stand or falls over. Today I found her almost buried under her chips but she was alive. When I picked her up her face is swollen almost bald with yellow like crust. Very lethargic and I noticed one of my geeses a little slower and see she is developing angel wing( notice kids have been feeding wrong bag) Advice please???

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you take her to a vet?
How old is she?
Have you added any new chickens to your flock in the last 30days?
What have you been feeding her?
Does she have any respiratory symptoms - coughing, sneezing, wheezing - does she have mucous coming from the nostrils as well?

Paralysis can be caused by a few things - disease like Marek's, spinal injury, neurological disorders and Botulism. Having a swollen face with crusty eye could be infection from pecking, debris or from respiratory illness.

It's possible that she may be suffering from a disease like Marek's since it is progressing and the stress has triggered latent symptoms of respiratory disease like Mycoplasma.

General care for crusty eye would be to flush with saline then apply Terramycin eye ointment or Vetericyn eye gel to the eye.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[makinguscrazie]

I do not have any vet around that will see poultry makes me so upset. Her face has yellow crust more than her eyes. With the ban from the FDA on obtaining antibiotics without a vet we have to stand by and watch them die when I have no access. Considering selling my entire flock

 

[rebrascora]

In the UK we all have to manage our flocks without antibiotics or it's a trip to the vets. I cannot afford veterinary treatment for my hens as my horses eat up those funds. I still manage my flock without the use of antibiotics and I don't feel I have to stand by and watch them die, apart from some of my Marek's birds and even then I do what I can with what is available.
Answers to the other questions that were asked by Wyorp Rock might help us help you rather than a rant about the new regulations.

 

[makinguscrazie]

Thank you for help no need to be snarky just feel a bit helpless watching her so sick. I am still fairly new to keeping a flock and need direction not snark

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your frustration, I do not believe anyone is being snarky - I would think it would be helpful to know that others can and do treat, care for and love their chickens that have contagious and disastrous diseases without antibiotics and vet care.

If you can answer some of the questions asked previously, we may be able to point you in the right direction.

Antibiotics are not always the answer. Depending on the cause of her crusty eye, sometimes supportive care outlined in my previous post can be just as effective.

Paralysis is more complicated - again, it's hard to know the cause of the paralysis - we can only speculate. Marek's seems to be fairly prevalent at this time of year, but as mentioned above, there can be other causes. If your bird does have paralysis due to a virus like Marek's, then antibiotics would generally not be administered unless she had an accompanying infection.

Unfortunately without testing, there's no way to know for sure what the cause of her illnesses are. Offering supportive care and doing the best you can to keep her hydrated and eating is a step forward.

Here's some links to Virginia's state diagnostic labs - you may want to contact them - they may be able to perform some testing for you or point you to a vet that can help.
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/about-division-of-animal-and-food-industry-services.shtml
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals-animal-health-laboratory-services.shtml

 

[makinguscrazie]

Ok well to say that someone needs to do something rather then ranting ( which I was not doing) just sounds snarky. I came here for help not wanting her to die rather looking for advice from people who were more experienced. To say I was ranting and unfortunately I never saw the earlier post ( which still didn't show up in my feed or I would have answered until now)Here they are and sorry I missed earlier questions but I was not ranting.
I can't take her to a vet
She is about 6 months old
Have not added any chickens in the past 30 days
No mucous
Cannot stand falls over on her side appears pale. Continues to eat and drink when placed in front of her. Thank you for your advice in advance

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Flush the eye with saline and remove any pus and crust that you see. Apply some Vetericyn eye gel or Terramycin eye ointment to the eye.

If it's only one eye, then she may have been pecked in the eye or got some debris in it. Hopefully the flushing and ointment will be helpful.

The paralysis is more concerning. If you feel that it is not due to injury, then more than likely it could be Marek's. There is no cure or real treatment for Marek's. Supportive care is the best you can do. Barabara @rebrascora is one of the most experienced people I know that shares advice and care tips for birds with Marek's and paralysis.

Offer her some poultry vitamins that contain B vitamins or you can crush a human B-Complex vitamin and add it to her feed. If she is not laying eggs, then consider either feeding her some chick starter or add extra protein like egg, tuna, mackerel or meat to her diet.

I'm very sorry, I wish there were better answers for you. If the eye does not improve in a few days, then you may need to treat with an antibiotic like Tylan50 to see if that helps.

Here's a comprehensive article on Marek's.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[rebrascora]

Hi again

I'm sorry my comment came across as snarky and I will admit that I was a little frustrated when I typed it, because many of us have never had access to over the counter antibiotics and your comment about giving up your flock because you couldn't get them, was a bit insulting to those of us who have always had to manage our flocks without the use of such medicines. There is much joy but also some heart break in keeping chickens as with all things in life and sadly it is not always possible to cure sick chickens, as it is not possible to cure all people who are sick. The next best thing is to make them as comfortable as possible whilst they have some quality of life and my personal belief is to give them a quick end when there is no hope and that quality of life is no longer sustainable, but I appreciate that is not for everyone.

The only thing I would add to Wyorp Rock's excellent advice, is to make her a chicken sling or hammock, to support her in an upright position so that she can feed herself and be more comfortable. Empty yoghurt pots can be used for food and water and inserted into the hammock fabric (an old tshirt works well) or fastened to the hammock structure with cable ties (zip ties). Also put her outside near the other chickens in a protected (perhaps dog cage ) environment and give her the opportunity to spend some time on some grass out of the hammock each day, trying to move/support herself and even encouraging her to move towards a target like favourite treats etc. If it is Marek's, I have had some birds come back from some crippling paralysis by giving them exposure to sunshine and grass and the company of other chickens and allowing/encouraging them to move towards a target, be that, letting them out of the cage at night and trying to make their own way towards the coop or scattering a favourite treat just out of reach and gradually extending the distance each day. As long as they are still eating there is hope. Giving her healthy nutritional treats like meal worms, scrambled egg and a bit of cat food or meat or fish should help keep her interest in food and together with a vitamin supplement, boost her immune system.

Good luck with her. Hopefully Wyorp Rock will post some images of chicken slings/hammocks that can be made quite simply from everyday items as she kindly has before in such situations.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here's some ideas for slings:

Post#6 photo of sling made with fabric bag and tote
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-please.1182154/#post-18651327