help! sick chicken

[spasto]

hoping someone more knowledgeable than me can be of help:

we have three chickens and lately one of them is getting picked on by the other two. it's deep winter here (mass), and there are about 2 ft of snow on the ground, so they are antsy and bored. i can't get out to the coop b/c i'm 8 months pregnant and moving around is harder than it used to be my sweetie says the picked on chicken is looking really bad the last 2-3 days. he noticed over the weekend that she is not being allowed to roost with the other two, and there are wounds on her legs where she is being pecked. she's also missing feathers on her back. last night be sprayed some antibacterial treatment on her legs (he's done this the past 3 days) and on the patch on her back--the patch on her back isn't raw or bloody, but he thought maybe the taste of the spray would keep the other chix away.

this morning, she looks rough--limping around, not sticking her neck out. he says she looks wet too, maybe because of the spray from last night? she is still eating and drinking, and she's been getting some of the cracked corn and sunflower seeds he puts in too.

i want to bring her inside and keep her the basement for a while to nurse her back to health, but will that makes things worse when we try to introduce her? we are most likely looking at 6-8 weeks of too much snow on the ground to let them out in the yard, and they are already restless.

anyone have advice? i feel so bad for this little one...

 

[fried green eggs]

Hi &

! You could pick up some Blue Kote (purple antiseptic spray) available at farm fleet type stores and spray her legs and back with it. If her legs or back have any wounds it draws the other chickens to attack more. Try giving them some canned tuna - sometimes the behavior starts because they need more protein in their diet. Also if you can give them something like a suet block so, they have something to peck at which might help with boredom. If do find that you need to separate her to heal, you will need to reintroduce her by use of a separate wire crate in the coop or some other means to keep them apart for a few days and then monitor closely. This will help them get used to her again if you go that route. Good Luck.

 

[Roxannemc]

Hi I don't mean to hijack this thread but my phone won't let me start my own thread and I'm desperate.
I've had 4 chickens die all grown in the last month.3 were in a pen together the other free ranging in my yard.None have symptoms running nose or anything..just don't eat for a few days. Walk around sit here or there. But look normal healthy then dead usually in a weeks time.
.One did have a bad leg also while ill.The rest acted normal .3 were the same breed Is that possible breed thing or coincidence?
What should I give my other chickens
to stave whatever this is off so more don't get it?s one all around medicine.Thanks

 

[fried green eggs]

Hi I don't mean to hijack this thread but my phone won't let me start my own thread and I'm desperate.
I've had 4 chickens die all grown in the last month.3 were in a pen together the other free ranging in my yard.None have symptoms running nose or anything..just don't eat for a few days. Walk around sit here or there. But look normal healthy then dead usually in a weeks time.
.One did have a bad leg also while ill.The rest acted normal .3 were the same breed Is that possible breed thing or coincidence?
What should I give my other chickens
to stave whatever this is off so more don't get it?s one all around medicine.Thanks

Sorry for your loss. Could be Mereks or something else. Some breeds are hardier than others and some show no signs before they die. If you notice any others looking fluffed up or not acting normal, separate and quarantine them from the others quickly. Take care of any sick birds After caring for your healthy birds. Change clothes between, disinfect shoes etc. so, you limit spread of illness. Good Luck.

 

[spasto]

thanks for the advice! no stores around here had blu kote so i bought it online--1 day shipping, it should be here tomorrow. checked on her tonight and she looks sad--won't roost b/c her feet are swollen and raw, has a large patch of feathers missing above her tail, and a messy vent i'm wondering if she is sick as well... the others seem to be molting again, maybe it could be that too? hung some suet in there for tomorrow--she is eating, drinking and moving around so we are going to wait until the blu kote is here to take her inside, give her a bath and look her over more thoroughly. poor chickie... again thanks for the help!

 

[fried green eggs]

If you have Neosporin with pain relief - you could put that on her tonight. Really check her for mites because legs aren't the normal place they peck at.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pain relievers in most medicinal ointments and Bactine are benzocaine, lidocaine, or pramocaine, and may be toxic to chickens, especially in high concentrations. A good substitute for BluKote is gentian violet, available in most first aid aisles in small bottles. It is the active ingredient in BluKote at 1/2 the cost.

 

[fried green eggs]

I agree anything for pain that ends in "caine" can be toxic to chickens but, Neosporin and many of the generics for it now on the market have Bacitracin Zinc, Neomycin Sulfate, Polymyxin B Sulfate and Pramoxine HCI and are safe for pets.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry, but pramoxine is pramocaine, which is one of those "caines." Using it once may not do harm, but since these can be toxic, it's probably better to avoid them.

 

[fried green eggs]

Sorry, but pramoxine is pramocaine, which is one of those "caines." Using it once may not do harm, but since these can be toxic, it's probably better to avoid them.

Wow I didn't know that. Thank You.