HELP-sick hen

[schuey]

Cinnamom is doing much better; dare I say she is out of the woods so to speak. I am still tube feeding her, but she has started to eat and drink on her own now. She has much more energy and is more alert. But now one of my other hens has some of the same symptoms-Star, but she isn't nearly in as bad of shape as Cinnamon was. Star has now started her own anti biotic medicine and is separated from the others as well. I hope this keeps the others from getting it!

 

[DrinkTheRainbow]

I think it has to do something with the air because that happened to our flock.

 

[schuey]

I think it has to do something with the air because that happened to our flock.

DrinkTheRainbow: do you mean whatever the illness is spread through the air, by say coughing and sneezing?​

 

[Judy]

A lot of the respiratory diseases are spread through the air. Good chance the rest of your flock is already exposed. Chickens vary in their response to a lot of these diseases.

Gatorade is a good electrolyte solution, yes, as is Pedialyte or most any of the sports drinks. Water it down a bit and do give her some until she is eating and drinking normally.

Here are two places you can look over the various possibilities:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044


https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=15239

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Sounds like she has a cold, give her some (1 teaspoon per cup of water)Epsom salt in water, it cleared my hen's cold up real quick.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
Chickens don't get 'colds' like people do. If it has cold symptoms, it's some sort of respiratory infection and needs antibiotics. If it appeared that your hen had a cold and it cleared up that quickly it was more then likely an irritant like dust causing the watering, or maybe she got pecked in the face by another hen. I don't know the details on your particular hen, but the vet in this case did prescribe antibiotics for the infection.

 

[schuey]

Yup, you are right, both hens (Cinnamon and Star) are on anti biotic meds for at least 7 days per the poultry veterinarian . Even if it is a virus infection the anti biotic helps treat any secondary infections that may or have occurred so the immune system will be somewhat stronger to fight off the viral infection if possible.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Quote:
Chickens don't get 'colds' like people do. If it has cold symptoms, it's some sort of respiratory infection and needs antibiotics. If it appeared that your hen had a cold and it cleared up that quickly it was more then likely an irritant like dust causing the watering, or maybe she got pecked in the face by another hen. I don't know the details on your particular hen, but the vet in this case did prescribe antibiotics for the infection.

I know that chickens don't get human colds, I was just trying to put into not tech terms. My hen had a respiratory illness with a runny nose and she was sneezing and coughing, after 2 days of epsom salt it cleared up and she is fine.