HELP!!! Sick pullet.

[hillbillydan]

@Lady of McCamley, we were able to find some Cephalexin. Unfortunately on the link you sent with the medicine chart, I can not scroll over and see the actual measurements. If there's anyway you could find it and let me know, that would be awesome. She's still with us, but she hasn't moved much today. I'm afraid that she may not make it very long in 2015... :-(

 

[casportpony]

Post # 3 has dosing info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/827968/cephalexin-dosage-for-chickens#post_12080770

-Kathy

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Looks like casportpony responded already with the dosage, but if still interested, this is what the poultry chart comments say:

Cephalexin Soluble Powder Cephalin Cephalosporins Infectious Coryza, Bronchitis, CRD, Staphylococcus Give in drinking water no more than 7 days.

 

[casportpony]

This link also has dosing info:
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/09_therapeutic_agents.pdf

-Kathy

 

[hillbillydan]

It also looks like her sinuses may be draining. She perked up and was drinking last night, but still not moving much today. We dissolved some of the antibiotic into some water and she was drinking that. But I'm not sure if I should do anything with her eyes? Is there anything I can put on here eyes that would help? It's a bubbly mess when she opens them, but she's been keeping them closed all day... Perched on the side of the small pan in there with her. She's been isolated for 3+ days now, are my other birds ok? Is it possibly something that can be transferred to humans?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It also looks like her sinuses may be draining. She perked up and was drinking last night, but still not moving much today. We dissolved some of the antibiotic into some water and she was drinking that. But I'm not sure if I should do anything with her eyes? Is there anything I can put on here eyes that would help? It's a bubbly mess when she opens them, but she's been keeping them closed all day... Perched on the side of the small pan in there with her. She's been isolated for 3+ days now, are my other birds ok? Is it possibly something that can be transferred to humans?

You could gently wipe her eyes with a moistened cloth to help clean them.

The antibiotic should help, if the disease is susceptible to it.

Almost all bird diseases are not contagious to humans, so you should have little worry. However, they obviously carry bacteria that can be harmful, so wash hands carefully after handling her or anything she has touched.

Reading over this article can help figure out which illness your bird may have.
http://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/respiratory-disease-in-chickens

Which illness it is determines the course of action for the others. Isolation of the sick bird is key, being careful not to treat her and then handle your other flock or things they touch. Giving all antibiotics, if warranted by disease type, may be in order.

If viral illness, I can only recommend giving your flock garlic, yogurt, and tincture of elderberry with electrolytes/vitamins in their feed and water. It really does help boost their immune system to throw off bugs.

Lady of McCamley

 

[hillbillydan]

I just got back from dinner with a friend and she seems like she might be making a recovery. She was alert and 1 eye was completely open and clear of bubbles. The other eye is still swollen shut, but I think she's improving. We haven't seen her eating, but she did begin pooping...

Thanks for all the advice and help!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I just got back from dinner with a friend and she seems like she might be making a recovery. She was alert and 1 eye was completely open and clear of bubbles. The other eye is still swollen shut, but I think she's improving. We haven't seen her eating, but she did begin pooping...

Thanks for all the advice and help!

So happy to hear that. Good news. Keep her on the antibiotic for 7 days, but no more than that because of the kind of antibiotic.

Follow up with good probiotics...Chick Saver with probiotics in the water for now...then yogurt in warm mush when she begins to eat and after you end the antibiotics..typically feed moistened to warm mush goes down best first.

 

[hillbillydan]

How soon should I reintroduce her back to the flock? Since she's been gone for a while, I'm sure my roos are going to want to reintroduce themselves to her as well. She almost made a complete recovery. Just a little evidence in 1 eye still. But I want her to put some healthy weight back on too? Any ideas on some good "fattening" foods? I just feed scratch grains, cracked corn, and laying pellets everyday with random kitchen scraps when we get them...

 

[enola]

While she is recovering/gaining weight she should have as much protein as you can get her to eat. Game bird feeds and Flock Raiser have higher protein (and less calcium) than layer pellets. A hard boiled egg every day would be great! Scratch feed is very low in protein. I would cut scratch feed out completey. If you feel like you have to give her treats make sure they are protein rich. Tuna fish, meal worms, canned salmon or cat food are all great choices for protein.