HELP! What is wrong? Droopy wing, beak down, Pictures..

[threehorses]

Quote:
THIS is good news - really good news.

When she can drink on her own, offer the electrolyte water as labeled as her sole source of water in between whichever flushes you do. She definitely will also need the yogurt daily for probably a couple of weeks as her system recovers.

MSU recommends treating for four hours on this site. I've seen it used for eight hours on another (actually this site I believe but I think they've changed it). After that, I would return to the electrolyte treated water (but I like the way you're offering both).

Here's their text:
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LAXATIVE SOLUTIONS

The following solutions or mixtures are recommended to flush the digestive system of toxic substances, most notably for treating birds exposed to botulism toxins.

Molasses Solution

Add one pint of molasses to 5 gallons of water

Offer the drinking solution free-choice to the affected birds for about four hours. Treat severely affected birds individually if they cannot drink. Return the birds to regular water after the treatment period.

As a supportive treatment for symptoms resulting from Cryptosporidia infection, often referred to as coronaviral enteritis, use:

One quart molasses in 20 gallons of water

Offer this solution free-choice for a period of up to 7-10 days. It is assumed that the molasses replaces certain minerals lost from diarrhea during the course of the infection.

Epsom Salt Solution

1 lb Epsom Salt per 15 lb feed
-or-
1 lb Epsom Salt per 5 gallons water for 1 day

Give the epson salt feed mixture as the sole feed source for a one day period. This feed can be used only if the birds are eating. If the birds are not eating, use the water solution. If the birds are unable to eat or drink by themselves, use individual treatment with:

1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt in 1 fl oz water

Place the solution in the crop of the affected bird. This same amount of solution will treat 5-8 quail or one chicken.

Castor Oil Therapy

Dose individual birds with .5 oz castor oil.
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It's important to note that all droppings should be removed quickly, and you should use gloves when handling her. Place droppings in a container that you can close (and reopen to add more droppings).

Also, I'd just highly suspect that they found something in the timber area - possible some maggots under the wood there. That's the most common cause of botulism. Her feathers not falling out don't eliminate botulism - but had they been falling out easily, that's the sign that tips the dx in the direction of botulism as in very severe cases (usually fully downed chickens) you will see this sign before death.

HOpefully you caught whatever this toxin was before the bacteria could make more. You're flushing the bad bacteria out of her body so that they can't stay in there and make more toxins, which paralyze the bird until finally the respiratory system is paralyzed. Botulism is called "limberneck" but usually starts with lameness and wing droopiness. So your little pretty girl is one incredible bird!

Still praying for her recovery. If you lose her, you will KNOW you did everything possible. Her fast improvement is a sign that you're really giving her all the help a person could short of the practically unavailable anti-toxin.

 

[kathyinmo]

OK, here are pictures of where they free range....
In the last picture you can see a fence with vines ... that is a grape vine (yes 1 single grape vine!). They do like hanging out around it, lots of bugs on that darn vine! Do you see anything suspicious?

 

[threehorses]

Hmmm any grapes yet? Any that could have fallen and been bad?

Otherwise looks gorgeous! I'd still suspect maggots in fallen vegetation or in the woods. Or anywhere really - they can show up in the weirdest places.

 

[kathyinmo]

TONS of grapes. I don't take care of them, or use them, just let them grow. I didn't spray or anything, and bugs eat them. They are green grapes with seeds in them, and alot of them have brown spots on them (I assume from bugs).

Update: Her wings are no longer droopy.

She still has her head down, but lifts it up occasionally. She saw a moth fly by, and tried to reach for it a little bit. She is still not eating or drinking. I gave her another 10 cc of Molasses mixture and 10 cc electrolyte drink just now. I know she is hungry and thirsty.

I don't know if I should let the others out to play tonight or not, since I don't have any idea where this came from. They are already standing at the gate, waiting to come out .... they love it!

THANKS SO MUCH for all the help!
Kathy

 

[threehorses]

After four hours, I'd start mixing (into the electrolyte treated water) some crumbles so that you make a sort of thick broth of her crumbles, yogurt, and the electrolyte water. Alternately you could use the mashed yolk of a boiled egg. Mix a little water in it (the electrolyte water) and make the thick broth. She'll need some fuel.

Dropped grapes on the ground (and the flies and maggots that are attracted to them) can certainly do this.

 

[kathyinmo]

SHE'S BETTER! IT'S WORKING!!!!

Look at her.... She's even eating a little bit!!!

Then, I HAD to let the flock out to free range, they were insisting!
Here they all are ....

Oh my gosh, I don't know how to thank you all.... LOOK what YOU did.... YOU SAVED HER ! ! !
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ! ! !

 

[Pine Grove]

Are there any Rose Chafer Beetles feeding on the grape leaves?

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, I don't know... I don't know what they are, BUT I will go search on the web and find a picture and see. Do they look like a beetle? I see no beetle looking bugs there. But I will go look right now.

OK.... I just checked, no beetle of any sort. No rotting grapes, no moisture or mold under the vines. The ground is dry as a bone, and fresh like, even under the dry leaves. No grapes on the ground, all are on the vines.

Hey, do you think I should change the title of this thread, to "Botulism treated!" Maybe it can help someone else.

 

[kathyinmo]

WOW, I searched and read about the Rose Chafer Beetle. It contains a toxin that kills poultry, and it resides on grape vines and prefers sandy soil. Though I read it is in north west (or was that north east?) USA. Well, I am in Missouri, but we sure have sandy soil, and the grape vine.

Heck, we do nothing with those grapes. I am just gonna tear it out tomorrow, just to be on the safe side. Would it be okay to spray Sevin there... I mean ok for the chickens? I know it is used around chickens, so am thinking it may be ok.

THANKS, Pine Grove, for the insightful information! Appreciate it greatly.

edited for typo.

 

[threehorses]

What a relief. honestly I just have been so upset about this little hen and watching for any updates at all. She's just a lovely girl and I so wanted to see her do better.

OK now for after treatment - make sure that for at least a week, she's up and able to have access to mostly just easily dissolved feeds - crumbles, maybe some egg, yogurt, etc. Her digestive tract just got the chicken equivalent of a stomach pumping. The bacteria will be way off - exposing her to the normal bacteria in the ground outside might be too much bad bacteria in a very vulnerable stomach. And any time there's that sort of stress on the digestive tract, the whole thing slows down. So just like someone who had a stomach flu, be easy on her tummy.

The crumbles are easily dissolved, easy to digest, and packed with nutrition. The yogurt will continue to provide the good bacteria to replenish what was flushed out. Possibly using organic apple cider vinegar for a couple of days towards the end of the week will return her digestive tract to a good healthy pH which is good for good bacteria, and will help keep bad bacteria and pathogenic fungi from taking over. (1 teaspoon organic Acv to one gallon of drinking water - all your chickens can have this occassionally by the way as well as the yogurt).

Then reevaluate based on how she's dong.

BRAVO to your hard work. She's still not out of the woods, but that last picture compared to the one where she's laying flat out - well a picture is worth a thousand words.

Please do let us know how she's doing as I'm sure Im not the only one who will be watching out for updates.

Hugs!