crunchymama11
Chirping
Short- Elise is almost-4yo BR, was laying down more on Thursday but still getting up, walking around, eating and drinking. Kept an eye on her. Fri we were gone most of the day, but when we watched her she was still moving around and eating and drinking, but laying down more. Noticed Fri evening she had a poopy butt. Waited until Sat to clean it so she wouldn't chill at night. Sat she was laying in the dust bath with her butt up in the air and her head down. Brought her in, gave her a dropper full of Nutridrench and a bath. She started making noises when breathing and her beak was slightly open like panting in the heat. Set her up in the brooder. It calmed down a while later. Wouldn't eat or drink. Pooped liquid dark green. Pale comb, slightly droopy in the back but mostly upright.
She was still sitting butt up and it looked like her back side was trying to push something out. Thought possibly egg-bound maybe. Did the whole calcium thing, dark room, felt inside- I could not feel an egg. It does seem maybe that she's a little squishy in her abdomen, but I can't quite tell. She started making noises again when breathing when either drinking or moving. Again left her alone to rest. Late last night I went to check on her. She got up and started really struggling to breathe, breathing hard, slightly open beak and making noises. The noise is like a clicking sound when she breathes. I tried to get it on video 5 times but you can't hear it. I guess it's not loud enough to get on video but I can hear it. She was still butt up, head down. I thought for sure she was going to die, and almost went out at 2am to cull her. We held her for a while and she just laid her head on my arm with her eyes closed. Every few minutes she sat up and looked around, and then laid back down. I had some chicken antibiotics and as a hail-Mary gave her a double dose. Swallowing this started the noise thing again. Went to bed.
This morning when in, and she is still alive and not breathing hard. gave her antibiotics and a little water with Nutridrench- breathing troubles start again: slightly open beak, clicking noise, breathing hard. This happens every time she moves or I give her something to drink. I know it is risky to give them liquids by syringe so I go very very slowly. Still butt up, head down.
No sneezing, coughing, discharge through eyes or nose or beak, comb is ok except pale (no spots or anything), still no interest in food or water.
Longer story- I think something is wrong with my feed. I switched it yesterday. I lost a chicken (NHR- same age as my Elise) in Jan. She had sour crop, fixed it, she was fine for a week, then died suddenly outside. Another chicken (another NHR- 1 year younger) almost 3 weeks ago was on death's bed- also sour crop. Finally got her fixed up as well as I could. She went 14 days without eating anything but coconut oil. She's been back in the coop with her sisters since Wednesday. She's eating grass and flowers but still completely refuses her chicken feed. She walks around the yard free-ranging and goes back to the coop at night and preens herself. She does still have liquid poop and had another poopy butt we had to clean (gave her 1 bath before letting her back outside and today needed another bath). My other 4 chickens show no signs of anything being wrong but they, too wouldn't really eat the feed. I had been feeding them this feed for 3 years and no issues until Jan.
So what is it? Gapeworm? Respiratory? Bad feed? I don't see mold in the feed, but could there be a fungus or mold I can't see?
She was still sitting butt up and it looked like her back side was trying to push something out. Thought possibly egg-bound maybe. Did the whole calcium thing, dark room, felt inside- I could not feel an egg. It does seem maybe that she's a little squishy in her abdomen, but I can't quite tell. She started making noises again when breathing when either drinking or moving. Again left her alone to rest. Late last night I went to check on her. She got up and started really struggling to breathe, breathing hard, slightly open beak and making noises. The noise is like a clicking sound when she breathes. I tried to get it on video 5 times but you can't hear it. I guess it's not loud enough to get on video but I can hear it. She was still butt up, head down. I thought for sure she was going to die, and almost went out at 2am to cull her. We held her for a while and she just laid her head on my arm with her eyes closed. Every few minutes she sat up and looked around, and then laid back down. I had some chicken antibiotics and as a hail-Mary gave her a double dose. Swallowing this started the noise thing again. Went to bed.
This morning when in, and she is still alive and not breathing hard. gave her antibiotics and a little water with Nutridrench- breathing troubles start again: slightly open beak, clicking noise, breathing hard. This happens every time she moves or I give her something to drink. I know it is risky to give them liquids by syringe so I go very very slowly. Still butt up, head down.
No sneezing, coughing, discharge through eyes or nose or beak, comb is ok except pale (no spots or anything), still no interest in food or water.
Longer story- I think something is wrong with my feed. I switched it yesterday. I lost a chicken (NHR- same age as my Elise) in Jan. She had sour crop, fixed it, she was fine for a week, then died suddenly outside. Another chicken (another NHR- 1 year younger) almost 3 weeks ago was on death's bed- also sour crop. Finally got her fixed up as well as I could. She went 14 days without eating anything but coconut oil. She's been back in the coop with her sisters since Wednesday. She's eating grass and flowers but still completely refuses her chicken feed. She walks around the yard free-ranging and goes back to the coop at night and preens herself. She does still have liquid poop and had another poopy butt we had to clean (gave her 1 bath before letting her back outside and today needed another bath). My other 4 chickens show no signs of anything being wrong but they, too wouldn't really eat the feed. I had been feeding them this feed for 3 years and no issues until Jan.
So what is it? Gapeworm? Respiratory? Bad feed? I don't see mold in the feed, but could there be a fungus or mold I can't see?
