Hen with respiratory problem at wits end

[NC118]

Hi

I have a 6 month old golden comet that has been sick for a week now. The only symptons that she shows is having a hard time breathing. she is eating and drinking normally and forages when I let her out and eats anything. I had took her to my vet but he's not really an avian vet I think but he gave me shots that have baytril and B12 in them. I have been giving her the shots twice a day but have run out now. When I give her a shot the symptoms subside but if she runs or walks a long way she gasps for breath and it sounds like someone with asthma when she breathes. The vet also gave me some pills that I am putting in her water but nothing seems to be working. I went to tractor supply at lunch and got some tylan 50 but am hesitant to use it. Maybe someone that has used it might tell me how good it is and to use it. She weighs 4 pounds and like I said eats and drinks and acts normal other than the wheezing and gasping if she exerts herself.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) golden comet. 6 months and weighs 4 pounds
2) What is the behavior, exactly. normal other than the gasping for air and wheezing
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? 6 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? no
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. no
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. nothing
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. eating normally. frogs and bugs and greens when I free range her
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. normal at times and clear watery at times
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? baytril shots and some antibiotic pills in her water
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

thanks for any help or insight anyone may have. Like I said I bought some tylan 50 and was told by the company when I called that it is not for poultry and that it has alcohol and propylene glycol in it that is not good for chickens. I think this was just to cover the company because poultry is not listed on package.

 

[mebuff daisy]

I am sorry

 

[Eggcessive]

Tyhlan 50 is commonly used in chickens as an off label medicine, for treatment of some respiratory and some intestinal diseases. But if Baytril, which is the strongest antibiotic I'm aware of, didn't help, then there could be something else going on, such as air sacculitis infection (a secondary infection) or possibly a fungal infection from mold called aspergillosis for which there is no cure except to keep away from moldy conditions. Viruses are also not touched by antibiotics, and have to run their course. Give your chicken some probiotics in her food or water to help with diarrhea, and consider calling the vet for more suggestions since she is not better.

 

[NC118]

Thank you Eggcessive for taking the time to reply. Your post was very informative. Unfortunately I put her down this morning. She had lost a lot of weight and was really suffering. I did all I could to give her a fighting chance. Took her to the vet twice and tried to take care of her to the best of my ability like I would my child but like I said it was to the point that she was suffering too much. The vet did tell me that even if she got better she would probably have trouble breathing and that it might be a chronic condition.

I never knew when I got them at 1 day old that it would grow so attached and then have to do difficult things like this. I'm at the point that when something happens to the last 3 I don't think I will get anymore. they are so much fun and a joy to be around but when you have to put one down like that it just breaks your heart

 

[dawg53]

Thank you Eggcessive for taking the time to reply. Your post was very informative. Unfortunately I put her down this morning. She had lost a lot of weight and was really suffering. I did all I could to give her a fighting chance. Took her to the vet twice and tried to take care of her to the best of my ability like I would my child but like I said it was to the point that she was suffering too much. The vet did tell me that even if she got better she would probably have trouble breathing and that it might be a chronic condition.

I never knew when I got them at 1 day old that it would grow so attached and then have to do difficult things like this. I'm at the point that when something happens to the last 3 I don't think I will get anymore. they are so much fun and a joy to be around but when you have to put one down like that it just breaks your heart

It's tough to put a chicken down when you've raised them since day one, hard to detach yourself. It seems it's always my favorites when I've had to cull. I also know that it's better not to let them suffer and more importantly not to let whatever the problem is... spread to my other chickens. I've culled quite a few chickens for various reasons and it never gets any easier...never.
Dont throw in the towel if you happen to lose your other three. Raising chickens is life experience as with everything else and as you said, "they are much fun and a joy to be around." Ditto, well said!

 

[NC118]

thanks dawg. I guess I'm just down right now but I do have the others and I'm getting ready to go home and let them out to forage

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that you had to put her down, but I think you will feel better that she is not suffering anymore. I think taking a life is very hard, but if a chicken or any animal is suffering, we all, as chicken owners have to be able to do this if it needs to be done. As Dawg said, though it is never easy, and especially after having one so sick, then spending time one on one trying to nurse them back to health. Take care, and enjoy your other chickens.

 

[KayTee]

It is always a horrible decision to take. You always have that feeling that if you leave it a day or two more then you may see an improvement. That if you cull the bird now, you will be wasting a life that could have been saved. The first time that I had to cull a bird I took way too long - she was sick for 10 days, and I should have been brave enough to put her out of her misery after 2 or 3 days. I feel bad about that, but when I had to do it the second time, (to my favourite bird of all), I took the decision much more quickly - after 3 days I knew what had to be done. Not that I felt any better about doing it, but I knew that it was the right decision to take.

It never gets any easier to cull an animal that has become a pet, but when you know that you are ending their suffering you know that you are doing it for a good reason.

I am very sorry for your loss, but please don't let it put you off keeping chickens. Whenever we get a family pet (which is effectively what backyard chickens are), we know that they are going to die before we do. Their average lifespan varies - for rodents a couple of years, for dogs and cats ten years or more, but when it comes to chickens we have to accept that their lifespan can be as little as two or three years, or could be six years or more, depending upon their breed, environment, susceptibility to illness,etc.

Just remember that whatever decision you take regarding your flock is the right decision for you at that moment in time. Only you are there to make the choice, and no-one should judge you for that. If you feel that it is right for you and your bird / flock, then it is the right thing to do, no matter how bad it feels.