I'm worried about my EE Audrey!

[jeannieo]

Yesterday when my dozen 9 week old "teenagers" were outside, I noticed that "Audrey" seemed a little out of it, not as active as she usually is, she was just standing there in the middle of everybody doing normal chicken stuff. then this morning when I went out, she looked worse and when I checked her butt she had this gooey diarrhea all over her. I brought her in the house and cleaned her up but she was clearly not in good shape and very weak. I called the vet and they said I could bring her in which is a miracle since today is Saturday. Brought her in, they checked her poop, no parasites, everything else looked fine. they were trying to get her to eat something and brought in some wax worms which she did eat, which was a good sign. They gave her fluids and gavage fed her and she seemed to perk up a bit. So they gave me some antibiotics and I brought her her with instructions to baby her and try to get her to eat and drink. So I gave her some plain yogurt with some chick starter in it which she did pretty good with but I was worried that she was dehydrated which is what the vet thought too. I should also say that she is very small, about half the size of the others the same age. I gave her some water which she ignored until I dropped a couple of drops on top of her beak and they trickled in then she drank and drank and drank!

i brought her a piece of watermelon which she also did pretty good with and a scrambled egg which she wasn't too interested in but maybe she had had enough yogurt and watermelon at this point. she also has had a couple of healthy looking poops since she came home from the vet. So anyway, right now I have her in the house on the floor with her egg, watermelon, and water. She is just standing there very still. Does anyone have any thoughts on what this may be? I am thinking maybe since she is so small perhaps the others weren't letting her eat and drink? I kind of doubt it and I guess only time will tell. I keep reading on BYC about people whose favorite chick has died and that's all I can think about because she is one of my favorites! She is beautiful, she looks like she has eye makeup on. She is so beautiful that that is why I named her Audrey Hepburn!

Also you may notice the purple feathers (Blue Kote). She has a spot on her back that the others keep picking bald.

 

[jeannieo]

Audrey is doing so much better, she's eating and drinking and pooping and getting much livelier. thanks everyone for your input. oh that's right, I didn't get any.

 

[WingingIt]

I just saw this. She's very pretty and I'm glad she's doing better for you.

This place gets busy in spurts and then goes dead for a while, but getting mad because you didn't get advice in three and a half hours isn't a great way to get help in the future. It's possible that people read this but had no idea what was wrong with her (I wouldn't have had a guess, for example, other than what you deduced yourself) but being rude will make them less likely to help in the future if they DO have an idea of what's going on.

That sounds more harsh than I mean it to. I know you've been worried about her, but I guarantee you that the great folks here would have helped if 1. they knew what it was and how to help and 2. the thread had been up longer so more people could see it.

Hope she continues to improve.

 

[mrbstephens]

Sounds to me like she was being picked on. Like you said, the others were pulling out her feathers. She may have been stressed out and not eating or drinking because of it. I would watch to make sure she doesn't continue to be picked on like this again. Poor thing!

 

[hen-thusiast]

Quote:
I just came across this post as well. Maybe if you would have posted it in the emergency section you would have received more input? Just a thought. It's also a Saturday and BYC may be less active on a weekend than during the week.

While I'm still a beginner, I'd say that by the fact you had to put blue-kote on here where others were pecking her, they probably kept her away from food and water.

Glad to hear she's doing better. She's a beautiful EE.

 

[jeannieo]

I know I sounded like a jackass and I apologize. I've been under a lot of stress with a number of things that would be inappropriate to go into here and I guess I was just sitting on the ole pity pot which doesn't get me anything but a ring around my butt! I love BYC and have found nothing but help and support here and will think twice in the future before I vent like a five year old!

<--- (I'm the blue one!)

 

[crazy huhn]

Just read your post here and it sounds that you are on the right path with your pretty girl. I admire you for bringing her to the vet. That is probably the main reason that you did not get any immediate responses, because you were right on to it. Hope she is doing better.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

It sounds like cocci to me. I've had a few with it...a couple did ok, one didn't survive. Catching it early is important and it sounds like you did.

Do you feed medicated chick starter? If not, I would personally recommend changing to it. Be sure the antibiotic will cover cocci. You could ask your vet. Eating and drinking anything is VERY important....sounds like your going in the right direction.

Keep us posted!!

Edited to add that Audrey looks like a light brahma, not an EE....

 

[WingingIt]

Quote:
I didn't think that. I knew you were worried and frustrated and sometimes we take it out in/on places we normally wouldn't.

How's she doing today?

 

[jeannieo]

thank you so much for your compassion, concern, and understanding! She seems PERFECT today! so I guess she was just hungry and dehydrated. I'm so glad I took her to the vet and got the jump start of fluids and nutrition. I would be devastated if she died! Righ43wad3 <-- see that? that is her walking on the keys and trying to type to tell every one she feels awesome today!

I kept her in last night and think I will take her back out in a little while. I don't want to keep her away too long so everybody would have to reintroduce themselves! I just love having her in the house with me and a while back actually had considered having another one that's out there (a silver penciled cochin named Precious because she is!) as a house chicken but when I thought it through and the thought of chicken diapers was none too appetizing! Audrey is eating chick starter, plain yogurt, wheat grass and drinking water so I think she has turned the corner. I am so happy I have BYC friends I have never met and probably never will face to face but I really feel that we are a family and if you can't complain to your family, who can you complain to??