In dire need of help, need advice. .....

[Mrsfoote]

So I have a gold laced brahma who is of laying age. She was lower on the pecking order because she was younger, and one day she was allowed up on the top roost ( maybe 6ft high) to sleep. Well apparently Brahmas's aren't meant to be on the top roost, needles to say she jumped down the following morning and without me knowing broke her leg at the hock joint ( knee?)

We brought her in two days later at first thinking it was a sprain. Well then when I saw it was indeed broken we splinted it. In the days before knowing it was a break I don't think she was getting enough food or water, so we'd been pushing her fluids and food along with vitamins and electrolytes and antibiotics just in case for the break.

This is going to be the second week she's been in the house she is still pooping, but I'm beginning to think she is vitamin deficiant because her neck is beginning to turn. She's pretty much stopped eating, and barely drinks unless I dip her beak and even though its a very small amount.

I'm puzzled at to what to do anymore. Due to the angle at which her body is turning she looks like she's gaping a lot probably from her neck not being at its usual angle so I'm scared to force feed or water, but she pinks up in the comb when she is given the water and food, I just don't know what to do anymore. Part of me hopes she'll just die so she isn't suffering but I really like her so I don't want to loose her either.

Any suggestions on what the best idea would be to do ? Do I cull ? Or keep making an effort?

 

[CMV]

I am puzzled too. It would not really make a lot of sense that she suddenly became vitamin deficient at this age. That normally shows up much sooner.

I am wondering if the fracture had something to do with what's going on. It would make sense with the timing. I am wondering if the bird didn't have a stroke as a result of a fat embolus. When big bones break they can sometimes release fat and marrow chunks into the body. If those somehow get into the bloodstream they can travel through the circulatory system until they hit a vessel too small to pass through. If that vessel is in the heart it results in a heart attack, if it's in the lungs it becomes respiratory arrest, and if it's in the head it is a stroke. Is she moving much? Does she seem like she has any paralysis?

 

[Mrsfoote]

You know that makes a bit of sense, she has a lot of strength in the good leg, and her body when we move her. She just seems to be so weak, we pushed vitamins and electorlytes last night, and when she gets them she perks up and pinks up and her head seemed to turn more forward than it was before.

I'm just so puzzled on what to do, I've had horrible luck with brahma hens due to various circumstances, and I'd hate to lose her, but I don't want her to suffer either.

So when we originally found her, she wasn't standing. She was sitting on the lawn like she was roosting, as the leg got worse even splinted she discontinued to sit that way, preferring to lay on the unaffected side.

 

[CMV]

I would keep up with the vitamins if they seem to be working. You can also add some vitamin E (400 ius 2x/day) and some selenium (I believe the dose is .25 mcg/day for 1 week and then tapering off, but I need to double check that). That regimen is what is used in conjunction with prednisone to treat wry neck. You can do the regimen without the prednisone, but it takes much longer to be effective. I would not expect to see any real change in her condition for at least 2 weeks.

ETA- Yes, that's the dose for selenium for the first week. The second week only give it every other day, and then the third week give it just once.

 

[flewdacoop]

good luck

 

[Mrsfoote]

How should I go about getting the fluids into her. Should I just keep trying to force it. She definitely perks up once you get fluids into her and I'm guessing its wry neck or turning into it the head is definitely doing the twist. The difficulty is getting the fluids into her.

 

[PoultryPedia]

From my experience you can give fluids quite safely straight down the back of the throat if done right. I've put instructions on the "Baytril for Birds" page on the PoultryPedia.com site.

You can also give Ringer's solution subcutaneously, if it's at a really critical point. If you do, I'd use a needle size between 22 and 30 gauge. If you inject near base of neck, be careful you don't give a whole lot, because pressure maycause some to leak thru membranes into lungs (though the body will clear plain fluid out of the lungs within a few hours if not too much).

 

[CMV]

From my experience you can give fluids quite safely straight down the back of the throat if done right. I've put instructions on the "Baytril for Birds" page on the PoultryPedia.com site.

You can also give Ringer's solution subcutaneously, if it's at a really critical point. If you do, I'd use a needle size between 22 and 30 gauge. If you inject near base of neck, be careful you don't give a whole lot, because pressure maycause some to leak thru membranes into lungs (though the body will clear plain fluid out of the lungs within a few hours if not too much).

What would you recommend as a site for SQ Ringer's and how much (maximum dose) do you inject into each site? How frequently?

 

[PoultryPedia]

I have little experience or informed knowledge, but I'd guess anywhere you can inject subcutaneously. My favorite spot by far for SQ injections is just in front of the leg after you bend the leg forward to loosen up some skin there.