Issues breathing in almost 10 year old hen

[TwoCrows]

Should I just give amoxicillin now and see if it helps?

I also have the powder that I am fine with doing of doxy-tylan but I will just have to make sure Eddie is drinking it, and dev will also be getting antibiotics that way then.

I will order the pills of doxy-tylan tonight

If you have the Amoxicillin, I would start her on it. If meds are liquid and you have to medicate Dev as well, it won't hurt Dev. If Eddie's issue is contagious, Dev has it as well. If you drizzle a very small amount via syringe into Eddie's mouth, it may certainly help even if it's a tiny amount. Sick birds sometimes need to get started on the meds to start feeling better and drinking on their own. When the other med comes in, you can start her on that instead of the Amoxicillin.

 

[Eddie12109]

So the amoxicillin are capsules and the doxy-tylan mix is powder that needs to be mixed in their drinking water.

I think it would be good to start with amoxicillin and when the doxy-tylan pills come I will switch them if the amoxicillin isn’t working.
Does that sound good? I’m worried the amoxicillin won’t help because Eddie has gotten it a few times before.
Eddie’s poop is becoming more liquid. Her last two seemed to be hard for her to push out. I gave her some fiber just in case. I will attach a picture, it’s hard to see but it’s normal, just liquidy

Oh and I’m guessing the doxy-tylan capsules from where you linked is better than plain doxycycline capsules?
Because you linked the only place where I can find a mix of both in capsule form.
And this is what you are referring to right?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have been to three separate vets. Two prescribed 1.5 mg of Meloxicam per dose but one gave us 7.5 mg per dose.

I'm just now seeing your thread, somehow, I missed it!
I'm sorry to hear about Eddie, I hope she's doing a little better.


I agree with @coach723 about the dosing on your bottle of 7.5mg of Meloxicam, your instructions say to give 1/2 tablet.

Also just to clarify a bit - reread the instructions on your suspension bottles too. While the suspension is 1.5mg/ml, your dosing instruction is to give 0.50ml once daily, so if you are giving 1.5ml, then you are giving too much.

I'll follow along, I see that you have been given great suggestions as always and have the medications ordered. Hopefully she will come around for a little while longer.

To clarify one of your medication questions, the bottle with the 7.5 mg on it...I read it as it contains 7.5 mg tablets and you are to give 1/2 of one, so a dose of 3.25 mg.
The most common dose that I can find for chickens is .5 mg/kg (1 kg = 2.2 lbs). So 3.25 mg may still be high, depending on her weight. I found a couple of sources that show up to 1 mg/kg. The half life of it is shorter in larger birds and longer in smaller birds, so that has to be considered in dosing.

 

[Eddie12109]

Quick question: when vets test for avian flu, is it an actual test or does the chicken get killed and nevropsied?

 

[coach723]

I've never had it done, but my understanding is that it's done by swabbing the throat and/or choanal slit for poultry.
https://link.springer.com/protocol/10.1007/978-1-0716-0346-8_9

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Quick question: when vets test for avian flu, is it an actual test or does the chicken get killed and nevropsied?

I believe it's a swab type of test.

Personally, I don't think AI is something that you need to worry about.

 

[NanaK]

I have read through your thread because I also have several aging hens 8-10 years old. I am always looking information about caring for these older girls and problems to be aware of. There is so little information available about the older birds. I am not fortunate enough to have a vet to turn to for advise about chickens so I study here often.

As for avian influenza, as I understand it your vet may not be the one to test for this. I believe your state vet would be called. They would send a team to your property and take swabs of most or all of your birds not just your sick girl. If any swab turns up positive for avian flu, the swab is verified by a more accurate test. If this is positive all birds on the property would be euthanized. All of this would happen very quickly within days. Your property would be quarantined for a length of time with no new birds brought in. This is to ensure there is no longer any active virus left on the premise.

Symptoms of H5n1 (the prominent strain in the world right now) include lack of energy, appetite, and coordination; purple discoloration or swelling of various body parts; diarrhea; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; and reduced egg production, or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs. Mortality in poultry is almost 100%. With the death of many birds very quickly often being the first sign.

I am not a vet or medical person in any way just another concerned chicken keeper. I do not think your girl has bird flu. She could have some other infection. I would continue with the antibiotics you have and give supportive comfort care as best I could. Try to make sure she eats and drinks, offer her some scrambled eggs and maybe wet feed. I also use poultry vitamins in their water or a nutridrench drops straight to the beak. I've had a few eat canned peas and carrots for a couple days when they wouldn't touch anything else. I try to continue to offer feed though.

I do hope your girl recovers but rest easy I think she is very aware you care about her and trying hard to find answers.

Here is the process the USDA uses for handling Avian Influenza.

https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/HPAIResponseProcess.pdf

More information from USDA about how to protect your flock and other resources about Avian Influenza. Links at bottom of page.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...nd-the-flock-program/defend-the-flock-program

I do not know if you are in the US? If so you can check for current bird flu detections in your area. These are searchable (by state) databases by USDA.

For Backyard and Commercial Flocks- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...pai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks
For Wild Birds-
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...vian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-wild-birds
They have also found it in wild mammals-
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...n/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-mammals

I am sorry if this is way more information than you wanted. I'm just one of those folks who reads all I can when something is amiss. These chicken keepers who post on this forum are the best and I have learned so much from them over the years. Thanks to all of them!

 

[Eddie12109]

Thank you very much!! That’s a ton of helpful information. Eddie has a vet appt on Tuesday so I am hopeful we can figure things out. Eddie’s last two poops have been horrible. I will attach pictures. She’s acting like she is uncomfortable. Maybe because she hasn’t been getting as much metacam as usual? Her breathing issues have not been getting worse thankfully but her comb and face go from white to red.

 

[NanaK]

Thank you very much!! That’s a ton of helpful information. Eddie has a vet appt on Tuesday so I am hopeful we can figure things out. Eddie’s last two poops have been horrible. I will attach pictures. She’s acting like she is uncomfortable. Maybe because she hasn’t been getting as much metacam as usual? Her breathing issues have not been getting worse thankfully but her comb and face go from white to red.

If she's not eating much her poops will be small and off.
I hope she can rest easy until Tuesday and the appointment goes well.

 

[Eddie12109]

Her poop is now indicating lack of food. She’s been eating and drinking throughout the day but not as much as usual. Her breathing fits are much more frequent and aggressive.
Her second to last poop was normal but this was her last one. She still tries to move around but not as much