Labored, open-mouthed breathing.

[Eggcessive]

I would mix them into the eggs. Her vent area doesn’t look excoriated as vent gleet looks, but it won’t hurt to treat her for a fungal infection. Nystatin (sold as Medistatin powder) is good for gleet and fungal infection. You could get a feeding tube and tube feed her for a few days to see if she perks up. It is hard to know if she could have gleet, kidney, heart, or liver problems. Passing a lot of urates can make her smell of ammonia. Her droppings look green like she isn’t eating. Can you get an antibiotic such as amoxicillin (FishMox) or baytril, or do you have any problems using those? Baytril (10% enrofloxacin sold online) is banned for chickens, but is sometimes used for serious infections since it treats more bacteria. It requires a month long egg withdrawal.

 

[Eggcessive]

I believe the cream is used 1/2 inch orally twice a day, and the suppositories are cut into thirds and 1/3 is used orally twice a day. Might use a little less for a bantam.

 

[Eggcessive]

What size is the red rubber catheter? You can probably jerry rig something to use. You can stretch tubing with needle nose pliers to make the opening bigger. Oxygen tubing works. I cannot remember what size feeding tube is best for a bantam. Perhaps a 10-12 french?

 

[Eggcessive]

KayTee baby bird feed is good to use when you get to town next time.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, some do just use chicken feed and water, as splong as it goes through a tube. I am no expert—I have tube fed babies through adult people, but have only tubed my chickens liquids before. I will tag @casportpony if she has any thoughts on tbe size for a bantam and foods to use until you can get more supplies in a day or two.

 

[Shezadandy]

Well I got out there with my fancy gear and the Gatorade and she was already gone.

I wanted to do a necropsy, but it's currently storming here and I wouldn't have had extra hands. We quickly burried her instead.

I do believe it was something internal. Heart/repro. Possibly even something genetic. Her symptoms progressed so fast. It hasn't even been 24 hours since she started acting "off".

Thank you for the help and advice @Wyorp Rock and @Eggcessive. Thank you everyone for the help and much needed support as well. ❤

View attachment 2129219

So sorry to hear this. It's antagonizing not knowing what exactly is going on, especially in a bird so young.

To expand the first aid kit, at the bottom is a link for my favorite tube feeding supplies to have on hand- the tubes can be washed and reused a number of times. I keep at least 5 of them on hand at any one time. Some use 60cc feeder syringes, but 35cc is much easier to manage- especially if you have to do it by yourself. I have big hands and have problems depressing the plunger on a full 60cc one- also if you keep bantams, 35cc is plenty big.

Any of the regular chicken foods are difficult to break into small enough pieces that will easily flow through the end of the tube because of the small bits of corn baked into them. Most chickens hate being tube fed, so it's enough of a challenge (esp. doing it alone) to get the tube in, the bird to hold still, and emptying the contents without the hassle of the tube being blocked.

Kaytee baby parrot food is already a powder- it's like Cream of Wheat - and can be made thin enough to get through the tube. Poultridrench is another favorite additive to the tube feeding. Provided it's not a crop issue, I keep molasses on hand to mix in too.

1cc syringes make measuring and adding things like poultridrench (using the 1cc syringe to aspirate it directly into the syringe. It's good for other small amounts of medication etc. to the main syringe a lot easier - a 1cc syringe will fit right into the small hole in a feeder syringe - and I like the precision element esp. when medications are involved, bird doses of things are so small!!! Also I included a link for 14 gauge 1" long needles which work really well should you ever need to drain ascities.

Again, sorry for your loss.

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07474-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...FIT=2&cg=73BAF342-40F6-4A7E-B6DD-68E30B8A0B2B

https://www.petsmart.com/bird/food-...xact-hand-feeding-baby-bird-formula-3819.html

 

[Painted Calls]

That was my initial thought, but it's not too hot (63 F) today and there's a decent breeze. She's also frizzled, which gives her that extra body ventilation.

 

[Painted Calls]

Her bottom is messy again already. Snapped a quick pic. Was on the phone while trying to get a picture, so not the greatest. Can get better ones if needed.

 

[Painted Calls]

I'm not sure why it looks yellow. In person it isn't.

 

[Painted Calls]

It does look really yellow in the photo though. I'll go out one more time and check her bottom. I'll take an updated pic. Too late now to wash her. I'll wash her again tomorrow.