Kat157
Chirping
- Jul 12, 2019
- 13
- 77
- 99
Hi,
So, long story short, a hen randomly appeared in my coop about a month ago. I quarantined her right away and began nursing her back to health.
I got antibiotics from the vet recently and they just said squirt it in her mouth. She jerked when squirted it in, and I suspected something was wrong. After doing some research I think I might have gotten meds in her lungs. Advice would be so appreciated.
Here's what I know about her and the situation.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
She looks like a Plymouth Rock. I don't know her age, but she has been laying fairly regularly. She feels a little on the light side. Her underside seems bony compared to my other chickens, but I'm not terribly educated on chicken anatomy at this time.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She was coughing and sneezing at first. I observed one time where clear snot bubbled from her eye. She was making a gurgle coo sound when she ate at first, which seems to have stopped somewhat after I got her some vetrx. I haven't observed as much sneezing after that, and after 2 days of antibiotics I haven't noticed any sneezing. I do hear more coughing though, and I wonder if that's because I got fluid in her lungs from the first administration of medication. She is otherwise active, talkative, and goes nuts for mealworms and chicken scratch.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
I have had her for about a month and her symptoms have been up and down during that time.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
I have not observed any obvious symptoms from my other chickens other than eating less... however it's been very hot and I wonder what impact that's making on their appetite.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
She was in somewhat rough shape when I got home and found her in my coop. She was missing half the feathers on her back, I suspect from over-mating. Her eggs were a pasty white color and over the course of a week began to look like a healthy light tan color.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I think someone put her into my coop. It would have been difficult for her to get in on her own. I don't know what conditions she came from.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes! The first day I had her she drank and drank. She's been eating pretty good, but I think keeping her quarantined is affecting her mood. She wants to be social. She's been eating layer pellets, mealworms, and chicken scratch.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Her poop is runny sometimes. I don't see anything moving or totally unusual looking in it. I honestly don't know enough about "normal" chicken poo to totally determine.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Vetrx about a week ago and liquid oral antibiotic medication for about 2 days. Lots of love and treats.
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?
I just want to know how I should proceed. Should I be concerned about getting meds in her lungs? Besides a respiratory infection could anything else cause coughing and sneezing?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I posted a couple shots. One when she first appeared and one of her feather growth after a couple weeks. She now quite a few feathers grown in. I also posted her first few eggs, so you can see the difference.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
I've been using pine shavings for her bedding and I have her in a medium size dog crate. I made her a spot in the tub in one of my bathrooms to let her have some more roaming space at least once a day. I wonder if she could be having a reaction to the pine shavings? Would vetrx help if she was sensitive to pine shavings? I've been cleaning her crate regularly and have never had an issue sticking my head in the crate to grab the eggs she's laid, so I think the quarantine situation has been okay.
So, long story short, a hen randomly appeared in my coop about a month ago. I quarantined her right away and began nursing her back to health.
I got antibiotics from the vet recently and they just said squirt it in her mouth. She jerked when squirted it in, and I suspected something was wrong. After doing some research I think I might have gotten meds in her lungs. Advice would be so appreciated.
Here's what I know about her and the situation.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
She looks like a Plymouth Rock. I don't know her age, but she has been laying fairly regularly. She feels a little on the light side. Her underside seems bony compared to my other chickens, but I'm not terribly educated on chicken anatomy at this time.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She was coughing and sneezing at first. I observed one time where clear snot bubbled from her eye. She was making a gurgle coo sound when she ate at first, which seems to have stopped somewhat after I got her some vetrx. I haven't observed as much sneezing after that, and after 2 days of antibiotics I haven't noticed any sneezing. I do hear more coughing though, and I wonder if that's because I got fluid in her lungs from the first administration of medication. She is otherwise active, talkative, and goes nuts for mealworms and chicken scratch.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
I have had her for about a month and her symptoms have been up and down during that time.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
I have not observed any obvious symptoms from my other chickens other than eating less... however it's been very hot and I wonder what impact that's making on their appetite.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
She was in somewhat rough shape when I got home and found her in my coop. She was missing half the feathers on her back, I suspect from over-mating. Her eggs were a pasty white color and over the course of a week began to look like a healthy light tan color.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I think someone put her into my coop. It would have been difficult for her to get in on her own. I don't know what conditions she came from.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes! The first day I had her she drank and drank. She's been eating pretty good, but I think keeping her quarantined is affecting her mood. She wants to be social. She's been eating layer pellets, mealworms, and chicken scratch.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Her poop is runny sometimes. I don't see anything moving or totally unusual looking in it. I honestly don't know enough about "normal" chicken poo to totally determine.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Vetrx about a week ago and liquid oral antibiotic medication for about 2 days. Lots of love and treats.
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?
I just want to know how I should proceed. Should I be concerned about getting meds in her lungs? Besides a respiratory infection could anything else cause coughing and sneezing?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I posted a couple shots. One when she first appeared and one of her feather growth after a couple weeks. She now quite a few feathers grown in. I also posted her first few eggs, so you can see the difference.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
I've been using pine shavings for her bedding and I have her in a medium size dog crate. I made her a spot in the tub in one of my bathrooms to let her have some more roaming space at least once a day. I wonder if she could be having a reaction to the pine shavings? Would vetrx help if she was sensitive to pine shavings? I've been cleaning her crate regularly and have never had an issue sticking my head in the crate to grab the eggs she's laid, so I think the quarantine situation has been okay.
