Oh my goodness. I feel like a mother of a brand new infant that has no clue what to do. You know, after so many human children we get so good at diagnosing them that we can almost take them to the doctor tell him what to do or prescribe. Well, with my chicken babies I feel pretty lost.
I have five backyard hens and you know the crazy chicken lady can't stop with those. I just had to have colored eggs. Well, I bought three chicks from a local lady and I really don't think any of this is to blame on her but one of those chicks died - I don't know what was wrong with it. I tried to save her but no luck. I was also out of town for two weeks and the chickens as well as the chicks were under my husband's care. He and the kids state they were both diligent about washing hands, etc. The baby chicks were in the house and not at all introduced to the outside flock. Ok, so the other two baby chicks were okay and I treated them with corrid JUST in case it was cocci. I did not treat my outside flock. They did not show symtoms but I still think it is important to mention everything that has happened.
Now, Mrs. Peckers, from the outside flock (barred rock hen) has come down with some type of upper respiratory infection. She is the least happy with humans and prefers to live life with just verbal loving confirmation lol. I usually have to chase her down and she is the top dog in the flock. I went out this morning and she come out of the hen house first and stopped like she wanted me to pick her up. I heard that noise like trying to get air but I thought there was a misunderstanding and she was hissing at me about picking her up - my bad. So I went in the house, came back out and she stops in front of me again for some pets. I heard the noise she made while breathing again and now I was suspicious. I went in and back out again and she flew to my shoulder - Ok, I got it, she does not feel like herself. My husband swears that there is no way she was trying to tell me but I KNOW SHE IS TRYING TO TELL ME SHE IS SICK. She is isolated in the house - away from the other chicks. Mrs. Peckers in the sick bay which happens to be our shower.
I guess she must have been the one who did not lay an egg yesterday. She makes that breathing noise like she is trying to catch her breath, hard breathing, she sneezes and barely has a runny nose but it is there. She ate this morning really well when I fed her scrambled eggs. She has not been as interested in her layer pellets but she has ate some. I have seen her drink. Her poo seems normal so far. She is awake and alert but definitely being very docile, which is not in her nature. Honestly, I thought oh goodness I am so glad it is not my Barbara (my chicken) but this Mrs. Peckers is pulling at my heart strings with this labored breathing business. I almost can't stand it.
I went to Atwoods and bought some type of tetracycline powder to use in her water. I have it mixed up. Do I make her drink some or force it on her or let her drink it at will?
I did not have the nerve to get the type to give intramuscularly. I am so worried that she will throw a fit and I will stab her all the way through to some major organ. Ugh, what an awful thought.
I am hoping this does not hit my other chickens. And like a crazy mother of a newborn - I went in and bleached the hen house all the way to the rafters, there is new bedding, and all waterers were bleached. I did it all in 36 degree weather. I thought of the wild birds that live and sleep in the "bamboo forest" not far from their hen house but in my neighbors yard and I thought about bleaching each stalk of bamboo. lol. I sure hope she did not get sick from the wild birds. I hope my others don't have it also.
So, after you listening to my crazy lady chicken story....do I force the medicated water on her? I hope the medication works for her and that is something treatable. I am going to just kick myself if I brought it in from another coop.
I hope I am over reacting.
