My Hen is Recovering from Resp Infection but has lost alot of weight!

[Waltzing Matilda]

I pray that someone can let me know what I can do to get some weight on this little lady--she is on the tail end of recovering from a Respiratory Infection--using Baytril--snotty nose is gone--rattling is gone--appetite is excellent and water consumption is good. However, she is unable to amble about on her own so I've created a nest for her and feed her and give her medicated water 4 times daily--(I work 70 miles away from home). She has lost 1/2 her weight and is too weak to get her own food and water. I've managed to put some bricks in her hospital room with the food on it, however, she keeps tipping the water and I don't want her bedding to be wet. I am currently giving her 5 drops of Poly Visol, 2 times a day, along with 2 eggs, mealworms, pelleted feed. She is still losing. I don't want to worm her if her resistance is down. She does not have lice or mites, but she still has green solid poop every so often along with normal looking poop. Any help that can be offered would be appreciated!

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

If she is continuing to loose weight the outlook is not good, worming may be a risk but doing nothing might be more a risk. Sometimes also serious infections cause internal damage when systems go catabolic and with that there is not alot that can be done so worming would make no difference in outcome anyhow.

Short of going to a vet and getting poop sample tested for worms I myself would give worming a shot, especially if it had not been done recently or ever. Just her system being down for a while with other infections could have allowed worms to flourish.

Also to keep in mind that many if not the majority of respritory infections are chronic and future stesses for that bird or the rest of the flock can bring on another round of active CRD. So keeping on to of worms and other stressors will be key to ongoing managment of the respritory issues.

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

Thank you for your reply and advice. I will give her some ivermectin tonight. I have liquid Safeguard and Ivermectin paste (for horses). I've read that you can give them the paste but how much would you say for a young hen that weighs maybe 2 pounds?