my little Buffy at the bird hospital

[stewie's mom]

My 2 yr. old Buff Orpington, Buffy, started acting funny about 10 days ago. She was not as engaged with the others as usual, she was not eating as much, seemed “depressed’. Her crop was not deflating by morning and finally a bad odor was coming from her beak. I thought maybe “sour crop” from the information I read from this wonderful forum.

I could not make her vomit…too scared I’d do it wrong and kill her. I took her to a bird vet who said Buffy had two different forms of “clostridium” bacteria which is apparently really bad. She is now in the bird hospital for two days while they give her meds and “flush” her crop. I don’t know if they are being straight with me because they can’t say why/where she could have gotten this or if she will get it again. I have four other girls and they won’t give meds for them until they exhibit the same symptoms. She looked at me when I left her there like I was abandoning her….

Has anyone heard of this?
Any ideas would be very appreciated…….

 

[Fluffballs]

Poor chicken! I hope none of your other girls gets it!

 

[seminolewind]

Awww. I would think that your other girls are fine and just keep an eye on them. I would also think that one day at the hospital is enough. You can most likely do all they are doing once they stop flushing her crop. I don't know how she would get clostridium, but if she had sour crop, maybe bacteria just grew. I would look that one up on your pc.

 

[klmclain1]

I believe that's botulism. There are home remedies discussed on this forum for that if you need them. Do a good search of your chickens' environment for anything that is moldy - hay, leaves, etc. - that they may have feasted on. Needs to be cleaned up. Hopefully the others haven't eaten it too!

 

[stewie's mom]

Well buffy was in the hospital for three days and she came home with her crop down a bit and without the horrible smell but her belly is bloated and tight and she is still not herself.

Took her back to vet after two days and asked if they could drain her belly. They tried but could not get any fluid out.

Did a few x-rays and they say she is filled with some type of fluid... (egg peritonitis?).
Only surgery can help. She almost died while they did the x-trays because they put her on her back. She was gulping for air and they put her on oxygen for several minutes. So surgery is out of the question. She wouldn't make it through that.

I brought her home with pain medicine and by the time we hit the driveway she was panting and there was a "rattle" in her throat.

i know I am losing her...sure wish i wasn't so attached......

 

[seminolewind]

I'm very sorry. Just make her last moments nice and peaceful. It's never easy when they die, and it's even worse when there's nothing you can do.

 

[stewie's mom]

Well, I can't hardly believe it but my Buffy is still alive and seems to be on the mend!
I fed her with a syringe for 2 weeks and about ten days ago she ate a cut up strawberry by herself-the whole thing!
Two days later she ate a worm!
She began eating layer crumbles a week ago.
Her belly is normal size and not hard. Her crop still feels hard in the morning but she is eating/drinking and scratching and dust bathing.
She started losing a lot of feathers today. (I'm not sure if she is now molting or if she is still failing??????)
I know I may still lose her soon but I am enjoying everyday I get with her.