Need some advice on a congested chick

[Bananas]

Hi all, I have an 8 week old Golden Sebright who is sick.
She got a chill two days ago when our coop flooded- she got soaked and chilled and I brought her (and the rest of the 20 in her group) inside and kept them in the bathtub for the night till the rain stopped and I could get the coop dry.

Now she is congested. I can hear the congestion when she attempts to peep. She doesn't look visibly distressed but she is definitely mellow and doesn't run when I try to pick her up.
She is still eating good.
I'm thinking pneumonia maybe?

I'm in LA and not too many people have chickens so I'm limited on what feed stores, etc will carry. There is one feed store that might carry medications, or I can try and overnight something from Jeffers. I was thinking about trying her on some antibiotics to see if it's bacterial. I've got her warm and dry in the bathtub now (also to keep her isolated from the other chicks).

Any ideas or suggestions? Am I on the right track?
Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[ich-knut]

Hey, I am in LA too! I ordered my meds from Jeffers Livestock supply store. Get some aureomycin and mix it in water. I added a pinch of aureomycin to a spoonful of water, I'd follow manufacturer's direction if my chickens drink more water but they don't. Dip her beak in it and she should start drinking more by herself.

It's good that you are keeping her warm and isolated. Give clean food and water. I make my own feed with bulk grain from Whole Foods and supplement that with crushed women's vitamin. My chicks like mushy food like cooked oatmeal or cooked rice but once they have cooked grains, they won't even look at dry food. Other than that, just pray that she can fight it off.

 

[sammi]

http://www.firstatevetsupply.com/store/

is also a good source.
look at sideboard for antibiotics..click each one for info about antibiotics..injectables and water solubles

I prefer Tylan 50 injectable..if the aureomycin doesn't work.
Tylan is usually available at most farm/feed/livestock stores in the LIVESTOCK section. you'll need small syringes.
pm me for further instructions.

try and get some chick vitamins if you don't have them.
try and get a heat lamp to keep the chick warm..and protected from draft...
what are you using for bedding in the bathtub?(bathtubs can be cold)

keep chick hydrated with vitamin water by drops on beak..not down the throat. (if it isn't drinking on it's own).

are you able to get chick vitamins? if not..Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins can be used until you can get chick vitamins..try and get Enfamil brand if possible..no iron formula...give 1 drop on beak once a day for 5 days.
but go ahead and give the chick water by drops on beak.

 

[Bananas]

Quote:
Ooh, another LA-er! There aren't many of us

Sammi and Ich-Knut, thanks for the advice. Before I got your replies I had gone down to the feed store, and all they had was Tetracycline to put in the water, no injectibles. I am going to try and order an injectible antibiotic from one of the supply stores you suggested and see if I can overnight it.
I bought the Tetracycline in the meantime and started her on it. She's eating and drinking very well so she's getting the antibiotic in full dose.

She's worse this morning though, not better. Her eyes were crusted shut this morning and I had to open them. Mucus is clear though, so I am wondering if this is a virus not a bacterial infection. She's still eating and drinking but not as active (although this could be attributed to limited vision. I'm thinking it's pneumonia (whether bacterial or viral I don't know) just based on the way her lungs sound.

The bathtub is lined with a heavy bath towel doubled over so she's not cold in there.

Ok I'm going to order the antibiotic now. I think it may get here too late for her unless that Tetracycline starts to kick in, but this way I'll have something on hand in case anybody else comes down with it, but so far so good.

Thanks everybody....I'll let you know what happens

 

[Bananas]

Oh, and I started the rest of the babies in her coop on the Tetracycline too as a preventative.....hopefully the rest of them will stay healthy.