Newbie with sick pullet - not sure what to do

[chickloving]

There are a number of chicken diseases that they can have, some more serious than others. Last week my chicks had some kind of respiatory problem. I got some antibiotics from our feed store, also gave them some vitamins. I fed it for 10 days. They are better now. Hope you find something that helps.

 

[threehorses]

"Colds" is just a word. The fact that she's sending antibiotics to you means she's acknowledging that your birds have a bacterial respiratory infection, an illness. Yes the trip probably brought it out of her. But there's no evidence that she won't be a carrier. You'd have to get her specifically tested for that (and people rarely do).

Incidentally a lack of smell doesn't rule out coryza. A smell on top of all the other symptoms just points towards it.

I would treat for the full 14 days if it's a mycin or cycline drug. Well I'd just follow the advice i gave below. It works very well for others and myself.

 

[allison finch]

You should, probably, treat all the birds living with the ill one since they were exposed, too.

 

[fiddledeedee]

I am treating all the birds since they have all come from the same breeder and I imagine they all have been exposed and I agree, it is likely that they are all carriers of whatever it is that she has.

I had always intended this to be a closed flock so I guess no more chooks for me while I have these ones. This has certainly been a learning curve for me - the website gave the impression of a it being a small cottage business and I incorrectly assumed that the hens would have been raised on the premises. It was only when I collected them that I learned that the pullets all come from a large commercial breeder and only the day old chicks are hatched there. Believe me I will never make that mistake again!

It is such a shame as the lady I've dealt with is very pleasant and if not for the illness problem she would certainly have gotten repeat business from me as we are looking at keeping a few hens as part of our permaculture veggie garden for eggs long term. Maybe next time around I will raise some day olds instead if there is less chance of them being diseased.

 

[threehorses]

It never ceases to amaze me how people or companies will use what we want to hear to get our business whether or not that's the truth.

They don't even have to come out and say "we're a small cottage business" but you got that feeling from the way they presented themselves. They didn't have to say it. There's a lot of that going on out there, and I'm afraid it's made me a bit of a cynic. (Maybe that's good to a certain extent?)

I tend to ask a lot of questions. I tend to phrase my questions these days in the way that I'm sure businesses would hope I don't: I pin them down to a certain type of answer that will betray any misrepresentation of their product. I don't do it meanly - I usually have something else in mind for the product. If it does B, but they make it sound like it does A, sometimes it doing B is perfect and I don't need A. But I'd like for them to be honest about not actually doing A when they imply it does.

Case in point: there's an international company that makes a "wormer" (they use quotation marks at one point in their advertising - a red flag for me). Now they don't say their product kills, paralyzes, and expells worms. But if you read their literature it strongly implies it. If you really dig, you will find something that says their produce is the premier one at repelling worms.

Now see, there's nothing wrong with repelling worms, not to me anyway. I'd LOVE a product that honestly repels worms. But it implies that it gets rid of worms completely, lightly implies (particularly if you really want to hear that message) that it treats worms.

So I emailed them. Several days ago. I was quite specific, asking could they please provide a list of the species and life stages that their product expells paralyzes or removes. I explained I would love to recommend their product even if just for a repellent, but I' dlike to know exactly what it will and won't do so I can be accurate in my recommendation.

I think I'm going to mark a calendar on how long it takes to get a reply if at all.

Most advertisers tell us what we want to hear - or imply it. A kitchen cleaner will make my whole house look better and more trendy, a diet product will make me have an obvious work-out addicted body. But it really strikes home and irks me a bit when they do that to people who simply want something more wholesome in their life.

OK, rant over. /hugs I'm so sorry about this whole experience. Theoretically what you get from her will be the same as what you have. If you were to buy more chickens, possible ethics aside (who knows on that - she might be earnest) this still might be a better bet. We're not certain this illness is vertically transmitted so all new babies would be without it anyway hopefully. Quarantining new babies would be a good deal. I do like to keep new babies (mine or otherwise) apart from other birds until 4-5 months of age at least. I know from a behaviroral and nutritional standpoint that's the age where they can better blend in. But recently I've learned that doing so also allows them to better develop their immune system to its fullest so that they can better withstand whatever the adults have.

All I knew is that it worked; I didn't really fully understand why until now. Perhaps that will work for you as well.

 

[fiddledeedee]

Well the medication arrived yesterday and I started treatment. I wish I could tell you what it is, but as it arrived in a ziplock bag with no label I have no idea! I dont' know if it is my imagination, but she seems to be a bit better already - not sneezing so much and no eye bubbles today so fingers crossed. If she isn't showing a dramatic improvement in 3 days the seller said to bring her back.

 

[threehorses]

Can you possibly call and ask? It'll be important to know what medicine as bubbley eyes often accompany diseases that become carried diseases, not completely cured. You'll want to know what to get and what the strength is.

I'm glad to hear they're doing better.

 

[fiddledeedee]

Just a quick update (I hate it when the thread ends and you never end up finding out what happened!). Sick chook is sick no more! The medication is an antibiotic and it seems to have done the trick. I realise that in all likelihood all of my chooks are probably carriers of whatever it was and will not be introducing any more to the flock. Next time, I am buying day olds!

Now just 5 more days until I can eat the eggs again....

 

[threehorses]

Oh you scared me! !

You said sick chick was no more, and... well you know what I thought.

Congrats on getting the bird over the illness!