shelbyypont
Hatching
- Feb 24, 2024
- 3
- 0
- 4
Hello all,
I know that this is common thread and trust me I have read every single one trying to diagnose my sweet Felicia. Here is a list of info so no one needs to skim through a whole paragraph. Trying to attach photos and will once I get it together.
-Felicia is a 9-month-old non vaccinated silver laced Wyandotte.
-Has been laying for a few months. Hasn't laid in over a week once she started getting sick.
-3 coop mates, Philis the golden comet, also unvaccinated and gotten with felicia from tractor supply. Carlo the 6mo silkie rooster from a local breeder, vaccination unknown. Susan the pekin duck, 10mo also from tractor supply. None of them are sick, Carlo occasional mates with my hens if he can sneak up on them but she's not over mated and is lower than Philis is the pecking order, however everyone gets along fine.
-Large coop with 5 nesting boxes attached to large run. Coop is hay, run is sand and currently run has 2-foot plastic barrier on bottom to prevent wind chill in winter. They free range inside 1700Sq feet of electric poultry netting 4-5 days a week. They used to be completely free range, but a fox took two, so we had to adjust.
-Access to fresh water inside and outside run. Currently eating DuMor layer feed with access to grit, oyster shell and anything they can find free ranging. Treats are scratch grains on ground outside, black solider fly larvae and various fruits and veg. Unfortunately, I didn't realize they shouldn't have access to compost, and they were scratching in there but since talking to vet online I have limited their access.
On Thursday 2/15, My husband noticed that Felicia was laying in the dirt when he was getting everyone into the run for the night. I went out and as I got close, she wobbled up but then walked into the run. I watched her for a bit but went inside after she seemed fine.
2/15 I checked on her before work, and she jumped down from the roost, wobbled to the run to eat. She ate but was wobbly. Right before I left, I saw Carlo mating her while she was completely laid on the ground. I went and got her, brought her inside with feed, water and straw in a bathtub and went to work. After I left work, I messaged a poultry vet online to discuss what was going on. He brought up botulism, egg bound, vitamin deficiency and Mareks. We have now ruled out botulism and egg bound at this point, considering she would have already passed.
-----Started scrambled egg with nutritional yeast, b complex tabs dissolved in water, Nutri drench, electrolytes powder and aspirin at this point daily------------------------------------------------
2/16-2/19 Drinking and eating but minimally. Leg weakness and movement declined, and she was unable to stand up. However, she was not pale, lethargic or depressed. Poops were solid but dark green and some brown but only a few poops a day with baths after. Built her a chicken chair to sit her up multiple times per day.
2/20-2/22 Condition declining, diarrhea, still not pale however hardly eating and not drinking. Puffed up and lethargic. I had to syringe water her multiple times a day since she wasn't drinking at all. Would only take bugs and blueberries and grit. However, it was not enough to not starve. Had lost significant weight, no leg improvement.
2/23 Not eating or drinking at all. Had to start crop feeding by tube if I wanted to save her. Started by getting her dehydration under control with 30cc of Pedialyte. Once she pooped (water) I administered 30 cc of following formula: Unmedicated starter crumbles, b complex tab and probiotic warmed not hot and dissolved in Pedialyte. I'm waiting on Kaytee exact baby bird food to get delivered today and then will switch to that. I didn't think she would make in through the night. Went immediately to sleep after crop was full and after she ate 2 crickets.
2/24 Had solid brown poops this morning. Followed exact same hydration and crop feeding as last night. Still no change to legs, paralysis isn't worsening. She is alert and ate a handful of bugs and grit but still won't drink water. Was falling asleep while petting but I also noticed she is (closed mouth) breathing heavily IMO. I don't know if this is normal for her as its not super heavy, but I see her body moving with breath or because her crop is full. She was same weight this morning as she was last night before feeding.
I guess my question is, has anyone had these symptoms and ever gotten and definitive answer? How long does it take to see an improvement from vitamin deficiency? What should I be looking out for to determine if its Mareks and to cull her? Is there anything I could do to improve her care and treatment? All of this is new to me and I'm leaving tomorrow to move my mom to another state, so my husband will be taking over her care. I have state labs sent to him so he can take her for diagnosis if she dies or needs to be culled for suffering. None of my other chickens are sick and are going on as normal. Thanks so much in advance, and sorry for the long post.
I know that this is common thread and trust me I have read every single one trying to diagnose my sweet Felicia. Here is a list of info so no one needs to skim through a whole paragraph. Trying to attach photos and will once I get it together.
-Felicia is a 9-month-old non vaccinated silver laced Wyandotte.
-Has been laying for a few months. Hasn't laid in over a week once she started getting sick.
-3 coop mates, Philis the golden comet, also unvaccinated and gotten with felicia from tractor supply. Carlo the 6mo silkie rooster from a local breeder, vaccination unknown. Susan the pekin duck, 10mo also from tractor supply. None of them are sick, Carlo occasional mates with my hens if he can sneak up on them but she's not over mated and is lower than Philis is the pecking order, however everyone gets along fine.
-Large coop with 5 nesting boxes attached to large run. Coop is hay, run is sand and currently run has 2-foot plastic barrier on bottom to prevent wind chill in winter. They free range inside 1700Sq feet of electric poultry netting 4-5 days a week. They used to be completely free range, but a fox took two, so we had to adjust.
-Access to fresh water inside and outside run. Currently eating DuMor layer feed with access to grit, oyster shell and anything they can find free ranging. Treats are scratch grains on ground outside, black solider fly larvae and various fruits and veg. Unfortunately, I didn't realize they shouldn't have access to compost, and they were scratching in there but since talking to vet online I have limited their access.
On Thursday 2/15, My husband noticed that Felicia was laying in the dirt when he was getting everyone into the run for the night. I went out and as I got close, she wobbled up but then walked into the run. I watched her for a bit but went inside after she seemed fine.
2/15 I checked on her before work, and she jumped down from the roost, wobbled to the run to eat. She ate but was wobbly. Right before I left, I saw Carlo mating her while she was completely laid on the ground. I went and got her, brought her inside with feed, water and straw in a bathtub and went to work. After I left work, I messaged a poultry vet online to discuss what was going on. He brought up botulism, egg bound, vitamin deficiency and Mareks. We have now ruled out botulism and egg bound at this point, considering she would have already passed.
-----Started scrambled egg with nutritional yeast, b complex tabs dissolved in water, Nutri drench, electrolytes powder and aspirin at this point daily------------------------------------------------
2/16-2/19 Drinking and eating but minimally. Leg weakness and movement declined, and she was unable to stand up. However, she was not pale, lethargic or depressed. Poops were solid but dark green and some brown but only a few poops a day with baths after. Built her a chicken chair to sit her up multiple times per day.
2/20-2/22 Condition declining, diarrhea, still not pale however hardly eating and not drinking. Puffed up and lethargic. I had to syringe water her multiple times a day since she wasn't drinking at all. Would only take bugs and blueberries and grit. However, it was not enough to not starve. Had lost significant weight, no leg improvement.
2/23 Not eating or drinking at all. Had to start crop feeding by tube if I wanted to save her. Started by getting her dehydration under control with 30cc of Pedialyte. Once she pooped (water) I administered 30 cc of following formula: Unmedicated starter crumbles, b complex tab and probiotic warmed not hot and dissolved in Pedialyte. I'm waiting on Kaytee exact baby bird food to get delivered today and then will switch to that. I didn't think she would make in through the night. Went immediately to sleep after crop was full and after she ate 2 crickets.
2/24 Had solid brown poops this morning. Followed exact same hydration and crop feeding as last night. Still no change to legs, paralysis isn't worsening. She is alert and ate a handful of bugs and grit but still won't drink water. Was falling asleep while petting but I also noticed she is (closed mouth) breathing heavily IMO. I don't know if this is normal for her as its not super heavy, but I see her body moving with breath or because her crop is full. She was same weight this morning as she was last night before feeding.
I guess my question is, has anyone had these symptoms and ever gotten and definitive answer? How long does it take to see an improvement from vitamin deficiency? What should I be looking out for to determine if its Mareks and to cull her? Is there anything I could do to improve her care and treatment? All of this is new to me and I'm leaving tomorrow to move my mom to another state, so my husband will be taking over her care. I have state labs sent to him so he can take her for diagnosis if she dies or needs to be culled for suffering. None of my other chickens are sick and are going on as normal. Thanks so much in advance, and sorry for the long post.
