Please Help!! Pullet Going Down Hill Fast!!!!!!!! UPDATE

[Reurra]

Please help!! My big baby girl is very very ill and I dont know whats wrong with her!!

I went to do laundry and when I came home, I went to check for eggs. Instead I found my baby girl Dragon hunched up and eyes closed. She lets out a long low "buuurrrr" now and again.

This morning I made a mash for the girls of Wazine and layer pellets. None of the other girls are sick. They are all fine, begging for treats. Every bird ate from the mash, but none of them are sick except Dragon. Before they had that though, my son let them out to have a good wander around the yard. I came out and found them pecking at some of the apples that fall out of our tree. We dont eat the apples, we let them grow wild. All the birds ate from the apples, none of them are sick. The only one is Dragon. Dragon is almost 18 weeks old. She has always been the biggest, bravest and strongest of my girls.


She seems listless, though I found her standing and she still has strength to stand. I think I caught what ever it is fairly early.

Im worried she may have eaten an apple seed or two from those apples. Can she get arsenic poisoning from only a couple of seeds?

Please help! I dont want to lose her before its too late!!

I have her crated up in the house with water only.

Symptoms:

Hunched

Eyes closed

It almost looks as though she is falling asleep until she hears a noise and opens her eyes briefly, then closes them and starts to zone out again.

Her head tucks in.

Empty crop.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

I would guess coccidiosis, which can recur any time. They can be gone within 24 hours so you have to move very fast. Only CORID works.
Do you have access to this med?

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Have you used Corid before? It goes into the water. I had to dropper feed the water to my little girl almost every hour all day and then late into the night. It saved her. Within three days she was her spunky self. But you have to treat all of them.

Try to get the 9.6% solution. Here is the recipe:

Corid 9.6% solution- that's the right stuff.

Take 9.5 ml and put it in a gallon of water. Mix it, and give that to them as their only water. Change solution daily. Give for 5 days. Repeat course if coccidiosis signs come back (have had to do this myself).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/86975/corid-dosing
see pips and peeps post #2 on this thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/434486/dosage-for-corid-9-6-oral-solution
here's another (post #2 in this thread)

I gave you the threads above as corroboration of the dosage I am mentioning. I have given this dose myself and had excellent results. Death can occur within 24 hours so don't delay treatment.

I would hold off on the tetracycline for now for the 9 week old, and re-evaluate the status after Corid. Those signs sound like cocci.

Adult chickens usually don't succumb to coccidiosis unless they are immunocompromised. I would consider checking the poo of the new roo for worms...check for mites or anything that would make him ill. Green diarrhea can be from bacterial infections or anything where they are not consuming enough food. You might watch said roo carefully for additional signs of illness. I personally would separate him as he is new and apparently ill. I don't give antibiotics for just diarrhea personally (corid isn't an antibiotic).

Keep in mind that I'm not a vet LOL but am just telling you what I have done. Don't administer vitamins at the same time as giving Corid.

Edited by ChickensAreSweet - 7/5/12 at 5:10pm

 

[Reurra]

Thanks for the reply!!

I have some medicated feed, but thats it. Everything is closed right now so I dont know if I can get anything from a local feed, in this area very few places are open on the weekends. I will call right now and see what I can find.

There is no bloody stool and they have never had Cocci before. Should I treat all the birds? Her stool looked pretty normal out in the coop.

If its no cocci, what else could cause this and what else can I do? Ive heard of "purges" or washes that help them get things out of their system fast, but i cant remember what they are called.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Just their feed (best if medicated with Amprolium which is an anti-parasitic thing.....not an antibiotic) The Corid itself is Amprolium. No additives (vitamins, etc) while on treatment for 5 days ( 7 if sypmtoms haven't cleared. The Thiamine feeds the bad beasties (the overgrowth of protozoa) I also added the Corid water to the birds' crumbles to give them a medicated mash.

 

[Reurra]

I just called both nearest feed stores, the one that is open does not carry corrid, the other one is closed till Monday.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Thanks for the reply!!

I have some medicated feed, but thats it. Everything is closed right now so I dont know if I can get anything from a local feed, in this area very few places are open on the weekends. I will call right now and see what I can find.

There is no bloody stool and they have never had Cocci before. Should I treat all the birds? Her stool looked pretty normal out in the coop.

If its no cocci, what else could cause this and what else can I do? Ive heard of "purges" or washes that help them get things out of their system fast, but i cant remember what they are called.

Reurra,

Corid is really the only thing that will cure this. Are there any cow farmers you can call on? It is found in the cow medication section. It looks like tomorrow may be too late. You have to be careful when you dropper the water...I did it on or alongside the beak. Don't force it down with a syringe or it will go into her lungs and drown her. It's not hard. Just time-consuming.

It sure does look like coccidiosis if there are no other symptoms like runny eyes or labored breathing. And the picture is classic....hunched up with eyes half-open or closed. The little ones really puff up their feathers, too, as if trying to keep warm.

If she has been sick and or hot she may also be dehydrated. I would try droppering water. ACV has thiamine in it so that won't help.

Can you send out a help thread for Corid to the BYC forum on the chance that someone in your area is online? Why do these things so often happen on weekends or evenings????!!!

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Sure wish I could help. Also Canadian (dual now) living in Northern MN. My mom and I did an intensive tour of N.S. in 1983. It was fabulous. What a beautiful place to live.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

A thought just occured to me: Corid is AMPROLIUM. Is there a possiblity it goes by a different name up there??

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Reurra, a veterinarian would have it for sure...I would think so anyway. I know it's Saturday but it might be worth the try.