PLEASE HELP!! Very worried about sneezing/gaping chickies.

[akatrielle]

I have 5 chickens currrently (2 australorps - 4 weeks, 1 EE - 4 weeks, and 2 Barred Rocks - 12 days) They are all still inside the house, and have never been outside. Sadly, they seem to have caught an infection or virus.

Backstory/info:

The 3 larger birds are in a box with an attached mesh "run" over a beach towel (to catch poops). The box is bedded with 1-2in of pine shavings. They're eating medicated chick mash, and are kept plenty warm inside. Poops look normal.

The two little ones are in a box with an attached mesh "run"...though they are on a towel in the box as well because they impacted their crops with pine shavings last time (4 days ago) - we're giving them a few days before we try to reintroduce the shavings. They're eating medicated mash, and have their own heat lamp to keep them warmer than the house temp. Poops look normal.

The two "runs" are about a foot away from each other. I know I should have quarantined the two babies, but they came from the same place (a feed store in Petaluma, CA) within 2 weeks of the older ones...and we thought they'd be OK as long as we kept their food/water/bodies separate.

ANYWAY, they have all begun sneezing (no colored discharge, but sometimes clear fluid upon sneezing), and have fits of gaping (looks like yawning, but happens 3-4 times in succession and seemingly causes them some discomfort). They don't seem to have any rattling or respiratory distress - no panting, gasping, or coughing.

Today one of the little ones started either shaking her head or convulsing - it looked a little like she was siezing, and she had a hard time getting up or keeping her balance. She's been lethargic (wings droop a little, but not when she's more alert/awake). I took her to the vet, who gave her fluids, an antibiotic shot, and prescribed her 2 weeks of enrofloxacin to cover the bases. She said that she didn't see any symptoms that pointed to a specific illness - her chest and heart sounded OK, and there were no lesions or worms in her throat.

She's home now, and is in quarantine (and VERY lonely). So far there haven't been any more seizures/losses of balance.

The vet has advised a tetracyclene for the other birds, unless their symptoms progress further (at which point they'll get heavier antibiotics). We live in SF, and will have to wait until tomorrow to get to a feed store to get it - we don't have one here.

Does anyone know what this could be? Are there any other ways I can keep these girls safe and healthy? I've had them for a very short time, but I know I couldn't bear it if I lost them.

Thank you!

 

[robin416]

Start by removing the shavings, give them a few hours to see if it stops.

Also, what temps are the brooders at?

 

[akatrielle]

Thanks for responding - the brooders are at about 85, and they pant if we make it any higher than that. This temp seems comfortable for them.

The shavings are gone from the baby chicks' brooder, and have been for a few days - their crops cleared out the day after the shavings were gone.

Now, 3 days later, we have sick chickens - the ones with the shavings, AND the ones without.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

probley a respitory infections, try the aintibiotics and see what happens.
I see you said the vet checked, but The symptoms you discribed are also seen with Gape worms, they make them gape like they are gasping for air, thus the name.
Being inside, they shouldnt have this, but if they came from a store, there's no telling what all they have been exposed to?
If possible, tilt the heads back on the ones doing it, open their mouths and shine a flash light down their throat, you can usually see tiny red worms if this is the case, then a wormer for gape worms will be needed.
BUT, most likely, the removal of the shaving and the aintibiotics will be the best resort as I feel it's probley a respitory infection.
Also, we like to use old newspapers just to be safe on the bedding.
Have seen them get infections from wood shavings, especially if they are scented pet store ones, also have seen chicks get impacted from eating them if allowed to walk around on them.
Hope all works out for you
Aubrey

 

[robin416]

I was thinking too warm conditions would cause some of what you're seeing. I'm also wondering if there is something about these shavings that warmth is drawing something up that is getting to them. The brooders are next to each other, correct?

There isn't much more I can think of at the moment that would have them all doing this. It is possible something came home with the last two but its very hard to know for certain.

 

[akatrielle]

(cross - posted to new thread re: meds)

Help! None of the pet stores in the Bay Area carry waterborne (to mix in) tetracyclene, or any other antibiotics. They said the gov't has cracked down on OTC antibiotics. The avian hospital said they can give us oral antibiotics for all 5 birds, but will require we come in for an exam ($70, and then the cost of the meds) - they said they don't do water-mix meds because you can't control the dosage to the girls (some might drink much more than others), and because the taste might put them off their water, and then they'd be dehydrated AND sick.

Should I believe the "pros", or try to find antibiotics at a feed store further away/online?

Our little one (Delilah) seems to be doing OK this morning...still gaping a few times, but more energy, eating/drinking well, poops still look normal. I gave her the first dose of oral antibiotics, and she likes tutti fruity flavor, so that's good!

She's so lonely in quarantine, though! How can I keep her safe/sane while she recuperates? I read about getting a mirror, stuffed animal, or featherduster...also wondered if I should keep her far enough away that she can't hear the other birds (they peep loudly at each other and it stresses them both out).

Thank you!

 

[robin416]

I am dead set against giving antibiotics when there is no diagnosis or probable cause. I do not see a probable cause in this instance. If the last birds in brought something with them then there is nothing to be done about it.

You start giving antibiotics for an incorrect reason or give the wrong antibiotics for the wrong disease vector you are introducing a future problem of the drugs not working.

 

[akatrielle]

The chicken vet (used to work at a barnyard veterinary hospital) prescribed the antibiotics to our little Delilah, and said to use Tetracycline for the other girls, so it *was* prescribed. We found a feed store not TOO far away that carries it...any suggestions of other things to boost their systems?

Delilah seems to have more energy, but is now wearing herself out trying to escape quarantine.

 

[akatrielle]

Delilah is gaping again, and scratching at her head with her foot, as though something is in her throat she wants out, or something itches.

She's disoriented, and if she turns her head too fast, or stands up too fast, she falls over. She's doing this weird backing-away thing (like someone's grabbing her beak and she's shaking them off), and her head is shivering more than the rest of her body. Not sneezing as much, and no discharge now...but back to the lethargy.

She seems to be eating OK, and I'm pushing fluids by syringing water right to her beak to make sure she's drinking...is it possible the antibiotics aren't fully kicked in yet?

 

[akatrielle]

Other chicks are now on duramycin, and none are showing signs of lethargy or siezing. I've cleaned out their brooders/runs, and disinfected everything that went into the new setup. The little one (Delilah - 13 days old) is still very weak and is shivering, though the temp in her brooder is very high (around 90 degrees).

does ANYONE know what could cause:
* sneezing
* gaping
* head/throat/beak scratching (like it itches)
*strange siezure-like head movements
*lethargy/weakness
*disorientation/dizziness

Please help. I'm so worried.