Please help with this---Pullet gasping for breath

[allison finch]

I had a pullet come down with cocci and I have been treating her. She has made, what appears to be, a wonderful recovery. I have been giving sulmet/water and probiotics to the rest of the flock that has been in contact with the sick one. This morning, I found a second pullet with the same symptoms as the first one. I brought her in and put her with the recovering one. Sure enough, bloody poo. I started treating her by making a wet mash of powdered starter, acidopholus, and sulmet/water. I used a dropper as I did with the first. Now this pullet is gasping for breath and squawking with each inhalation. I am so worried she somehow aspriated some of the mix. Is this what must have happened? Is there any way to relieve her? She is looking very tired from the effort to breath. ANY help will be appreciated!!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

what ever you do, do not give her any thing by beak.

Hopefully, if she did aspirate liquid, she will be able to work through it.

Chickens have "air sacs" not lungs and any liquid in them is a very dangerous thing.

They do not have an "adams' apple" and are not able to block off their air passage easily.

This is why you see them tilt their head back when they drink, it is sorta a mechanical way to block of the passage.

You may loose her, keep her comfortable and quiet.

 

[allison finch]

Bummer.
I am new to chickens, but rehab other animals. I guess I was very lucky with the first pullet. I have read here that running meds onto the beak and having them run into the beak was OK. Not so? This time I think I went more invasively, hence the problem.

I really need to study chicken anatomy.

 

[allison finch]

Sadly, I just checked on her and she was dead. I feel so horrible as I feel my inexperienced care was the cause. I need to learn more about how to care for weakened birds. Is crop feeding with a stomach tube to only safe way to feed weak birds?

Help me learn. There is little written in the care section about how to help weakened birds regain strength.

I'm so sorry little one.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Try not to beat yourself up on this. MANY on here have done the same.

I use a dropper, but I put the mix in the SIDE of the beak. This way if I screw up or the bird shakes its head the mix goes out the other side.

Use a very small amount each time and let the chicken determine the way it would like to handle what you givie it. It may even spit it out, just keep at it.

So sorry you had to learn this way. Really this should be discussed extensively and a sticky put in.

I am sure your baby had the best of care and a nice comfortable life.

Many chickens do not. RIP.