Pnemonia

[CKC Coop]

My favorite hen, Annabelle, had pnemonia. I noticed last Monday she was a bit off and by Tuesday I moved her to the basement. Wednesday night morning we called out vet. I had never had any of our chickens to the vet before, but Annabelle is extra special and I wanted to take her. Our vet, as I know most are, wasn't familiar enough with poultry issues and referred us to a vet out of town that was. He couldn't see Annabelle until Friday. We kept her warm until then, not knowing what was wrong other than her crop felt doughy and she was very weak. I know crop issues aren't always a result of impaction, but can be a symptom of lots of other things. I didn't know whether to give antibiotics myself or not. We waited and took her in. The vet said pnemonia and gave her a shot of an antibiotic and a shot of cortisone. She is eating and drinking a little a day later, bit of course still very week. Never throughout this have I noticed her rasping or breathing heavy other than her tail and body moving more visibly than normal. The vet said it is 50/50 on whether she will get better. Has anyone been through this that can give me an idea of anything I can do other than heat and rest? Also, if you've been through it, how long before I may see improvement. I really want to go buy a stethoscope! I'm praying she pulls through. I'm hopeful, but cautious. I really didn't know if what she had was something that could even be treated, so I'm also to thankful this is what it turned out to be. She's the only one in our flock of 30 that showed symptoms. Should I be concerned about the others still getting it? Thanks for any help/advice!

 

[azygous]

How is her crop now? If she had and still has a sour crop, she could be aspirating this fluid, especially when she's handled. This can cause pneumonia.

If her crop is still spongy and especially if it's full and spongy in the morning, it would be a good idea to treat her for sour crop.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. Do you know what antibiotic was given? Certain antibiotics are good for respiratory infections, but some are not. She might have had a slow crop from just being ill, but if she has sour crop, antibiotics can sometimes cause more problems. Sour crop can many times be a fungal infection, and giving antibiotics can make it worse. Does she have a bad or sour odor from her beak?

 

[CKC Coop]

Sorry about your hen. Do you know what antibiotic was given? Certain antibiotics are good for respiratory infections, but some are not. She might have had a slow crop from just being ill, but if she has sour crop, antibiotics can sometimes cause more problems. Sour crop can many times be a fungal infection, and giving antibiotics can make it worse. Does she have a bad or sour odor from her beak?

Thanks for your replies! I first thought it was a sour crop and spent a couple of days massaging and trying to get something out of her. I had done that with a couple of hens before, but had no luck with Annabelle. It just feels doughy though which is different from other sour crop hens I've had. She has no odor either. The vet said that her crop will be slow to empty from the pnemonia. She is getting food through as she is pooping. I tried one dose of a baking soda, chili powder, lemon juice, and ginger mixture that I had seen posted for doughy crop. That was the day before I took her to the vet. I've done nothing since Friday when the vet gave an antibiotic. The antibiotic she was given was Convenia. She was also given Dexameth. She is still eating a little and has not worsened, but I also don't think she has gotten better and I still worry about the doughy crop. I'm hoping I'm not (and the vet) didn't miss something. Waiting and wondering is so hard.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Poor baby. I hope she gets better!

 

[CKC Coop]

How is her crop now? If she had and still has a sour crop, she could be aspirating this fluid, especially when she's handled. This can cause pneumonia.

If her crop is still spongy and especially if it's full and spongy in the morning, it would be a good idea to treat her for sour crop.

Thank you for your reply! Yes, her crop is still doughy. The vet didn't seem concerned about that. Said it was from the pnemonia. I am concerned though because I know it isn't right even if it is caused by pnemonia. I worried that she had aspirated too and that is how she got the pnemonia, but she has never had an odor and I've never been able to get anything to come up. Though I haven't tried since Friday when she went to the vet. Just hoping for improvement soon. She is still so week and can barely stand. She eats very little. I'm very worried. I felt better Friday after seeing the vet, but feel discouraged that she remains the same.

 

[CKC Coop]

Poor baby. I hope she gets better!

Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not familiar with that antibiotic, but it says that it is for bacterial skin infections. Wonder why they gave that? A sour crop should not be massaged. But a doughy crop may be broken up with downward massage. Coconut oil, slightly cooled and cut into small slivers, can be given orally once a day to help move it along. Most chickens will peck and eat them, and 1 tsp a day is plenty. Water is the most important thing to help a impacted or doughy crop. Chickens don’t get pneumonia necessarily. At least it is a bit different because of how a bird’s respiratory system is. They breathe by air being pulled into the air sacs. Most respiratory infections cause sinus infection or air sac infections which can spread throughout the body.

 

[azygous]

A sour crop doesn't necessarily always smell. And vets don't always know what's best for chickens. This is why we have this place to come to for advice. Many of us have been caring for our chickens for a decade and more without the luxury of a vet to treat them when they turn up sick or injured. So we've learned quite a lot about what works and what doesn't, and we're still learning.

Sour crop can make a chicken very ill, and if it goes too long untreated, it can spread down into the lower digestive tract as well. Once this happens, the chicken is going to be slowly starving to death.

A doughy crop in the morning is a sign that the crop is in need of treatment. I urge you to go ahead and give the oil that @Eggcessive suggested, and then begin treating with miconazole. You can get it at any pharmacy where the women's products are shelved.

Read this for further information on how to treat. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ I also suggest you provide grit to this little patient if you haven't already.

 

[CKC Coop]

I am not familiar with that antibiotic, but it says that it is for bacterial skin infections. Wonder why they gave that? A sour crop should not be massaged. But a doughy crop may be broken up with downward massage. Coconut oil, slightly cooled and cut into small slivers, can be given orally once a day to help move it along. Most chickens will peck and eat them, and 1 tsp a day is plenty. Water is the most important thing to help a impacted or doughy crop. Chickens don’t get pneumonia necessarily. At least it is a bit different because of how a bird’s respiratory system is. They breathe by air being pulled into the air sacs. Most respiratory infections cause sinus infection or air sac infections which can spread throughout the body.

I saw that it was for skin infections too and wondered, though in other places it was listed for pnemonia. Thanks for the info about doughy crop. I will try the coconut oil!