Possible Vent Gleet

[MissChick@dee]

Showing loving kindness to a suffering animal is part of responsibility. Being swift and skilled is showing reverence and respect. I wish every chicken owner had your heart. It’s never easy. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Tried Monostat for several weeks with not much change.

I really thought this bird was going to pull out of it once I separated her from the rest of the flock. However, animals always know which of their kind are weak to begin with. The bird started growing her tail feathers back for a second time and was very talkative. So, I kept giving her electrolytes/probiotics, yogurt with the Monostat, and medicated feed...I thought that might help too.

Keep in mind I had called a vet early on with this. Because of phone troubles on their end it took them a few days to get back with me and then they said they didn't mess with chickens and would have another vet call me. That never happened, so I kept doing what I could. Perhaps I should have tried to make contact again on my own. Then again, thinking about the cost of feeding this bird from a chick, then possibly taking it to a vet...reality set in. My chickens are not my pets...they are farm animals. That's not to say I don't want to care for this bird, but some times you have to use a little common sense. Is it cheaper to cull this bird or take it to the vet and hope for the best outcome. Then there's worrying about the rest of the flock or one bird causing other birds to be sick.

Well, yesterday I noticed the bird had some difficulty in talking to me...like she was struggling to get her "chicken talk" to come out properly. So today, I went up to the hen house and did the only thing I knew to do...use my head a little. I took a look at our other Brahma hen...very closely...taking note of her feathering, the color of her feet, the color of her beak, wattles, comb...then I compared them with the sick Brahma. That's what made up my mind. I'd been putting this off, mainly for my wife, and even a little for myself. I kept thinking that because she was growing new tail feathers that she'd be alright. Today, after seeing the pale color of this bird I decided, since the boy was gone, that it was time to cull this bird. Man I hated to do that! Would have been easier to kill her and eat her than to just end her life getting no use from her...eggs...meat...let alone letting her live a happy life for a while.

It was quick and clean and really without much fuss from me or the bird. Like I said, I hated to do it, not the act of it...well, that as well to some degree, but I just hated that she couldn't have been more healthy.

I'm a hunter by heart, but killing animals has never been something I've celebrated or took pictures of. I've never been one to sugar coat it by calling it harvesting...and I don't argue if others call it that...but I just call it what it is...it's killing. I don't mind to kill an animal, but I don't parade around about it either. That's not for me. Not who I am. I always feel remorse. My dad once told me any person with a heart does feel at least a little remorse. After-all, they are God's created creatures...and we are the stewards of that creation. Least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So, for our first time raising chickens, 17, we've done pretty good to have only lost one bird since June 12, 2018, the day they became the proud owner of me. Sadly, I am sure that in the future, if I continue to keep chickens, I'll likely lose others as well...it's all part of life...especially on a farm. I don't call my place a farm, but in it's own way, even though it's small...I suppose it is.

You really hung in and did your best. I'm sorry she didnt pull thru' but best to not let her suffer any more.

 

[Hoytman]

Showing loving kindness to a suffering animal is part of responsibility. Being swift and skilled is showing reverence and respect. I wish every chicken owner had your heart. It’s never easy. Sorry for your loss.

Thank you for the kind words.

The only thing that bothers me is: Did I wait too long to do the inevitable?

I mean, I'm not asking that question to get an answer from anyone, though I don't mind if people respond, but it's more of me just thinking out loud. I guess we always guessing when is the right time...not too soon, not too late. I never want an animal to suffer. I really questioned if this bird was suffering...since she was healthy enough to grow tail feathers. Her chickens sounds changing is what concerned me...she seemed to struggle, that's what prompted me to look at the healthy bird.

I suppose I shouldn't question it though. She had been getting better not being runny and all, but the last few days it reared its ugly head again and was pretty bad. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision today.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Thank you for the kind words.

The only thing that bothers me is: Did I wait too long to do the inevitable?

I mean, I'm not asking that question to get an answer from anyone, though I don't mind if people respond, but it's more of me just thinking out loud. I guess we always guessing when is the right time...not too soon, not too late. I never want an animal to suffer. I really questioned if this bird was suffering...since she was healthy enough to grow tail feathers. Her chickens sounds changing is what concerned me...she seemed to struggle, that's what prompted me to look at the healthy bird.

I suppose I shouldn't question it though. She had been getting better not being runny and all, but the last few days it reared its ugly head again and was pretty bad. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision today.

You did.

 

[ForensicNurse]

After reading more...which takes time; that needs to be spent elsewhere doing other things...I've decided to forget the copper sulfate. I'll try and treat it naturally with yogurt, molasses, and vinegar and if I see improvement good, if not, I will cull the bird in a few days.

I don't get it...

…I give fresh water morning and evening every day...it's even Reverse Osmosis water for crying out loud. My birds are on Purina pellets, scratch grains, occasional greens and pumpkins without the seeds, whole corn on or off the cob AND...cracked corn...which I think may have caused this.

From the day I opened the cracked corn I did not like the smell of it...smelled a little sour to me...just odd smelling for crushed corn seed basically...unless something else was added. I bought it at TSC. I wish now I hadn't mixed half of the bag with a new 30 lb. bag of scratch grains.

I keep layer pellets in front of the birds 24/7 and give scratch in the morning...nearly 2 quarts...about 1 3/4 qts. each morning with grit and oyster shell mixed in.

Someone here said to give them scratch only in the evening. Maybe I should try that and perhaps I am giving them too much scratch each day for 17 birds.

Ya give them scratch as a treat. If they are layers they need the pellets, oyster/crushed egg shells and grit. Oyster & grit can be in smaller hook to fence feeders. They will eat as needed.

I give kitchen scraps (veggies) to get them in after free ranging. It’s enough for a few TBSP each. In one of those long trough feeders.

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar/1 liter water once a month (I take their large waterer away or put it where they free range)

You can also buy some Monistat ( have your wife buy) or anrifungal cream (for jock itch)

Put a little in her vent with a 3 cc syringe (put 1/2 -1 cc in.

Give her the probiotics and some electrolyte stuff in her water.

Keep her separate,treat for 5 days.

Have her “live” parallel to your other chickens for at least a week. Put grass or lettuce in the fence once a day so they feed together. Same with other snacks, grains. Then on a weekend when you are home. Let her area be accessible to the flock. At night separate. After that goes for a week you can have them roost together at night.

This is not medical advice nor am I a licensed animal healthcare person. Any ideas listed here are at your own risk with your own livestock.