pretty new to chickens. Lethargic adult hen. Pretty sure its not respitory.

[TammyTX]

...plugged nostrils sounds respiratory to me.

 

[TherryChicken]

I agree, gurgling, mucus, ect sounds likerespitory infection. However all these different colorsand the poop sound off to me

 

[backwoodsmamma]

Would any of you know how much antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride to mix with water.

 

[TammyTX]

Would any of you know how much antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride to mix with water.

I don't know the answer, but I found this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/393291/dosage-for-duramycin-tetracycline

Read the all of the posts in the thread above...there are differing opinions.

"I had to give my chickens 200-400 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride per day in a gallon of water for seven days as a preventative just in case they might have caught the respiratory disease from my rooster that spent a week at the vet's.

I knew that 400 mg = 0.014109 oz . = 0.084654 teaspoon

My pharmacist used a special scale and measured out 400 mg. It's about 1/20+/- of a teaspoon. Since I have 12 bbs Orpingtons drinking the water, I put 1/10+/- of a teaspoon in two gallons of water. I have to change the water every day for seven days though because the tetracycline powder/water solution only lasts for one day.
ETA Also, I have to throw the eggs down the garbage disposal for two weeks. They cannot be used for humans or dogs or chickens for those two weeks."

 

[backwoodsmamma]

Well poop. She just died. I heard a thrash in the bathroom ran in and she was already dead a bunch of fluid expelled from her mouth. Way more then before. It was still like murky water with a brownish redish tint.
Another strange question after she passed she pooped. I wiped it and put some in a zip lock bag. Should I take that to the vet and have him check it or maybe get a sample from my other chickens?

 

[rushmoor3]

I'll bet money it was respitory problems. The same thing happened to me. I have never had a sick chicken before and didn't know what I was dealing with. It all started when I had taken some chickens to a poultry show. There most have been some sick ones there. About a week after they had come home, I found a hen dead in the yard. I didn't even realize they were sick because they were all free ranging in the back yard (about a quarter of an acre) and didn't seem at all sick - until I found her. When I picked her up, clear fluid poured from her mouth. Then I really started to pay attention. This is highly communicable because I started noticing runny noses in my other hens (not even the ones that went to the show). I've had them inside in pens (since just before the blizzard) and immediately started them on Sulmet for seven days and then I mixed vitamin C powder in their water for seven more days. Everyone is right as rain now.

 

[realsis]

I'll also bet it was respitory . I also recently lost three birds this same way. First bird had no signs at all. Second and third did. It was resistant to antibotic. Last two both had that fluid your taking about.it was awful. Last to died in my husband's arms. Aspirated in the way you described. Very sad. I had tried tylan 50 injectable and baytril injectable and tylamox. Even tube fed them. But sadly they died any way. ..so I'm guessing yours was respitory also. Sounds too similar. So sorry for your loss.

 

[TammyTX]

The dark colored mucus was probably "old blood" which looks dark, vs. new blood which is bright.

My guess would be infectious laryngotracheitis...which meant you would have to cull anyway...I know that doesn't make the loss of a pet any easier.

Look it up and find out what you need to do to protect the rest of your flock, they are your priority now.

 

[casportpony]

Well poop. She just died. I heard a thrash in the bathroom ran in and she was already dead a bunch of fluid expelled from her mouth. Way more then before. It was still like murky water with a brownish redish tint.
Another strange question after she passed she pooped. I wiped it and put some in a zip lock bag. Should I take that to the vet and have him check it or maybe get a sample from my other chickens?

Sorry for your loss... Many States in the US have free or low cost necropsy services and will let you use their FedEx number to save on shipping, so if I were you, I would send her off for a necropsy.

This link lists some labs by State:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

How to Send a Bird for a Necropsy​

They need the whole bird, refrigerated, not frozen. If you live in CA, there are four labs that do necropsies on poultry (chickens, turkeys, waterfowl) for free. I know that they do out of state necropsies, but I think they charge for those. You could call them and ask what they charge for out of state "backyard poultry". The lab I use is the one in Tulare, CA. If you are in CA, call them and ask for their FedEx account number, it will save a bunch on shipping charges.

CAHFS
18830 Road 112
Tulare, CA 93274-9042
(559) 688-7543
(559) 686-4231 (FAX)
[email protected]


The other labs are listed here:
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/services/lab_locations.cfm

I would suggest shipping on Monday for Tuesday delivery. What you need to do, if you haven't already done so, is put your bird in your refrigerator, NOT the freezer! Then you need to find a box, line it with styrofoam (I use the 4'x8'x1" stuff from Home Depot. You can also get smaller pieces at an art store like Michael's, but is way more expensive. Click here to see foam options. You'll also need at least one ice pack. Here are some pictures that I took of the last bird that I sent:

Box lined with foam on four sides and bottom. Seams of foam taped sealed.


Box, sides, bottom and and top.


Frozen ice pack in ziplock baggie.


Brown paper on top of ice pack.


Hen in ziplock baggie on top of brown paper.


Brown paper on top of hen.


Ice pack on top of brown paper.


Lid on top of brown paper.
​

Inside the box you should also include a submission form in a ziplock baggie. Do not tell anyone at FedEx that you're shipping a dead animal... that seems to really worry them. Just make sure that nothing will leak.

Hope this helps!

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I don't know the answer, but I found this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/393291/dosage-for-duramycin-tetracycline

Read the all of the posts in the thread above...there are differing opinions.

"I had to give my chickens 200-400 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride per day in a gallon of water for seven days as a preventative just in case they might have caught the respiratory disease from my rooster that spent a week at the vet's.

I knew that 400 mg = 0.014109 oz . = 0.084654 teaspoon

My pharmacist used a special scale and measured out 400 mg. It's about 1/20+/- of a teaspoon. Since I have 12 bbs Orpingtons drinking the water, I put 1/10+/- of a teaspoon in two gallons of water. I have to change the water every day for seven days though because the tetracycline powder/water solution only lasts for one day.
ETA Also, I have to throw the eggs down the garbage disposal for two weeks. They cannot be used for humans or dogs or chickens for those two weeks."

Duravet recommends two different doses for poultry:

• 400mg = 1/2 tablespoon per gallon of water
• 800mg = 1 tablespoon per gallon of water

Source:http://www.durvet.com/dl/Durvet-Poultry-Brochure.pdf

-Kathy