Rehabbing Hen -New issue. Need advice please

[snip2377]

3C707B81-EF6A-44CE-AC9E-EA1F40288A4C

• snip2377
• Jul 29, 2018

Eye closed in young Americana hen

About a month ago my 5/6 month old hen was on deaths door. Treated her with Corid undiluted and in water for a week along with water for every other bird we have. Then she developed Wry neck which responded amazingly to vitamin E and sellium! All the while syringe feeding her baby food until she recovered from Wry neck and began eating on her own again. Then she only wanted her feed to eat and wouldn’t touch anything else. Now we have the eyes closing again with slits and she acts like she can’t see, so yesterday I began .5cc tylan orally because she is so thin still I didn’t want to try and stick her in her recovering breast muscle. Also started applying neosporin to her face near eye and eye lid. The bad eye she had a tiny slit open last evening but closed again this morning and the better eye is cracked open less today. Any advice is appreciated because I’ve found the most useful information on this site that has saved her life so far.

 

[centrarchid]

Get her on fresh chick feed without medications / supplements. She either did have a string of bad luck, treatments themselves where a problem, or original diagnosis was not correct.

 

[micstrachan]

The fact that she only wants to eat her feed is a good thing (assuming it’s a complete grower feed?) She clearly doesn’t feel well, but why are you treating her with Tylan? I would examin her all over for parasites, injuries, bloating, breast muscle wasting, respiratory distress and crop function. How does her poop look?

 

[micstrachan]

Also, can we see her full body language?

 

[snip2377]

The fact that she only wants to eat her feed is a good thing (assuming it’s a complete grower feed?) She clearly doesn’t feel well, but why are you treating her with Tylan? I would examin her all over for parasites, injuries, bloating, breast muscle wasting, respiratory distress and crop function. How does her poop look?

It is now green and white but very runny at times. We are for free of blood now so corid worked! Tylan was recommended by a vet friend of mine since off label Baytril is not allowed anymore. Technically off label tylan isn’t either but that is easier to obtain over the counter still. I didn’t feel that she was drinking enough water so I put her feed -which I mix with layer crumbles scratch and black oil sunflowers for all my adult birds- in water a bit ago and she hasn’t taken her head away from the bowl. Another wonderful tip from this site!

 

[micstrachan]

Glad to hear she’s eating. Sorry. I meant what are you treating with Tylan? Are there signs of infection?

 

[snip2377]

Also, can we see her full body language?

Glad to hear she’s eating. Sorry. I meant what are you treating with Tylan? Are there signs of infection?

The eye is swollen so it led us to believe it was an infection of some kind. And when you are battling death anything is worth a try.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, yes. No judgement here. Just trying to understand what’s going on. To me it looks like she is voluntarily closing her eyes. (I could not tell it was swollen from the photo, but you are seeing her in person.) I do sincerely hope she responds. Supportive care would be good for her, too, like providing a heat source and vitamins with electrolytes in her water.

 

[micstrachan]

Swollen eyes can be respiratory infection, so antibiotic ointment was a good idea. Most respiratory infections are viral in nature, but antibiotics can help battle secondary infections. Is your coop pretty well ventilated?

 

[snip2377]

Oh, yes. No judgement here. Just trying to understand what’s going on. To me it looks like she is voluntarily closing her eyes. (I could not tell it was swollen from the photo, but you are seeing her in person.) I do sincerely hope she responds. Supportive care would be good for her, too, like providing a heat source and vitamins with electrolytes in her water.

I didn’t mean to come across bitter. Sorry. That is literally what my vet friend and I thought. Better to try than not. Yes she seems to be my new bestie these days. Wants sit on me if at possible. It was the saddest think when she wasn’t even moving. Hand bathing keeping her butt clean. Im like I’m the special needs chicken lady. Or that is what my husband says. I’ve been putting the electrolyte packet In her water just not in the current bowl because I put food in it. Her eyes were closed worse when she had bloody poop and then they opened after her treatment of Corid. The eyes have me spooked again I guess because she has come so far.