Respiratory infection?

[Jx2inNC]

I've been reading a lot of the old threads and such here, but thought I'd post since I'm including photos.

The short of it is that she was somewhat alert a few days ago but was sitting in the hay of the goat house by herself for two days in a row (not on brooding). After I kept see her standing around eyes closed I decided to put her up for her safety.

I'm not aware she's eating anything, as the last few days she won't even open her eyes. Eyeballs are sunken in, eyelids are now puffy, nose has been crusty, and saliva is thick. No sneezing or noise coming from her at all. I've been giving her vitamins and B-12 orally. Also started rubbing VetRX on her yesterday and gave a drop orally. Terramycin on her eyelids the past two days. I've tried giving her yogurt and mash but she's too lethargic. Probably need to cull her, but it would be nice if the antibiotics were easier to access!

What do you all think?

 

[Jx2inNC]

Here's pictures.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. Can you post any pictures of her face and eyes? Oh I just saw them. You may get an cattle antibiotic called Tylan 50 injectable and a few syringes with needles. Remove the needle to give the medicine by mouth. For a chicken I would give the medicine orally 1 ml 2-3 times a day for 5 days. It will treat MG symptoms. How much does she weigh? Wet compresse to the eyes can help get the crusts off.

 

[Jx2inNC]

Sorry about your hen. Can you post any pictures of her face and eyes? Oh I just saw them. You may get an cattle antibiotic called Tylan 50 injectable and a few syringes with needles. Remove the needle to give the medicine by mouth. For a chicken I would give the medicine orally 1 ml 2-3 times a day for 5 days. It will treat MG symptoms. How much does she weigh? Wet compresse to the eyes can help get the crusts off.

I can go by tomorrow and pick some Tylan up and give it orally tomorrow, if she's still with me. I'm not sure on weight... She's never been too heavy but definitely has thinned out while being sick. I guess the goal is always to get them well enough to try to eat/drink even somewhat on there own. I'm afraid she's not been doing anything of that lately.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes chickens with almost any illness will frequently not take enough water or food. Water intake is more important right now, but many sick hens I have cared for will still take chopped scrambled egg, their favorite snack. I like to hold a measuring scoop or small cup up to there beak to take sips of water. The 1 ml of Tylan 50 should be fine since it is pretty flexible. If she seems cold, she may need to be kept warm.

 

[Jx2inNC]

Yes chickens with almost any illness will frequently not take enough water or food. Water intake is more important right now, but many sick hens I have cared for will still take chopped scrambled egg, their favorite snack. I like to hold a measuring scoop or small cup up to there beak to take sips of water. The 1 ml of Tylan 50 should be fine since it is pretty flexible. If she seems cold, she may need to be kept warm.

Thank you! I've got her inside a coop with fresh, soft hay all around her. I gave her some water in a syringe today, along with (very little) yogurt, vitamins, and a drop or so of vetRx. She wasn't acting like she even cared to swallow those, but I'll see what tomorrow holds!
I appreciate the feedback!

Feed yogurt with antibiotics, or just stick with feed mash?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give the antibiotic by itself orally a drop at a time then mix watery mash plus a tsp of yogurt. You may want to do that in reverse—give the watery mash then medicate, so she doesn’t get mad and not eat, LOL.

 

[Tacampbell1973]

I too have been plagued with the upper respiratory virus this last few weeks. Horrible! I didntd realize what was going on right away as my 5 year old roodtro, Elvis, has always had a touch of the allergies, sneezing.so when another rooster started up I blamed some extremely dusty straw. I removed the old straw immediately and thought it would be ok. Two days later, Early Cuyler, my oldest rooster, flat out disappeared! I knew something was wrong and that a hawk hadn't got him as I found no feather piles anywhere. Went in search of Early and found him hiding behind the nest boxes essentially waiting to die. I told him I wasn't going to let him and took him inside the house. Bought everything I could buy without a prescription, vetRX, poultry cell, probiotic, and electrolyte and begin dropper watering him hourly. Wouldn't eat, not even the things he liked. He tried to eat some icky bugs as we call them , mealworms, but couldn't reach them. I thought maybe his neck is stiff? So put his food and drink up at beak level. 3 days of my shoving food and water and love down his throat brought him back. He returned to the yard after 5 days. I kinda suspect one of the deciding factors was when I brought him a lady friend for company Anywho Elvis couldn't crow very well, like laryngitis, and them Bianca my Cochin hen ironically all 3 are the eldest in my flock she worries me the most. Sounds like she's choking. VetRX and vapor rub are all I have. And love. It doesn't feel like enough.