Sick birds need help

[slugmar]

I had 10 RIR hends in the last two days I have lost two, one of the hens had a clear mucas around her nostrils. When i instpected the other ladies tonight it seems when i pick acouple up you could hear whezzing in there lungs, I saw no bloody stool everything looked solid I had just changed there bedding prior with new hay I'm getting ready to change it again and want to clean there coop out. I its a wood floor I figure that hot water and lysol should work for it hopefully.

Just wondering what kind of medication i can give them to help fight off what ever they have.

There not a year old got them all at the same time. the weather has changed also which has brought there egg production down, recently I fenced them in because when the dogs open the doors in the house to go outside the chicken would come inside and my wife didn't care for that all.

well its 3:23 am here in california think ill try to get some sleep check the forums in the morning and call the vet and the local feed store also.

btw all my chickens are named Isabel's, so an advice to help my isabel would be very greatful.

 

[Chatychick]

I would call the feed store and get some Terramycin to add to their water. You cant eat the eggs for a while but its better than losing more chickens to the URI I had some start this when the weather changed and they are happy and doing better now...

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I would add raw apple cider vinegar to there water, or add a little to an eye dropper and feed them. Start using DE as a preventative along with the ACV. This is all I have ever needed for my chickens and I have never had one get sick yet.

naturalbird.com

 

[speckledhen]

To clarify what Barnyard Dawg said, Diatomaceous Earth(food grade only!) can be used as a worm preventative but will do nothing for a respiratory infection, if that is even what they have. It could be so many things. Did you get them all from the same place? How long ago?
Organic, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, a few tablespoons to a gallon in a plastic waterer only, plus chopped fresh garlic given in something like plain yogurt or cooked runny oatmeal will help boost their immune system. A vitamin mineral supplement like AviaCharge 2000 is wonderful, I hear. There is no way to know exactly what they have without testing. Some people just start antibiotics at the first sign of a sneeze, some just separate out the ill birds and see if they recover without medication to cull out weak birds and keep the rest of the flock safer.

 

[chicknmania]

When you use the Terramycin, use 4 tsp per gallon; not the dose recommended on the bottle, which is the weakest dose. You can use the same dose whether they are chicks or adults. Also, I would recommend getting some Oxine. It is a powerful disinfectant and works especially well if you have areas that are hard to disinfect. It is like four times more powerful then bleach. Our barn is impossible to totally disinfect, but we got the Oxine, and it was a lifesaver (literally!) It lasts a long time as you don't need to use much. You can also add it to the water to disinfect (7-15 drops per gallon) and mist the birds themselves with it. You can get it at www.firststatevetsupply.com. If you get it, follow the directions they supply, not the directions on the bottle.

I have always heard the raw cider works well, too, but I have never been able to find that here.

 

[chicknmania]

Oh, and speaking of the new hay you said you're using for bedding...we had some young birds once who had a big respiratory reaction to straw...may've been moldy or whatever...but we changed their bedding to shavings and they cleared up.

 

[slugmar]

thank you all, when i let them out today i found them all cuddled under the heat lamp I wonder if my coop is to big for as many as i have (I dont mind getting more to help keep it warmer for them) they all seem very active right now they are running back and forth in there pen. The hay is organic and free of mold the only reason i know this is because its the hay off our little ranch but will change that later today when i clean the coop.

I look for the apple cider as you mentioned i like to keep them all natural the only time they have had medicaton is when they were babies with there starter feed when i started out. Ill also try the oatmeal thing.

My wife already thinks I spoil them she going to say what Now your cooking for them I cant wait.

Anther question during the colder times of the year will they spend more time in there coop because for some reason they have all just went back inside i don't know if they went back under the heat lamp my wife placed for them out there or not.

Will update later tonight with how the Isabel's are doing.