Sick chicken, day 8

[meggers32]

Hi everyone,

Well, I posted last week about finding my chicken, Rosetta, on the ground and she was unable to move. She is still unable to walk, but seriously, just sits there all day, eating, drinking and pooing. A friend of mine said that it is more than likely one of the viruses that they get, it starts with a "c"?

Anyway, she had diarreah for the first 2 days and that was it. She doesn't make any noise, she moves her legs a lot, but cannot walk on them. She has a great appetite and drinks just fine. Should I try to bathe her? She is getting really dirty with poo and I want her to feel better. Should I bother? Will it upset her? She also breathes kind of heavy sometimes, but not always. I 'm sure that it will just take time, but can anyone tell me if they have been through this, and how long it took?

Thanks!

 

[beautifulbirds]

Yep, been through it and if you don't take action she will up and die on you.

Treat her as if she is highly contagious which means you wash your hands before and after you handle her and sterilise all her eating and drinking dishes, bowls etc. and try and use glass as it is easier to keep clean.

Move her if you haven't already.

Get 10 cloves of garlic and steep (soak) in boiling hot water until cooled (stick your finger in it and make sure it is not hot) then get an eye dropper and sterilise it in boiling hot water and give her three squirts down her throat every morning for three days. Ensure that you sterilise the eye dropper between dosings and do not use it to does any of the others, so keeping it in a jar of water labelled with er name on it is a good idea. Just keep it separate.

Good idea to give her a bath, in that you soak her bum in warmed water but only do it when the sun is shining and do it in the morning when she can get dry. Ensure she has clean hay to sit on all the time, so you should be changing it daily, twice a day if need be. She nees to be warm and dry, out of draughts and segregated from the others.

Also. Can you find anyone who has fresh wheatgrass juice in your area? If you can then you give her three squirts at night, after she has eaten, sterilising the eye dropper between the garlic and the wheatgrass juice. The juice must be fresh. One 'shot' will last three days when you will have to chuck it and get some more.

Feed her normally, whatever she will eat. Corn is good and will help to keep her warm. At night you need to puff up the hay around her to insulate her as she is not able to move around.

You dose with garlic in the morning and wheatgrass at night for three days and then you wait for three days and then you repeat the process.

Keep me posted and email me if you have any questions.

Good luck.

 

[Lynn]

Is the "starts with 'c'" you're thinking of coccidiosis? Does she have bloody stools?

I haven't been through what you're describing, so I can't really help. Lisa, do you know what this condition you're treating for is called? Or, did you just have similar symptoms, and your treatment worked (without a diagnosis, I mean)?

Meggers, I believe garlic really is supposed to be a wonderful cure-all, so I would definitely give it a try. Same with apple cider vinegar (see the thread on honey, garlic, and apple cider vinegar). Lots of health benefits. I've also read of mushroom tea, but I can't remember the name of the type of mushroom... probably, there are many mushrooms that would be good, though.

Good luck!

Lynn

 

[beautifulbirds]

HI Lynn.

No, I went to about 10 different experts regarding my rooster and none of them could agree, anyway I did nothing and watched him slowly die after weeks of sitting.

When the same thing started to happen to one of my chicks I took action and what I did has worked and the wee fellow is now fine, fine, fine. So I am recommending the treatment based on what has been described and what worked for me.

Cleanliness is vital when dealing with a sick bird as they become very delicate very quickly.

 

[silkiechicken]

Never saw your other post or maybe just don't remember it. How old is she? Was she vaccinated for mericks? Could there be a slipped tendon?

You say she eats just fine but her legs don't work. That to me points to a neural issue or some sort of damage to the brain via running into something or getting pecked on, or consuming something that was neurotoxic. A bath would be fine. You could try putting her in a sling to get the weight off the legs till they heal or till you decide what is best.

If the c word meant cocci. Cocci is a protozoa, not a bacteria or virus.

 

[meggers32]

Thank you so much for all your suggestions! I will do this right away. I removed her right away, the first day I saw she was down, and she has been in my house ever since. However, I did not put her on hay. Is this just for comfort or to help her stay propped up? I want to her be comfortable.

As far as bathing her, I live in a place where the sun seems to have forgotten us, so drying in the sun is not an option. It is very damp and cold here and so I have been keeping her in my bathroom where it is nice and warm. Will that do for after the bath? I don't want her to get too cold. She loves corn, so I have been giving her that, some yogurt, poultry feed and some apples.

Thank you again, I will keep you posted!

 

[ruth]

If she is drinking, you don't want to squirt anything down her throat. You could squirt the liquid into her lungs and she will die. Just add whatever you want to try to her water.

 

[mypicklebird]

I think I may have replied to your other thread, but I would be worried about Marek's or trauma. Trauma she may get better, Marek's (viral) she probably won't. Classic Marek's causes tumors in their nerves, especially legs- they don't work, and the chicken can't walk. The GI tract is fine- so they eat and drink well. I see in the literature mention of a transient paralysis, but have no personal experience with this. If your chicken has Marek's this is a diagnosis on necropsy, and you will need to read up on the long term consequences of having this in your flock (most back yard chicken fancies have it). I vaccinate all day old chicks hatched here, or if I purchase them, have them vaccinated at the hatchery. Short term- you need to do more supportive care for your bird if you want to give her more time. She needs to be cared for like a bed ridden anything. She cannot get out of her own feces- so you need to keep her clean, wash off the dry stuff, and at least once a day (better to do more often) remove all of the feces from under her. Check her sternum and hocks for pressure sores- she cannot stand normally, so places not meant to bear weight are doing so. If you cannot keep her clean, or if she is getting bruises or pressure sores from not being able to stand- I think you should humanely end her life.

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[lilchick]

Yes you should move her often so she doesn't get so sore. Hold her often and enjoy the time spent with her.....
Also if her butt feathers get all messy just trim them down and it makes for easier clean up.
I have had some recover and others not over all the many years I have raised chickens.
If you do not try them you will always wonder and maybe regret you did not try save her. good luck...

 

[beautifulbirds]

Hi Meggers
witha ll due respect to Ruth (about squirting stuff down her throat), YOU NEED TO GET THE GARLIC AND WHEATGRASS JUICE INTO HER, and she won't be drinking it for you off a teaspoon. So you need to squirt whether you want to or not, otherwise you are not going to save her. If you are unsure then squirt a little into her mouth and as long as she is swallowing you will get it into her and it will not go into her lungs.
Hay is for comfort, warmth and cleanliness.
I think my little one had mereks and he is now up and running about.
Cheers
Lisa.