Seems I only post here when I've got a sick girl.
So, here we go again...
GEORGIA: fine 'til this morning Her crop, which is usually quite large, is now shrunken down to the smallest in the coop. She's lethargic - came out of the coop with the others but didn't have her morning treats (pear and apple cores + BOSS) or drink any water as far as I could tell. She then returned to the coop and just hunkered down. The others were out and about having their morning fun. Since they haven't been wormed in a while, I decided to go ahead and start that process with the others, but Georgia won't eat or drink. SOOOOO....
We brought her in and inspected - other than the lethargy she had a semi-full, kinda soft crop (not nearly as full or soft as when another hen had a sour crop earlier in the year). My daughter and I massaged her crop and she appeared to enjoy that. Then we syringe-fed her some water (most of which she swallowed) and then mixed some more water with Safeguard. Again, she swallowed most of it - but not a lot yet. Then, after I stood her up on the floor to get up and take her back out, she laid this on us:
Last time this happened (last summer) we treated our only sick hen - she was very sick - we weren't sure she'd pull through - for sour crop and then the whole flock for coccsidiosis - and everyone came through. This is the first I've seen any of them do this (liquid poo) at this juncture - so maybe it was a result of the crop massage? Of course, it's been chilly so they're spending most of their time in the coop and I may not have noticed this if ti's mixed into the bedding.
Our plan right now is to continue syringe feeding water and Safeguard (and offering some boiled egg and maybe apple) for 2 hour intervals today. Then, head down to the TSC if needed first thing in the morning to pick up supplies to tube feed. Or treat for something else. But what, not sure yet.
A vet at this point is out of the question. The only vet in our area that has agreed to see birds charges $150 for the initial visit and then loads on top of that. So thanks, in advance, for any help in problem solving this one. So far we haven't lost any girls yet to illness and ya'll have been a load of help!
GEORGIA: fine 'til this morning Her crop, which is usually quite large, is now shrunken down to the smallest in the coop. She's lethargic - came out of the coop with the others but didn't have her morning treats (pear and apple cores + BOSS) or drink any water as far as I could tell. She then returned to the coop and just hunkered down. The others were out and about having their morning fun. Since they haven't been wormed in a while, I decided to go ahead and start that process with the others, but Georgia won't eat or drink. SOOOOO....
We brought her in and inspected - other than the lethargy she had a semi-full, kinda soft crop (not nearly as full or soft as when another hen had a sour crop earlier in the year). My daughter and I massaged her crop and she appeared to enjoy that. Then we syringe-fed her some water (most of which she swallowed) and then mixed some more water with Safeguard. Again, she swallowed most of it - but not a lot yet. Then, after I stood her up on the floor to get up and take her back out, she laid this on us:
Last time this happened (last summer) we treated our only sick hen - she was very sick - we weren't sure she'd pull through - for sour crop and then the whole flock for coccsidiosis - and everyone came through. This is the first I've seen any of them do this (liquid poo) at this juncture - so maybe it was a result of the crop massage? Of course, it's been chilly so they're spending most of their time in the coop and I may not have noticed this if ti's mixed into the bedding.
Our plan right now is to continue syringe feeding water and Safeguard (and offering some boiled egg and maybe apple) for 2 hour intervals today. Then, head down to the TSC if needed first thing in the morning to pick up supplies to tube feed. Or treat for something else. But what, not sure yet.
A vet at this point is out of the question. The only vet in our area that has agreed to see birds charges $150 for the initial visit and then loads on top of that. So thanks, in advance, for any help in problem solving this one. So far we haven't lost any girls yet to illness and ya'll have been a load of help!
