Sick Flea Market Chicken

[cafarmgirl]

I know. Bad idea. But my heart could leave the chicken there. So, I brought her home.

Doesn't appear to have mites.
Poop looks fine.
Coloring of comb is fine.

However, she won't do anything but stand up, sleep, with head tucked in wing. She's obviously sick. Can I help her?

I know how it is to feel for an animal that is obviously in a bad spot. But next time let your heart think about the birds you already have at home if you have an existing flock. You can really bring home a lot of ongoing problems and heartache to what was previously a healthy flock. Whatever this is it's going to be very, very easily spread. You could maybe be lucky and this is coccidiosis or worms, but the runny nose suggests otherwise.

I would probably cull this bird and disinfect like crazy, cross fingers and toes and hope for the best. If she has already been around your birds, or even near them, it is to late, they have been exposed. If that is the case you'll have to decide if you want to treat her and keep her or not. Also watch your other birds like a hawk for any symptoms.

If you can get your hands on some Oxine AH I would spray all around your coops and put some in the water. I have used that in the past when we had an outbreak of infectious bronchitis and I do swear by the stuff. It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. If you get some be sure to use it as is, UNACTIVATED.

If it does turn out that this is a respiratory disease and you start having multiple birds show symptoms it's best to treat with antibiotic's as Eggcessive mentioned. You won't cure the disease but you will help prevent pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections that will kill your birds. Any sick birds that recover will remain carriers of whatever this is.

Good luck. We've been down the respiratory disease road here, it's no fun.

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

Thanks for all of the advise. This bird was around my flock for about three hours before I realized it was hiding its head and not displaying normal behaviors. Hopefully it not too late for my other girls. I've learned a HUGE lesson. I won't be making this mistake again.

 

[rocklranch]

Same thing happened to me as to sick chicken hiding head , watery nose at times not running all the time like others. If you wait it gets worse, I did and tried everything I could think of. Then wrapped her in a towel and held her for a bit......which she loved anyways. If you have an old gallon water bottle or something similar , cut off bottom and put her head through, with her wrapped in towel she will stay comfortable. take it outside or garage and you must use sharp knife and cut neck at vein and she will bleed out with head down. (put bowl under) this is much more human for her and no pain. Oh sure to us its horrible but believe me she is better off and not to get more birds sick. Then I would get Vet RX at feed store and drop about five ,six drops in chicken house at nite for couple of days for other birds. Good luck, rocklranch

 

[Nambroth]

Thanks for all of the advise. This bird was around my flock for about three hours before I realized it was hiding its head and not displaying normal behaviors. Hopefully it not too late for my other girls. I've learned a HUGE lesson. I won't be making this mistake again.

What's done is done with your flock, I hope for the best for you! Keep aware, be sensitive to changes in your birds, and research symptoms if you see any. From now on, education will be your best weapon if you have an infectious disease in your flock.


I'm relaying this info in case others read this thread, to help them. I'm not trying to make you feel worse! This is a classic scenario that many fall trap to, and it can really end in heartbreak. Some infectious chicken diseases not only have NO cure, but are easily spread within a flock, no matter the exposure time is three seconds or three days or three weeks. Exposure is exposure. Some of these viruses can live in the soil for months or years! It can be pretty serious and in an instant a flock can go from a productive flock to one you must keep closed forever to reduce the spread of disease. These are the sorts of things that no one really tells us about when we get into chickens, but they can end someone's showing or breeding career, or minimum cause heartbreak over the loss of loved pets.

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

Share away! You aren't making me feel worse. It was an honest mistake. I have a small backyard flock of three. The sick chicken makes four. They are definitely very loved pets.