sick hen, 13 weeks old, lethargic, black poop, weak, DOING BETTER!!!

[Salem Witch]

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Molly - thanks! I'll email you...

 

[Salem Witch]

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I thought about it, and our neighbor gave the kids a big bowl of cherries out in the yard the first week of July... the kids did spit the pits all over the yard, as well as just throw cherries everywhere, so even though they have been only in the run or the garden, it's possible she came across one in one of those places, that I did not see. We are currently combing the yard right now to see if we can see any pits, in the grass.

She ate yogurt and garlic again, this morning, and is eating and drinking. She still feels very light, and her poop was black this morning, and runny, but she seems to have more energy than she did, yesterday, and is a bit more feisty. Hoping this is a good sign.

Hope you hear back from the avian vets very soon... does the amyl nitrate have to be inhaled? I know you can buy the capsules in stores, wonder if that would work?

 

[dlhunicorn]

well I suspect the amyl nitrate is to contral any seizures... I suspect there may be more going on with cherry pit poisoning than just neurological symptoms (i.e. the black tarry poo)... this is why I am hesitating... if my boy were having severe uncontrollable seizures then I would give it (that is what all the info I have read points too...) and altho he is experiencing severe neurological symptoms it is not per se seizures of such an uncontrollable nature that he is unable to eat or drink when he does wake up and come out to eat and drink...
I have also read to give oxygen > an option not available to me.
He is putting on some more weight over a few days ago (when it was much worse)... sigh I am just not sure on the info and seeing as the vets are also hesitant...
I just hope he pulls thru because in my case I am 100 percent sure this is due to the cherry pits.

 

[Salem Witch]

dlhunicorn - I really hope your roo pulls through, and will be okay. Sending him :::good vibes::: and that both our birds get better.

Mine seems to get tired, she will be eating and walking around, and then all of a sudden, I see one leg give and she just folds and lays down.. she usually will continue to eat, like that, too.. she drinks and eats all on her own, just sits and rests and is much much calmer and approachable than normal, and then the black poop... haven't seen any of that since this morning, so perhaps that is something that is "passing through".... just wish I could be sure, and *do* something.. that is the hardest part.

Thanks for the response - please keep us updated on your roo.

 

[Salem Witch]

Just an update: mermaidgoat gave me some Poly-Vi-Sol and so I gave her a couple drops of that in her beak this evening. Also gave her some scrambled egg yolk a bit later, with some Rescue Remedy drops.

She does seem to have more energy, although her comb is still pale, and she still is very quiet and not moving around as much as normal.

When you set her down, one of her legs gives out a little, and I realized that she's holding her wing out when she loses her balance. I can't see any injuries on her legs at all, and as far as I can tell, she is just weak.

 

[purpletree23]

Is she sneezing or wheezing or coughing? Does her face look swollen at all? What kind of feed are you feeding her?

 

[Salem Witch]

No sneezing, wheezing, coughing or anything else. Her face is not swollen as far as I can tell.

She is on chick starter, Dumor from TSC, they free range and get occasional treats like yogurt and veggies.

 

[Salem Witch]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Mad Hatter seems to be doing a lot better. Two nights ago, she jumped and jumped, and couldn't reach the bottom roost. I ended up "cheating" and picked her up and set her up there, and she seemed so happy to be up there. Last night, I watched her pace back and forth, then finally jump to the roost - and make it!!! She is still a bit slower than usual, but when you reach for her, she runs away! Last night she pulled up a huge worm, and although everyone else chased her, she held on, and then finally got herself under a plant and ate that worm with great relish. I can see she is still under the weather, a bit, but she is so much more like her old self that I think she is going to pull through and be okay.

I'm bumping this to say thank you to everyone who offered advice, and also for anyone going through this that hasn't gotten answers, yet...

dlhunicorn - i have read that white clover is also cyanogetic, and know that she was eating that, and banana peel.. i don't think enough to give her cyanide poisoning, but if she found some cherry pits and ate those as well (don't know how many it takes?) perhaps that was what was enough to cause poisoning? and how is your roo doing?

the Poly Vi Sol (thanks, mermaidgoat!!!) and the ACV seemed to really help perk her up. I also gave her plain kefir along with plain organic yogurt each day, with garlic... and also a bit of cod liver oil mixed into that. Not sure which if any of those helped more than the others, but that is all we have done and that seems to have been what helped.