Sick SLW- 7 months old- nothing is helping

[Eggcessive]

This chicken is very sick, you have done everything possible and from what I know, all the right things. But there is a point where a sick chicken must be killed. From what you describe as the symptoms it sounds serious. Do not endanger your other chickens by keeping this one around. Even if well-separated, you are going in and out of both locations and YOU could be spreading the disease on your boots, clothes, hands. A quick and painless death is required for your poor sick girl. Buck up, this is part of the process. - Lorna at Fowlty Towers Egg Emporium

I think you make a few good points, but you come on a little strong. This woman obviously loves her pet chicken, and is trying anything she can to help her. Everyone does things a different way.

 

[gander007]

STaggart, is a caring mother and the owner of this sick chicken ( Velma ) and it
is her decision to end this and being the owner of a small flock is not like having
fifty or more birds in the yard and up to now STaggart has shown much care
responsibility and the ability to treat her chicken at the same time learn much
about poultry care so why should you want to deny her the right and experience
of learning this is what BYC is for/about ........
Happy Holliday's Yall ......

gander007

 

[seminolewind]

I think you are doing the right thing for you. I love love love my chickens too, but I may draw the line at a different point. It's a personal thing. Each person has a point where they say "enough". But every person makes the decision when they're ready.

We put a very old dog down a month ago. I had accepted her condition and was prepared to send her to heaven before my husband was. I waited until one day he said "okay, I'm ready."

You will know when it's time.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sarah, I might have missed this, but make sure you use the Safeguard dosing very regularly for the future on the other chickens since they are exposed to cecal worms. I'm not sure how often they need it to prevent blackhead, but I'm sure it's more often than normal worming. Hang in there and get some rest if you can.

Kim

 

[casportpony]

How did the tube feeding go?

-Kathy

 

[STaggart]

How did the tube feeding go?

-Kathy

It went very smoothly. I think I was over thinking it. I have tube fed her 3 times since we spoke last and she has held it down. YAY! The first two times I did very small amounts that were watered down as you suggested and this morning I put a little more of the food it in, but still watered down with the vitamin and probiotic powder water. So far so good. I am weighing her before every feeding and still no improvement with it yet, but it is only the first 24 hours. I hope to see positive results in the next 2 days, though. thank you so much for all the help, Kathy. I cannot say how thankful I am for it! Have a wonderful day.

 

[casportpony]

It went very smoothly. I think I was over thinking it. I have tube fed her 3 times since we spoke last and she has held it down. YAY! The first two times I did very small amounts that were watered down as you suggested and this morning I put a little more of the food it in, but still watered down with the vitamin and probiotic powder water. So far so good. I am weighing her before every feeding and still no improvement with it yet, but it is only the first 24 hours. I hope to see positive results in the next 2 days, though. thank you so much for all the help, Kathy. I cannot say how thankful I am for it! Have a wonderful day.

Welcome to team tube feeding, lol.

 

[STaggart]

I think you are doing the right thing for you. I love love love my chickens too, but I may draw the line at a different point. It's a personal thing. Each person has a point where they say "enough". But every person makes the decision when they're ready.

We put a very old dog down a month ago. I had accepted her condition and was prepared to send her to heaven before my husband was. I waited until one day he said "okay, I'm ready."

You will know when it's time.

I love all of my girls and I feel like if one gets sick and is fighting to survive then I owe it to them and myself to help them fight in any way that I can. gander007 is right I do not have a huge flock and I do need the experience of taking care of a sick bird. I do agree that each person does have a stopping point; I guess I haven't hit that point as of yet. I still feel like there is a fighting chance for her. I think I have tried to attack her illness aggressively and if she does not make it then I know I tried. It will be heartbreaking if I do lose her, but that is and "if." I still have hope.

 

[STaggart]

Sarah, I might have missed this, but make sure you use the Safeguard dosing very regularly for the future on the other chickens since they are exposed to cecal worms. I'm not sure how often they need it to prevent blackhead, but I'm sure it's more often than normal worming. Hang in there and get some rest if you can.

Kim

I was thinking the same thing, actually. I plan on doing some research on it this weekend when school and life is a bit slower. I talked to a friend of mine from Tennessee last night and he said his flock is exposed to them as well and he demorms with a "special" feed that kills just about everything that Safeguard does. He deworms his every 3 months and has no problems with his birds since he found out. I have never seen anything like the feed he mentioned in my farm stores, but maybe I can get it online. I'm still hanging in and thank you for all the words of encouragement and advice! Have a grand day, Kim!

 

[casportpony]

Here is some stuff that I just found:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/6743169/related/

-Kathy