Sick-- sneezing, shaking head, and poopy butt

[Hawkeye95]

I had 3 silkies shipped to me last week. They are between 4-6 months of age. They arrived this last Tuesday. Two days after they arrived, I noticed they were sneezing. Guessing shipping stress??

Then, the next day, two of them were stretching their necks up high in the air and opening their beaks in a wide yawn. They seem congested. This Thursday (Thanksgiving) I called around trying to hunt down something stronger than Duramycin and could not find anything locally. I called a local pigeon breeder instead in a panic and he gave me some of his Doxycycline. (1 teaspoon per gallon of water). They started that drug (Doxy) late Thursday evening. Since then, they have gotten no worse. But I don't think they are doing any better, either. They don't seem like they are stretching out their necks like they were, but they are still sneezing and from time to time, I notice one of them panting. They are also shaking their heads-- a LOT. But the panting is only occassional. Still, I'm very worried! Now, today, I notice that one of them has a very poopy butt! Still lots of head shaking today. I'm guessing the drug in their water is keeping them from getting worse... but I don't know that it's really helping them much, either. Do I wait this one out?? Give the Doxy more time to work? (This would be day 3 of the drug)

I'm willing to take them to the vet in the morning. If I do, what do I tell my vet to give them? Can something like amoxicilin be combined with the Doxy?? Please give me ideas here on what to do with them. Thanks!

Oh-- no blood in the poop, and the poop seems normal except for the one that has the yucky poopy butt.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I am sure someone will tell you something that their vet told them, but I am giving mine penicillin under skin and tylan 50 orally. I give small chicken 1/2 cc. I also take tube and run down in their crop(you can feel it to tell placement) and give them 20 to 60 cc of ensure depends on how full they fell 2 to 3 times a day. Good luck

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I also prefer to give amoxicillin for colds like you describe in your chickens but what I do is start amoxicillin next day instead of tylan daily. You might ask your vet but until then I would get either tylan or amoxicillin started until then

 

[nurse_turtle]

Sounds like gape worm, especially with the neck stretching and mouth gaping and head shaking. You may have been shipped some infected birds.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I read the symptoms of the Gape worm- very scary!! I just don't know about that, though. The stretching of the neck and yawning of the beak have lessened with the water antibiotics... it's just not gotten rid of it compeltely. So... respiratory? They are still sneezing. No bloody poop. Okay-- what about the antibiotics causing the poopy butt??? Is that possible? But it's only on ONE of the birds--- and he's the worst off. The other two-- no poopy butt. They sneeze, but don't have all of his symtpoms. And they have done the neck stretch- but now don't seem to be doing it too much anymore. I haven't caught them doing it. A couple of days ago-- they were doing it CONSTANTLY! It really freaked me out. I notice the one that is the worst still breathes thru his mouth on occassion too-- not as much as he was. I'm just worried that these symtoms are so prolonged now, and that my antibiotics aren't working. DO they need to see the vet?? I can give yogurt for the poop butt-- if it's caused from the antibiotics?? Really- I have never cared for sick birds. Ever. So I have no idea what I'm supposed to do, or if I'm doing okay. Except that, wouldn't they be getting a lot better by now instead of still sneezing??

 

[al6517]

I doubt the illness cause was from the shipping stress, sounds like someone shipped you some very sick birds. Too bad hope they get lined out soon.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Very possible. Okay-- so what about for now-- should I be seeing more improvement than I am after 3 or 4 days... or is this typical and I need to give it more time? They are getting no worse-- except that now the one has the poopy butt. But they are getting no better! Which is frustrating and really worries me! They seem to be eating and drinking okay, but in my gut, adding in the constant head shaking, sneezing, poopy butt-- I know they are very sick.

DO I need to do more than I'm doing???? Is the Doxy going to work it's magic, but it needs more time, or should i be seeing results by now??

 

[littlecreekfarm]

I have a hen that is sneezing, shaking her head, and yawning too. She has been like this since last week. She is on Tylan 50 injectable, once a day for 3 days, it's working pretty good, day 3 was yesterday and she is improving some. I noticed today she had almost mucous dried up under her eye. I wonder if our birds have the same thing. People are telling me it is a respitory infection.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
They have no discharge or mucus. BUT, I do believe this is respiratory! I think I will pick up Tylan on my way out. Someone suggest mites-- and that might be why mine are shaking their heads. I'm willing to try anything. Maybe mine have a combination of mites and a respiratory infection. I'm definitely worried. I'm so glad your bird seems to be doing better! Are you giving the Tylan injection into the breast meat? I think I'll pick up some syringes while I'm out. I only have horse sized needles and syringes. Nothing smaller than that.

 

[littlecreekfarm]

Quote:
They have no discharge or mucus. BUT, I do believe this is respiratory! I think I will pick up Tylan on my way out. Someone suggest mites-- and that might be why mine are shaking their heads. I'm willing to try anything. Maybe mine have a combination of mites and a respiratory infection. I'm definitely worried. I'm so glad your bird seems to be doing better! Are you giving the Tylan injection into the breast meat? I think I'll pick up some syringes while I'm out. I only have horse sized needles and syringes. Nothing smaller than that.

I'm giving the shot under the skin in the breast. She is still sneezing a little but I can tell she is doing better. Poor thing has to be in a cage seperated from her flock! I was very worried but now I'm pretty confident that she will recover