sneezing and nasal discharge - should I worry? UPDATE: FULL RECOVERY!!

[Guinea Goonie]

Quote:
Well heck, I never though about this one. The "exact" formula for baby parrots should be a NATURAL !!

We use Milk, yes Milk for ONE, I repeat ONE day only. Given to a sick bird, it hydrates them, it gives them nutrients,
it has a positive probiotic effect, even though it is pasturized and I have NEVER had a chicken with the runs after
just ONE feeding of milk.

It is easy on their crops/digestive system and most importantly it gives them calcium. Vitamin D milk whole milk on the verge
of going off (expiration date) is the best.

However, I would say this is a second best to baby parrot mix.

 

[technodoll]

Antoinette went back in the flock today but is having a hard time...

After 10 days away, she's lost her place in the pecking order and is being bullied, attacked and chased - of course, being the smallest hen in the flock she's not fighting back and just running, ducking, hiding in corners and complaining to me in a loud voice MOM whAT have you DONE to me!

She's dry sneezing a lot but the coop is dusty, so I dunno.

Will things return to normal after a few days or is she doomed to be the flock's punching bag?

 

[chickerdoodle]

Is there one specific hen she normally gets along well with? It may help to put them together for a few days (or more if necessary) in a secure run next to the main run so the gals get used to seeing them and she doesn't have to get reintroduced alone.

 

[eggsrcool]

Quote:
That's a great suggestion!

Try making a separate small pen, with her to roam around in by herself, but so the other flock members can look in and see and 'speak' to her- however you may not have any housing that she could use during the night.

 

[technodoll]

That was my initial though, too!

I tried putting her in the small pen with the chicks but she just about bloodied herself trying to get OUT, and attacking the chicks.

I have no other separate pens in that crappy coop

Crossing fingers things settle down by tomorrow or so, I'm having a helluva day. I had just finished hoovering the entire house when one of my dogs stepped ankle-deep in sticky dog crap then came inside the house and "decorated" every square foot of the floors, then my puppy drank too much water and puked his lunch on our only carpet. All this after I spent over an hour cleaning out the disaster of a bathroom my hen was in for 10 days. Gonna cry!

 

[eggsrcool]

Quote:

How about taking her outside for the say in a separate run as mentioned before, which something like a cat or dog carrier box if she needs to lay, and bring her inside during the night?

 

[technodoll]

Excellent idea... supposed to be warm and sunny tomorrow too, so that may help?

However this won't help the flock acclimate to her since she'll be out of sight... is this just delaying the re-integration pains?

Sigh. Sooo much to learn... and she's still sneezing too (but no nasal discharge... yet).

 

[eggsrcool]

If the other flock members can see her, but not able to actually get over the fence and touch her, then thwey may begin to get used to her and after a short time you may be able to put her back into the flock.

ETA- The weather will help her, she would definetely rather off be warm, than freezing cold!

 

[technodoll]

This is the outside pen where I could put her for the day tomorrow:

The only way for the flock to "see" her is if they are free-ranging, and once they are out on the lawn the last place they hang out is near the coop! I only let them free-range for about 2 hours in the morning, since there are big cats around and the flock tends to wander far and wide on our 12 acres... there are creeks, horses, there is a road really near with cars...

Would this still work, do you think?

 

[eggsrcool]

When your birds are free ranging to they remain inside the coop/run? Whilst they are free ranging and if they dont stay in the coop/run then you could put the hen in there for the few hours that they are free ranging and if you know if she gets along better with other flock members (normally the lowest in the pecking order) then it will give her a chicken to be with when she goes back into the flock.