St. John's Wort

[chooks4life]

Sorry to hear about YinYang. Horrible situation to have to work through. At least you gave her a chance and are willing and able to give her a quicker end once you see it's not going to work out.

About the lime, I have a suspicion it helps with lessening the impact of the Marek's shedding in the environment, because otherwise I surely must have had more cases due to raising chicks on the same soil Marek's carriers, hundreds of them, occupy premanently at all given times. Using calcium carbonate (same stuff that's labeled for adding to their feed) you don't need to move them anywhere, just throw it down. I used it around them at all times. Sometimes they'd go digging in it, once a chook ran in the way as I threw a handful, got some in its eye; blinked it out and was fine, no pain, no damage. It's pretty darn safe stuff, though of course inhaling large amounts of it would not be good.

Best wishes.

 

[chicknmania]

I will definitely look for that, thank you! I'm thinking maybe I could do a section of the barn at a time, and possibly rake it under some. Unfortunately, their barn has a dirt floor. If it put it down when the weather gets nicer, if that ever is, they would probably be less likely to dig in it because they will be outside more.. We are expecting rain every day for the next two weeks, and it's unseasonably cool.

Because of that, I have moved Yin Yang into the house. We gave her a bath in herbal shampoo yesterday, as I was trying to eliminate any lice or mites. I did not find one on her, but she did enjoy the bath and the hair dryer. She's in a cage in our library on a rug, with a towel roll. Last night she slept flat out, I thought she was dead, but this morning she was up and had figured out how to prop herself up on her towel roll so that she can sit up. She had a big dinner last night and is looking forward to breakfast I am going to try the HP again. Where there's life, there's hope, and she certainly has both, so I can't put her down just yet.....at least now she is away from the mosquitoes and flies, and she's a lot more comfortable, although I'm sure she misses the flock.

 

[jenn-]

Is there a risk to SJW if the diagnosis turns out not to be Marek's? I currently have one down but improving chicken that is coming out of an illness completely blind (no other symptoms then green loose stools and no appetite which could be related to not being able to see). I've treated with Corid and Safeguard, but now I think I am seeing the graying of the eye on another one of my birds. If I dose the one I have in quarantine and it isn't Marek's, will I be doing more to harm then to help?

 

[chicknmania]

Is there a risk to SJW if the diagnosis turns out not to be Marek's? I currently have one down but improving chicken that is coming out of an illness completely blind (no other symptoms then green loose stools and no appetite which could be related to not being able to see). I've treated with Corid and Safeguard, but now I think I am seeing the graying of the eye on another one of my birds. If I dose the one I have in quarantine and it isn't Marek's, will I be doing more to harm then to help?

No, I don't think so. I have given Hypericum (not just the plain SJW capsules) to birds that I originally thought had Marek's, then changed my mind. It didn't seem to do anything. But seriously....use the Hypericum Perforatum. It really is more powerful, imo, and not expensive.

 

[chicknmania]

Our hen YinYang seems to have just reached a plateau. Her legs just don't work, unless they convulse out of control, except one time a few days ago when she was able to get them under her. She still has loose runny droppings. But she is extremely alert, wants so much to rejoin the flock. However, she seems to also enjoy being a lap chicken and watching TV, and her special meals. I've been giving her some layer mash, because it is soft, and she does eat some, but mostly she's still on an all soft diet. Her appetite is sometimes good, sometimes not. There is no more purplish tint to her comb, as there was in the beginning..it's now a normal color. She goes outside every day in her cage and we are careful to keep her separated from the others, but she can still see and hear them. She loves the sunshine and fresh grass, and she gets so excited when she hears her roo crowing. Today I put her back in her pen in the barn, due to the rain, but I want to see if she's inspired to move around more. No way can we bring ourselves to put her down at this point.

Our other hen, Bluebell,, I believe has some backlash from her worm infestation. I believe that is what is causing her weakness, rather than Marek's. I've been treating her with vitamins, electrolytes, and probiotics, and she's still hanging in there. She's one that I did try with the HP for a bit, but then changed my mind.

 

[jenn-]

No, I don't think so. I have given Hypericum (not just the plain SJW capsules) to birds that I originally thought had Marek's, then changed my mind. It didn't seem to do anything. But seriously....use the Hypericum Perforatum. It really is more powerful, imo, and not expensive.

Hmm.. I messed up on my purchase then. The title of the thread is St. John's Wort, so I figured it was the same stuff when I saw it at Walmart. I guess it will be off to the vitamin store later.

 

[jenn-]

Okay, so I found the right stuff and gave my lady her first dose. I kid you not that she is in her cage giggling.

 

[chicknmania]

Hmm.. I messed up on my purchase then. The title of the thread is St. John's Wort, so I figured it was the same stuff when I saw it at Walmart. I guess it will be off to the vitamin store later.

It is a form of St John's Wart...not sure how they make HP. that's good, that she's giggling lol. Yin Yang hates it. I'm giving her a break from the HP today, as we discovered that now she has roundworms. I just don't see how..I dewormed her ten days ago, and we've been careful to keep her cage clean and she's been sleeping inside every night, so what the heck! I don't think theres a whole lot that is helping her with anything, but sometimes HP brings surprising results, as you may have read. Good luck.

 

[jenn-]

It is a form of St John's Wart...not sure how they make HP.   that's good, that she's giggling lol.  Yin Yang hates it.  I'm giving her a break from the HP today, as we discovered that now she has roundworms.  I just don't see how..I dewormed her ten days ago, and we've been careful to keep her cage clean and she's been sleeping inside every night, so what the heck!  I don't think theres a whole lot that is helping her with anything, but sometimes HP brings surprising results, as you may have read.  Good luck.

Thank you for your reply. In the perfect world, she would get her eyesight back, but right now I'd take her figuring out how to eat on her own again. She was definitely a whole lot more talkative last night, so hopefully she is feeling better even if it is just masking her symptoms.

 

[chicknmania]

Try soft food...Yin Yang loves chopped hard boiled eggs, chopped black cherries, soft bread soaked in buttermilk. Any soft food that she likes and will eat....my husband holds her in his lap most mealtimes and talks to her and encourages her to eat.. She likes the attention and will sit and sing, on good days.