Strange head movement from polish hen. *Video included*

[TwoCrows]

I am so sorry Kim. . I know exactly what you are going through.

Aspirin...start with one baby aspirin a day for a couple days, then down to a half of one once a day. That is what I have Tillie on now.

Amox...she is small...I would give her about 100mgs to 125mgs every 12 hours or so. No probiotics while giving antibiotics. Tillie only weighs 4 pounds now...UGH. This is the dosage I have her on too.

 

[casportpony]

@Yorkshire coop , this book says one can give 175 mg/kg, which would be almost exactly 1/2 a capsule if she weighs 700 grams.
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/18.pdf

-Kathy

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Thank you Leyla & Kathy, you are both stars

She is 701 grams, i shall give her half a capsule and grab some aspirin in the morning.

Thanks so much everyone

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

She's still with us this morning and seems a little more perky although still not eating. She's stood with her tail held a little higher. She has done a poop in the night to the right of the pic and another this morning to left of the pic. A lot of lose urate.

She's had 3ml of plain water via dropper this morning and took it willingly and without fuss.

 

[azygous]

Glad to see you've had all sorts of support since I last dropped by. From the looks of those poops, it could well be she's fighting some bacteria somewhere.

I do recommend the amoxicillin, too. Since she's a bantam, I agree on the half dosage. I usually give my standards a full 250 mg capsule. once a day for 7-10 days, depending on how long the symptoms persist. It's always worked fine.

When I give aspirin, I give 45g twice a day. Chickens respond well to aspirin, so the dose shouldn't be a tricky thing.

Gosh, there are just so many things that can go wrong in a chicken, unless you have the luxury of an avian vet, it's kind of like groping your way around in the dark.

Recently, I lost a seven-month old Cream Legbar who had just begun to lay. I started her on amoxicillin as soon as I saw she was sick, but it was too late. She died. But one week later my other CLB pullet came down with the same thing. I managed to get her on the amoxicillin in time and I saved her. She's fine and laying again. I think both had egg issues, perhaps an infection in the egg chute somewhere.

Hang in there! Your tiny dancer may surprise you!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi Kim. How is she now? You may need to force some food on her. I had to do that with Tillie for a while...food and water.

And sometimes you just need to find the right foods for them to eat. Sick birds go off their chicken feed fast. Definitely dampen the feed and put things in it like some grains or seeds, some small chopped greens, chopped cabbage, chopped fruits, things like this. Even a few pieces of bread. They pick through the damp layer feed looking for their favorite goodies and then will usually eat their chicken feed as well. I jump started Tillie this way and she is back at the feed trough full strength. You just have to find the perfect food they will eat when they are sick. And get creative, they have very strange tastes when they are sick.

Definitely keep up with the aspirin and antibiotics. Keep her warm too.

Keep us posted!

 

[casportpony]

She's still with us this morning and seems a little more perky although still not eating. She's stood with her tail held a little higher. She has done a poop in the night to the right of the pic and another this morning to left of the pic. A lot of lose urate.

She's had 3ml of plain water via dropper this morning and took it willingly and without fuss.

Maintenance fluids for any bird are no less than 5% of their body weight, so for a 700 gram bird, that's 35 ml per day. Keep in mind that that just maintenance and does not take into consideration any dehydration or fluid loss from diarrhea.

If you're worried about getting calories into her, add some sugar to the water. Fluids first,then food. If she'lll eat on her own, then don't worry too much, 'cause she's probably drinking on her own.

Did you get a tube?

-Kathy

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Glad to see you've had all sorts of support since I last dropped by. From the looks of those poops, it could well be she's fighting some bacteria somewhere.

I do recommend the amoxicillin, too. Since she's a bantam, I agree on the half dosage. I usually give my standards a full 250 mg capsule. once a day for 7-10 days, depending on how long the symptoms persist. It's always worked fine.

When I give aspirin, I give 45g twice a day. Chickens respond well to aspirin, so the dose shouldn't be a tricky thing.

Gosh, there are just so many things that can go wrong in a chicken, unless you have the luxury of an avian vet, it's kind of like groping your way around in the dark.

Recently, I lost a seven-month old Cream Legbar who had just begun to lay. I started her on amoxicillin as soon as I saw she was sick, but it was too late. She died. But one week later my other CLB pullet came down with the same thing. I managed to get her on the amoxicillin in time and I saved her. She's fine and laying again. I think both had egg issues, perhaps an infection in the egg chute somewhere.

Hang in there! Your tiny dancer may surprise you!

I hope she does, Thankyou
I do feel like I'm groping around in the dark though, that's a good way of describing it with nothing pysical to look at.

Hi Kim. How is she now? You may need to force some food on her. I had to do that with Tillie for a while...food and water. 

And sometimes you just need to find the right foods for them to eat. Sick birds go off their chicken feed fast. Definitely dampen the feed and put things in it like some grains or seeds, some small chopped greens, chopped cabbage, chopped fruits, things like this. Even a few pieces of bread. They pick through the damp layer feed looking for their favorite goodies and then will usually eat their chicken feed as well. I jump started Tillie this way and she is back at the feed trough full strength. You just have to find the perfect food they will eat when they are sick. And get creative, they have very strange tastes when they are sick.

Definitely keep up with the aspirin and antibiotics. Keep her warm too.

Keep us posted!

She is still the same right now and not eating a thing. Taking the fluids ok from the dropper and I mixed the aspirin and amox in a little water to dropper her it. Have tried egg and some veggies today but not interested in them. Will try fruit in the morning. She's in the house so she's nice and warm. The head twitching has not reoccurred. Fingers crossed all this works!

Maintenance fluids for any bird are no less than 5% of their body weight, so for a 700 gram bird, that's 35 ml per day. Keep in mind that that just maintenance and does not take into consideration any dehydration or fluid loss from diarrhea.

If you're worried about getting calories into her, add some sugar to the water. Fluids first,then food. If she'lll eat on her own, then don't worry too much, 'cause she's probably drinking on her own.

Did you get a tube?

-Kathy

No tube yet and the incubator one is too big. Vet nurse friend could not pinch me one from work. They apparently won't sell things like that :/
I've just been looking online but they are confusing on the size!

Oh bark she's only had about 20ml today of various fluids. Vit drops, colloidal silver, meds, plain water and water with a revitaliser herbal supplement in.

She won't eat so I'm sure she is not drinking. She has done two more poops but smaller and mainly urates but not as loose.

 

[deacons]

As far as eating, I have one hen who's had some digestive upset and refused all manner of food (never had another hen that wouldn't gobble up scrambled eggs!) but soft bread gets her eating again every time. With her, I can dip the bread in some vitamin-laced water so it's a consistency between soft and mushy, and that way she gets fluids plus a little solid food. Whole wheat hamburger buns appear to be her favorite. Maybe something else to try?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Last night I did not think things were looking good at all. Very laboured breathing and totally flat out But this morning she was stood there waiting for me
Tried various things to tempt her but she was still not having any of it. After some hit and miss attempts at foods she has finally decided she likes what can only be described as slop!! Very well soaked pellets all mashed up and she is eating Had to start off holding the dish for her as she wanted the extra service but she is now taking it from the side of the crate. Not seen her drink but I'm happy she is eating again.

[VIDEO]

[/VIDEO]

Thank you all for helping me get her to this stage

We have turned a corner but I dont want to jinks things by saying we are out of the woods.