- May 23, 2009
- 16
- 0
- 22
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Small silver polish hen; 18 moths
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Day before yesterday she was fine, yesterday I found her standing in coop with neck twisted back parallel to body, tail distinctly down. She can stand but has little balance. She is not "circling," but when she does try to move, she mostly can turn a half circle and then stops and just stands there. If she gets excited by something I do, she will flap her wings pretty hard and try to climb up my chest. She will try to perch, also if she gets excited. She has not exactly labored breathing, but a jerky motion with her head when breathing. She has NO excretions from mouth, nose, eyes, and has had none in the 20 hours I've been directly observing her. She does not seem to have actual paralysis, but she does not have full control of movements. No "twitching" or curled toes / feet / legs.
She is "immobile" enough that, in the house now, I can just leave her lay or stand on a towel on the floor with no confinement and she's definately not going anywhere. When sleeping, she droops her wings, but while standing, the wings aren't really drooping. Maybe a tiny bit. She is not being at all vocal. Little bit of tummy gurgling sound when she 'eats' the whey mixture.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
20 hours that I'm aware of. Not likely much longer.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms
Not yet. There are 2 roosters and 19 hens in this hen's coop. She is isolated in the house at the moment.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Not that I can find.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing I'm aware of.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. yesterday, I was able to feed her about 3 tablespoons of whey mixed with brewers yeast, collodial silver, VetRx and Rescue Remedy. This morning, I was able to feed her an additional dose of the above in one setting. She was hungry and much easier to feed. With help, she also ate a little scratch grains. I had to keep untwisting her head and hold it straight and keep the bowl tipped where she could see and hit it, but she did eat a little on her own, and she wanted to! Over the past 20 hours, she's had about 1000 I.E vitamin E.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Until a few minutes ago, she had not pooped at all! She just had a poo that consisted of fairly bright green matter that looked as if she'd had some decent greens, which she has not. (It's winter here.) There was evident white "urine," a large amount of clearish / yellowish liquid, AND what looks like a pretty good size blood clot. It looks like a small placenta, or a chunk of liver except that it is sort of accordian folded. It's about an inch wide and two inches long. Pretty solid; doesn't fall apart. Barely has an odor.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Treatment is described under what she's eating and drinking. Other treatment has just been to isolate, observe and keep her resting / calm.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Need to treat her myself. Probably have some resources available at local feed store. Am concerned about well-being of rest of flock, i.e. what to watch for... Also about household biohazard needs.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Can post photo of bird and poo if I can figure out how to do so. Will send message first.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Flock is in a stellar insulated coop, dirt floor, lots of straw bedding, nice roosts and ventilation. I think it's 10 x 12 or 14. This is their second winter in the coop. Sick hen is in small dog carrier in house with straw bedding under old T-shirt material.
Yikes! This poor hen.
Small silver polish hen; 18 moths
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Day before yesterday she was fine, yesterday I found her standing in coop with neck twisted back parallel to body, tail distinctly down. She can stand but has little balance. She is not "circling," but when she does try to move, she mostly can turn a half circle and then stops and just stands there. If she gets excited by something I do, she will flap her wings pretty hard and try to climb up my chest. She will try to perch, also if she gets excited. She has not exactly labored breathing, but a jerky motion with her head when breathing. She has NO excretions from mouth, nose, eyes, and has had none in the 20 hours I've been directly observing her. She does not seem to have actual paralysis, but she does not have full control of movements. No "twitching" or curled toes / feet / legs.
She is "immobile" enough that, in the house now, I can just leave her lay or stand on a towel on the floor with no confinement and she's definately not going anywhere. When sleeping, she droops her wings, but while standing, the wings aren't really drooping. Maybe a tiny bit. She is not being at all vocal. Little bit of tummy gurgling sound when she 'eats' the whey mixture.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
20 hours that I'm aware of. Not likely much longer.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms
Not yet. There are 2 roosters and 19 hens in this hen's coop. She is isolated in the house at the moment.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Not that I can find.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing I'm aware of.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. yesterday, I was able to feed her about 3 tablespoons of whey mixed with brewers yeast, collodial silver, VetRx and Rescue Remedy. This morning, I was able to feed her an additional dose of the above in one setting. She was hungry and much easier to feed. With help, she also ate a little scratch grains. I had to keep untwisting her head and hold it straight and keep the bowl tipped where she could see and hit it, but she did eat a little on her own, and she wanted to! Over the past 20 hours, she's had about 1000 I.E vitamin E.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Until a few minutes ago, she had not pooped at all! She just had a poo that consisted of fairly bright green matter that looked as if she'd had some decent greens, which she has not. (It's winter here.) There was evident white "urine," a large amount of clearish / yellowish liquid, AND what looks like a pretty good size blood clot. It looks like a small placenta, or a chunk of liver except that it is sort of accordian folded. It's about an inch wide and two inches long. Pretty solid; doesn't fall apart. Barely has an odor.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Treatment is described under what she's eating and drinking. Other treatment has just been to isolate, observe and keep her resting / calm.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Need to treat her myself. Probably have some resources available at local feed store. Am concerned about well-being of rest of flock, i.e. what to watch for... Also about household biohazard needs.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Can post photo of bird and poo if I can figure out how to do so. Will send message first.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Flock is in a stellar insulated coop, dirt floor, lots of straw bedding, nice roosts and ventilation. I think it's 10 x 12 or 14. This is their second winter in the coop. Sick hen is in small dog carrier in house with straw bedding under old T-shirt material.
Yikes! This poor hen.
