Sweet BR roo is really sick!! Please help FOUND HIM!! =D

[okiemommy]

1) What type of bird , age and weight:

Barred Rock 5 months old(not sure of the weight, but losing and becoming way too skinny)

2) What is the behavior, exactly:

Walking slowly, has lost weight within the last day and a half to the point of looking emaciated, runny foamy poo that looks dark green, didn't eat today for sure, did drink some water, seems to get lost after wandering off by himself...keeps on ending up between the coop wall and the feed can . Was in the neighbors yard looking disoriented a couple of days ago, and found him under the porch steps yesterday when it was time to bring him in. We couldn't find him and the other chickens went to where he was as if to help us find him and that's how we found him. The other chickens are acting perfectly normal and healthy.

3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign trauma:

He's got some bleeding on his comb, and some black spots. I have researched the black spots and they don't look anything like the pictures that I have seen of pox; they look like dried blood spots from the other roo's pecking hi;they have never scabbed over like pox do, and he has a longer area of dried blood that doesn't look like a spot but blood that had run that is now dried, and under it is fresh blood. He also has cloudy eyes, they slowly started to get cloudy a couple of weeks ago, but because he had no other signs of illness for weeks and weeks, I thought it may be cataracts. Seems to have some moisture under his nostrils.

4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation: I don't know what happened, but it seems like after I began free ranging them, his symptoms started.

5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all:

Layer pellets, and cracked corn mix.

6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.

It's Foamy and dark green.

7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?

Up until today the only thing that he was doing is what seemed to be a result of bad vision, so I have been watching him closely. Today though, he is not eating, is very skinny, and is acting "confused"

8 ) 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?

I can't get to a vet, I will do whatever I can do within my abilities and the information given on here to save him. But I can't get him to a vet. Please tell me what I can do to save him.

9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. I don't have a picture of him, but if need be I can go take one.

10) Describe the housing/bedding in use

10x16 coop and pine bedding shavings.


Thank you

 

[speckledhen]

The cloudy eyes make me think ocular Marek's disease, but honestly, I really dont know what it could be. The confusion could be due to a head injury, possibly, but I cant think of what else it could be. Hope someone has some insight for you.

 

[Wynette]

I can't help you a lot, but you definitely need to get him hydrated and eating ASAP. You need to keep up his strength if he's going to have the energy to fight whatever the issue is.

Dark green poop is a sign that he's not eating.

Sounds like he's either blind or almost blind; it could be that he's not a candidate for freeranging, as most blind birds (I have one) need to be in an area that's relatively confined so that they can find they way around; once they know where everything is, they're usually okay.

It sounds like he's got other issues other than the eye issue, though. To start with, I would pick up some vitamins/electrolytes (you can get this at your local feed store or TSC if you have one nearby; it comes in a packet and you add it to water or feed). Try to offer him foods that are good for him and he'll be attracted to eat - such as yogurt, oatmeal, cooked egg yolks, etc. Poly vi-sol may also help him.

I think that now, you need to separate him into a small cage (like a dog crate) and get him to eat and drink. Dribble some water along his beak and see if you can get him to drink. Do you have a syringe? If he won't eat on his own, you can make a slurry and squirt some into his mouth...but you need to get him hydrated & fed ASAP. Hopefully, someone who knows more will be able to jump on & give you more advice. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[okiemommy]

Is ocular Mareks the same thing as Mareks?

 

[PeeperKeeper]

Green foamy poo might be an intestinal microbe infection. Disorientation comes with dehydration and electrolyte depletion. First seperate from flock. then I suggest "drenching" with an antibiotic like corid or tylan water soluble. Get some electrolyte solution, pedialyte will work, and some poly-vi-sol liquid vitamins. Offer probiotic yogurt after you start the antibiotics. Do not give at the same time as the antibiotic will kill off the beneficial probiotics. Keep in warm secure area that is quiet. Good luck.

 

[zatsdeb]

could he have eaten anything toxic???

 

[okiemommy]

I can't help you a lot, but you definitely need to get him hydrated and eating ASAP. You need to keep up his strength if he's going to have the energy to fight whatever the issue is.

Dark green poop is a sign that he's not eating.

Sounds like he's either blind or almost blind; it could be that he's not a candidate for freeranging, as most blind birds (I have one) need to be in an area that's relatively confined so that they can find they way around; once they know where everything is, they're usually okay.

It sounds like he's got other issues other than the eye issue, though. To start with, I would pick up some vitamins/electrolytes (you can get this at your local feed store or TSC if you have one nearby; it comes in a packet and you add it to water or feed). Try to offer him foods that are good for him and he'll be attracted to eat - such as yogurt, oatmeal, cooked egg yolks, etc. Poly vi-sol may also help him.

I think that now, you need to separate him into a small cage (like a dog crate) and get him to eat and drink. Dribble some water along his beak and see if you can get him to drink. Do you have a syringe? If he won't eat on his own, you can make a slurry and squirt some into his mouth...but you need to get him hydrated & fed ASAP. Hopefully, someone who knows more will be able to jump on & give you more advice. GOOD LUCK!!! hugs

I will get him some vitamins and electrolytes today. Cooking the oatmeal now, out of yogurt

I do have a syringe that we use to give the kids medicine, I can use that to give him water. I dipped his beak into the water earlier to help him find it, and he drank a lot.

I have a small cage to separate him into and I will go get him and put him in that. Should I bring him in the house?​

 

[Barnyard]

Is it possible that he may have gotten into something he shouldn't have while free ranging? I would keep him separated untile I figured out what was going on with him. Vitamins and Electrolytes wouldn't hurt.

My BR roo got sick and would just stand in one spot and hold his head down. I did a molasses flush on him and in a couple of day's he was better. That might be something to try. You normally do that when you think there are toxins.

Found the dosage....

Molasses flush is 1 pint molasses per 5 gallons water given over a period of 8 hours withhold all other food or water.

The break down is -

(1 PINT = 2 CUPS)

2 cups to 5 gallons water

1 cup to 2.5 gallons of water

1/2 cup to 1.25 gallons of water

1/4 cup to 2 quarts water

4 tablespoons to 1 quart water

The molasses acts as a laxative by pulling water into the intestines and flushing it out.

I would mix it by the quart.

 

[okiemommy]

could he have eaten anything toxic???

Not that I know of....there are black walnut trees in our yard...are those toxic to chickens? I know black walnuts are toxic to other plants and to horses, but I have never read that they are toxic to chickens.​

 

[Wynette]

He needs to be warm, but you may not need to bring him in. do you have a heat lamp? If not, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring him in.

I would (personally) discourage starting him on antibiotics just yet.

You may find that he perks up once he knows where the food is - it's a good sign that he drank a lot once he knew where the water is. It could be something as simple as him going blind, and due to freeranging, he didnt' know where his feed was. Let us know if he begins to eat on his own.

Good luck - so sorry for your boy!