Symptoms: Very labored breathing, lethargy, rattlery/murmery sounds...

[Brahmadarma]

...and more. She is getting weak and her poo, though solid is a deep green. She's not exactly sneezing but makes little congested snotty sounds.
She is about 3-4 wks old, has always been tiny, is now isolated. The other chicks poo is not green, so the lettuce they've been eating isn't the cause.
Is this IB? She is eating well and drinking some. Tonight I noticed she is now holding her head to the right (her right) and her neck looks a bit red where the feathers are too thin.
She is feeling really ill. I know this because despite her tiny size she was a feisty little thing and was always talking. Now its hard for her to talk, and its breaking my heart.
Can anyone help? I am keeping her warm and quiet and clean and well fed and watered. She (and all of them) has just bee through a course of Sulmet, followed by a course of Amprolium for cocci which seems to finally be over, thank god.
But now this.
Any ideas/advice?

 

[PeeperKeeper]

I don't know what you may have on hand as far as ABx,
(antibiotics). sounds like you might want to put her back on the sulmet to get her throught the night.
She has had a lot of dosing , it sounds like and her immune system and normal body flora are probably wiped out allowing some opportunistic bug to take over. Sulmet, Yogurt, and polyvisol vitamins. Keep her isolated until you can get some strength back into her. You may even want to consider a different Abx like Tylan.
If she won't eat get some chicken noodle soup and give her the broth. Just let her little head go down in the bowl, somehow their beaks syphon it up into their mouth and they'll drink it. If not you may have to "drench" her by hand using a syringe or eyedropper.
Are you familiar with dlhunicorn? she has a site where she has listed all treatments she has tried or heard of, like a journal of events. Very knwledgeable and lots of wisdom.
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi
(The sorry thing is I don't know if unicorn is a he or a she). I just know there's a lot of good info there.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

P.S. Dark green poo with now White wash may mean she is dehydrated. Get some water in her quick!

 

[Brahmadarma]

Having just checked in on her again, it seems her head droops to either side, she is obviously very weak.
I feel like I should put an end to this obvious suffering - I can't imagine she is going to make a recovery.
But how do you kill a tiny chick kindly and painlessly? I have never had to do this, other than a horribly maimed squirrel in the road.
Please tell me what you would do.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

I don't know any easy way, for you, if that is your choice. I think giving them every possible chance is the only way I can live with myself. And the JOY of seeing one that is so near death pull out of it is like seeing the work of angels right there with you.
I'm sorry I can't give you an easy answer on this one.
God Bless your little flock and you. :aww

"We learn through trials and that is how we become Wise."

 

[Brahmadarma]

Thank you for "being there".
You may be right about dehydration, I noticed, or rather didn't notice the chicks drinking as much as usual, so I assumed they are sick of medicated water - don't blame them, its disgusting, I tried a little sip to see if it was noticeable - very bitter. So for the last two nights I have been leaving out the medication in the coop waterer, and adding a little bit of Hummingbird feed to the daily medicated water to make it more palatable (sort of like electrolytes too). I have given the little ailing one plain water with a little hummer feed too tonight.
I thought of going back to the Sulmet, but I know it is really hard on their system, so decided to just make her as comfortable as possible and not dose her with anything anymore.
I agree with you, of course, I will do everything I can for her and see if she pulls through. I must just stop going out there (the laundry room) to check on her, because she is so pathetic I want to pick her up and hold her, but I know that would only help me - not her. So I will leave her in peace for the night, and just hope that she's still here in the morning.

 

[Brahmadarma]

Three hours later she is barely hanging on. She's trying to hold her head up but it just lolls sideways, she's not opening here eyes anymore and the little sounds are just tragic.
I can't understand why her poo is so green, I mean bright grass-green, I've never seen any that color before.
I still hope someone might know what could be wrong with her. I am praying that whatever this is, it is not contagious.

 

[Brahmadarma]

I was amazed to find her still with us this morning. And she can stand again, still a little wobbly with eyes closed, but can support her head.
I should just say here that her poo, though bright green, has always had white in it too, the shape and consistency is normal.
I have been giving her 2ccs of water via syringe every three hours today, and the first time she put up quite a fight which pleased me.
She has been eating really well, apart from last night when she was so weak. I stopped giving her yogurt in case it worsened the problem with mucous (if there is a problem with mucous), but your suggestion about all the dosing knocking out her immune system made me start again and she is eating it, mixed in with the medicated chick feed. (I have been feeding them yogurt all along as a pro-biotic)
Does anyone have any input? What this might be? If there is anything more I can do or give her?
I would really welcome ANY info or suggestions.
Thanks,
Annie

 

[Brahmadarma]

She put up a brave fight, but she is gone.
I still don't know what it was. I only know that i am relieved she no longer has to suffer.

 

[SpottedCrow]

So sorry for your loss...
Bright green usually means that she's not eating.