TALKED TO VET PAGE 2: Need help re: Olivia!

[pawsplus]

I have lower roosts. Look at the ladder thingy -- it slants, provides access to the top roosts, and is also lower roosts (12, 24, 36, 48 inches up). There's plenty of room for them to come down -- the coop is 8 feet long.

She looked AWFUL when I got her home last night and she ate nothing. I was afraid she'd be gone when I woke up. BUT she seemed brighter. She can stand up for longer when I put her on her feet, and she showed interest in food. Didn't eat much, so I force-fed her a little yogurt w/ acidophilus and fish oil added (anti-inflammatory) and some peas. Vet suggested the peas b/c they are high protein and have moisture, and they're easy to feed them -- I just opened her beak and popped them in and they went right down. Ditto the amoxicillin.

Vet said he's had good luck fixing this but that yes, if it recurs, the only thing to do is to spay them. Which I will do if it's necessary.

But she's laid eggs for 2 years without problems so maybe this is an isolated event. Or maybe it's something else entirely.

At least she seems a TINY bit better. It will be a long haul, I'm sure, since she's so weak and thin. She's in a big dog crate in a quiet back room, so she can feel safe and warm.

ONE THING: Should I keep her in dim light to try to induce a moult (and hence, keep her from trying to lay) or keep her in light during the day??? I could see upsides and downsides to both, so please let me know what you think!!!

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Sending lots of hopes for Olivia's recovery

What you might do is split the difference - give her a few hours of beautiful sunlight each of the next few days (assuming it's sunny!) so she isn't too depressed but give her dim light otherwise, and of course, dark at night. Hopefully this will stem the tide of egg production and allow her to focus her energies on beating whatever this is. Maybe you can reassess in a couple/few days if she's markedly better

. Please keep us posted -

JJ

 

[pawsplus]

But the problem is that for now she is in a back room w/ no windows. I have to keep her there or the cats would be able to see her. They couldn't bother her in the plastic dog crate, but I'm sure their presence would be stressful. And while it's warmish today, it will be cold again over the weekend so I can't put her crate on the screened porch.

So in the back windowless room, the choices are low light (spillover from bathroom next to storeroom) or ceiling light on. ???

 

[jjthink]

Hmmm...you might get a full spectrum light bulb (a pet store may have) and this would give her the effect of sunlight for the few hours a day in the room she's in, and if you want to try to give her something to get excited about, provide a low-sided tray of dirt with mealworms if you can get them. And/or other treats. Anything to keep spirits up while she is fighting to win this. The few hours of sun-like light may cheer her without being so much that her body gets in egg-mode. I know - - it's so hard to see them sick and not know what they're up against

JJ

 

[pawsplus]

Quote:
Oh, good idea. I'll get some today.