Top Ten Ways to Accidently Kill a Sick Bird

[enola]

I just found this thread and I'm just overwhelmed right now. I've had 2 sick birds now in 3 weeks. messy vent, maybe prolapse. I asked in another forum for help and got nothing. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. reading this thread, Sadly, I've made some of these mistakes. I agree there is sooo much info here that I don't know what to do. I followed this thread trying to find out the symptoms of worms. my girl is really sick and I'm afraid she won't make it. 

Have you wormed your hens?

 

[Ladyhawk12]

I have the same issue. The vets here don't do birds. I'm stuck guessing trying to compare pictures and symtoms. I've asked my vet for best guess. Using experience from other animals that have needed special care and semi exotic ...luckly I have been exposed to some exotic care. Most of what is listed I totally agree. Just wish I had better resources here so I wasn't just guessing. I just couldn't stand by and do nothing for my girl. That part is very frustrating

 

[casportpony]

The most important thing to do when you find a sick one is to bring it inside where it's warm, and by warm I mean 80-85 degrees f. Of course simply handling a critically ill bird can kill them, so one should keep that in mind and should not feel bad if they do die while being handled.

-Kathy

 

[getreal]

Have you wormed your hens?

no I have not. was looking for the symptoms to know if I should or not. I remembered someone say something about pumpkin so I put canned pumpkin in with the yogurt. all I have so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. she had white yucky stuff on her bottom and her vent was out some. so I bathed her to gt her clean and put prep H and honey on, around her vent then held it with a clean pad for 15 minutes and it did stay in. she keeps pushing. I tried feeling in there yesterday and can't feel anything. I am getting her to drink with a spoon....

 

[casportpony]

Worming with Safeguard at 0.23 ml per pound is one of the things I almost always do if the bird is stable.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

The other thing I always do is tube warmed fluids at 15ml per pound, repeat in 60-90 minutes if crop has cleared, then repeat every 4-6 hours as long as crop is clearing.

-Kathy

 

[enola]

Pumpkin, garlic and DE will NOT worm a chicken that has an overload of worms.

 

[getreal]

no I have not. was looking for the symptoms to know if I should or not. I remembered someone say something about pumpkin so I put canned pumpkin in with the yogurt. all I have so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. she had white yucky stuff on her bottom and her vent was out some. so I bathed her to gt her clean and put prep H and honey on, around her vent then held it with a clean pad for 15 minutes and it did stay in. she keeps pushing. I tried feeling in there yesterday and can't feel anything. I am getting her to drink with a spoon....

UPDATE: my hen is doing better. I thought for sure she wasn't going to make yesterday afternoon. I discontinued bathing her. kept giving her water with a spoon and a mouthful of pumpkin yogurt. directed the heat lamp directly at cage. added more prep H and honey to her vent after only wiping it with warm water. gradually got her to drink out of a shot glass, half a glass at a time. about half hour later I checked she was laying down and an egg behind her. she got up drank a little bit. by evening she was eating like there was no tomorrow. Today her vent was a little messy but no bad at all. she moving around and drinking/eating. and being sassy now.
I am still going to worm the flock as soon as I can get to TSC. it's 50 miles from me. so the safeguard is the preferred wormer? will pumpkin, garlic or DE help to prevent worms?
Thank you all so very much!

 

[getreal]

UPDATE: my hen is doing better. I thought for sure she wasn't going to make yesterday afternoon. I discontinued bathing her. kept giving her water with a spoon and a mouthful of pumpkin yogurt. directed the heat lamp directly at cage. added more prep H and honey to her vent after only wiping it with warm water. gradually got her to drink out of a shot glass, half a glass at a time. about half hour later I checked she was laying down and an egg behind her. she got up drank a little bit. by evening she was eating like there was no tomorrow. Today her vent was a little messy but no bad at all. she moving around and drinking/eating. and being sassy now.
I am still going to worm the flock as soon as I can get to TSC. it's 50 miles from me. so the safeguard is the preferred wormer? will pumpkin, garlic or DE help to prevent worms?
Thank you all so very much!

well this evening she is eating a little yogurt but she is really pushing hard and nothing is happening except her vent pushes out really far. cleaned it with warm water and pushed some of the prep H and honey mixture in a little ways and it really ticked her off. do I just keep doing what I'm doing and let nature do it's course?

 

[getreal]

well it seems it's a flock thing. I have 2 in sick bay and now 2 more in the flock showing signs of same thing. I don't know what else to do so nature will have to take over.