Tutu is ill, please help

[madeeha]

Hi all,
Sadly, an emergency brought me here. I am very worried because my chicken TuTu, 1 year old white rooster, is very ill. I took him to 2 vets and they suspect New Castle disease (I wasnt aware of various vaccines for chickens so we didnt get him vaccinated) But I am not too convinced. Tutu has always lived inside the house. I dont understand where he contracted it. And these vets are not Avian experts.
Symptoms Tutu is having are:
- He was shaking his head alot but that seems to be reduced.
- He isnt eating or drinking anything on his own.
- He is doing white watery poop with green pellets in it.
- He droops to the point that his beak is on the floor. Sometimes he is up but stands still and is always silent.
- He doesn't seem to be having respiratory issues yet.
- His neck seems swollen outwardly.
- He has become very weak.

Current treatment as suggested by vets:
- Vibramycin half capsule mixed in 1 ml Vidaylin syrup.
- Force feeding Cerelac wheat.
- Force feeding Vitamin water, ORS and Glucose water.

He has recently started doing this munchy thing with his mouth. please see the video at 0:12. Doing this alot even while drooping.

His stool test came negative for parasites.

Please help. I feel so sad for him. What is going on with him? Is it New Castle or Merks?
He may have eaten some cloth strings we are suspecting. His crop is not impacted but does feel thin and squishy. Could he have blocked gizzard?

 

[madeeha]

His abnormal looking droppings.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How's he doing?

 

[madeeha]

Not good sleeping all day but wakes up when we pick him up to feed. We plan to take him to vet tomorrow but I dont think they are going to be too helpful as they are cat/dog vets.

 

[Cacique500]

May want to ask the vet if it could be clostridium perfringens...I had one with similar symptoms and the poop looked like the pic you posted. Did a round of Tylan with her and she was fine after a couple weeks. Not saying that's what it is, but worth asking the vet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

May want to ask the vet if it could be clostridium perfringens...I had one with similar symptoms and the poop looked like the pic you posted. Did a round of Tylan with her and she was fine after a couple weeks. Not saying that's what it is, but worth asking the vet.

X2

@Cacique500 has made a very good observation.

Take a fecal sample with you. Bacterial infection is a good possibility.
His blue comb is concerning, usually a sign of lack of oxygen/heart circulation, but can present with severe illness/infection as well.

Ask more questions while at the vet, what do they see presented that makes them think Newcastle?
Can they send a blood sample off for testing?

 

[madeeha]

Thank you! I will ask the vet to check for clostridium perfringens. I did not follow up the reply earlier.

The vet only did a parastite test on stool. Will ask him to do a bacterial analysis and a blood test.

The vet said that he suspects New Castle because of the way Tutu shakes his head/neck, in a circular action. But now he thinks that it could be because his comb has grown too large. He said that this thing sometimes happens with white leghorns Also because tutu's condition is not deteriorating but not improving either.

Tutu keeps sitting in with his head on the floor all the time, rarely gets up but he is looking around with one eye. The other eye is hidden under the comb. He tries to peck food off of our hand when we hold his comb.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, do ask for the bacterial analysis.

What type of food/treats are you feeding?

 

[madeeha]

Currently while he is ill, we are only giving Cerelac (wheat and rice) by hand 6-7 times a day as he cant eat by himself. Otherwise, we were only giving him Millet, apple and scrambled egg. He is our first "bird" pet, so we did not know what to properly give him.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Currently while he is ill, we are only giving Cerelac (wheat and rice) by hand 6-7 times a day as he cant eat by himself. Otherwise, we were only giving him Millet, apple and scrambled egg. He is our first "bird" pet, so we did not know what to properly give him.

I'm not saying the Cerelac is necessarily "bad" for him, but it has ingredients that he doesn't need like the iron and calcium and it doesn't have a lot of protein in it either.

He needs more protein and vitamins that are specifically for poultry (some of the vitamins in the Cerelac are just fine).

I would normally recommend an all flock/flock raiser feed, but it usually comes in a 50lb bag - if you don't mind getting that much feed, then get that. Since he is your only chicken,you can use Chick Starter which is available in smaller bags if you wish, both are found at the the feed store. Either has much more protein (18-20% which he needs), essential minerals and nutrients that chickens need. I know that chick starter says to feed until 20-24 wks of age, but that is for laying hens. Since he is a boy, he does not need the extra calcium a hen would need so you can feed him chick starter just fine. (I use an all flock feed for my entire flock and they do very well, I just give then hens oyster shell).

The millet & apple are fine as treats. The scrambled egg is a good source of protein. Provide him some poultry grit since he is an indoor chicken, that can be found at the feed store as well.

If he has a hard time eating, you put some of the chicken feed in a small bowl and add water to make a paste. Chickens love wet feed.

Hope that helps.