UPDATE she's breathing hard w/ mouth open Graphic poo photo - pls help

[cherylcohen]

So this morning she stilll is listless, not moving around however not stagering. Some of the other girls were jumping on her so I've separated her. Under where I put her up to roost last night was this poo. I've looked at the photos from earlier posts and this doesn't like similar to them. Some regular poo but lots of watery cottage cheese looking stuff around it.

Post from yesterday...So my Buff orpington, Mabel (19weeks) has been sleepier, laying in the corner, crop is medium, drinking some water, when prodded to be in with other girls she just stands there - no pecking for food, not wobbly (yet) no paralysis (yet) since yesterday

We had purchased our first 4 chickens from a local breeder that had, unbenounced to us she had meraks on her farm. 2 of our girls from her died of meraks. We've gotten 8 more chickens from another local source and they have all been amazingly healthy till yesterday when Mabel starting acting un-chicken-like.

We have a syringe of Tylan from our latest source but I'm terrified to use it and don't quite know how to do it (she gave me instructions but I need confirmation) (also I've read a few threads on the subjet but I'd love a direct response on how/when to administer the syringe) and I'm happy to do the Vit e/selenium and B complex. So should I try both or do we think it's meraks.

It's nighttime and I put her on the roost tonight so she's warm and cozy with her friends. Should I try to do the shot tonight?? I hate this part I love her so and wanted a BO since the beggining of my chicken infatuation but we've lost 2 others to this now. ( are they possibly a breed that has less imunities)

 

[mylittlezoo]

I'm sure someone with more experience than me will be along soon, but until then.... You need to give the Tylan asap. Give the dose for three days. No more, no less. Give it into the breast muscle which you can feel either side of the breast bone. It's easy, I promise. Good luck.

 

[silkiechicken]

The cheesy stuff looks like urates to me, so looks like she's not eating well and drinking lots of water. Has she lost weight? My first suspicion is usually cocci or worms. Some birds are not the strongest immunity wise and can still get sick from such things. That said, I'm betting it is not bacterial so antibiotics will only make resistant bacteria for the future. Even if it is a late on set of mericks, which they should all be naturally immune by now, it is a virus and you should have future chicks vaccinated as day olds to give them protection from it.

If possible, I would take a sample of that poo to any vet and have a "fecal float" done for like 20 bucks to give you and idea if there is a parasite problem, which is often the case with listless birds.

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
wow two very different ideas! If I give her the injection yikes do I just poke it in a little bit or 1/2 an inch...argh scarred. Also it's been in the refrigerator, do I need to get it to room temp first?

 

[Kittymomma]

Here's a link to a "poop page" hopefully that will help with identification. I really wouldn't start any antibiotics until you have a better idea what you're dealing with. You could get some Corid or sulmet and treat for cocci even if you're not sure because it won't hurt anything or build any immunities like uneeded antibiotics will. I second the motion for a fecal float, they're not that expensive and it really helps to know what you are treating.

http://happyhenhouse.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=poop&action=display&thread=7588

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
thanks on the phone with the vet now and they charge $35-50 for a regular float and $78 for the exam...I'm negotiating

 

[Kittymomma]

Might check a few different vets out. Mine will do fecals without seeing the animal. You'll prob. have better luck with that if you can find a livestock vet in your area--they're more likely to do stuff without having to see an animal than the dog/cat vets. Good luck!

$50 is crazy for a float. I paid $15 the last time I had to bring one in for a calf--no farm call or office visit, just collected a fresh sample and sacrificed a small tuperware to bring it in.

 

[cherylcohen]

I got some advice from Twin city poultry to dose with amprol 128 that I have for cocci and add a little sugar.

Is that the same ptreatment for urates

 

[silkiechicken]

Urates are normal, it just looks like a lot in the pics because the regular fecal matter mass is less and she is drinking more.

If you can't find cheaper fecal testing, I would also just treat for cocci before starting antibiotics. You should see results within 2-3 days if cocci is the issue. Unless there is an open wound, or a known infection, antibiotics just don't do much, and can be worse by killing 99.95 of the beneficial bacteria in the gut that are required for proper digestion.

As for injectable meds, it is always best to warm to room temp before administration and to administer drugs before their expiration date because they do degrade over time and a partial dose below the effective levels is not so good.

Since she is about the point of lay, have you checked to see if she is egg bound? Often they can strain around the egg and result in watery poo and the like because they don't feel well and have the passage partially blocked.


I would pass on the sugar too, and only give medicated water without other sources as they will drink when they need it and given another source, she may not get a full dose.

 

[cherylcohen]

her wattle etc are very small and pale, she seems like such a little baby

Do you know what the treatment for urates is? Is it the same? I'm going home now to give her eyedroppers of medicated water