very sick hen. Corid didn't work. Worm next?

[chelleigh]

The tapeworms were in a flock I had in another state so there are no known cases of worms in my current flock. She is not labored breathing at all today. Just weak and sleepy. she actually has been attempting to stand a bit. I have been hydrating her with a dropper and she has been orally eating pieces of squash with some layer crumbles, but not much. I was also dropper feeding yogurt to her. I didn't go into totally tube feeding cuz I really thought she was about to die yesterday thinking she was much thinner than she actually was. I wasn't able to find baby bird food for tube feeding when I searched local feed stores. I don't know of a pet store in my town, but I guess if there was a chance I could go into Nashville to get some. Is there anything I can whip up at home to tube feed? And I guess I need to find some tubing as well. I will read those tube feeding links in this post now that I may be having to do it. Thanks!!

 

[casportpony]

I just weighed her again now and she is still 3.4 pounds converted to grams is 1542.21.  I should have just went to an online converter instead of using that cheap kitchen scale.

That's a much better weight than 400 grams, and one that you can use your antibiotics on.

 

[casportpony]

Do the math, but I think you could probably give her 1/3 to 1/2 a tablet twice a day. But please, someone *please* double check. If she had been 400 grams, I would have been much harder, still doable, but harder.

 

[casportpony]

The tapeworms were in a flock I had in another state so there are no known cases of worms in my current flock. She is not labored breathing at all today. Just weak and sleepy. she actually has been attempting to stand a bit. I have been hydrating her with a dropper and she has been orally eating pieces of squash with some layer crumbles, but not much. I was also dropper feeding yogurt to her. I didn't go into totally tube feeding cuz I really thought she was about to die yesterday thinking she was much thinner than she actually was. I wasn't able to find baby bird food for tube feeding when I searched local feed stores. I don't know of a pet store in my town, but I guess if there was a chance I could go into Nashville to get some. Is there anything I can whip up at home to tube feed? And I guess I need to find some tubing as well. I will read those tube feeding links in this post now that I may be having to do it. Thanks!!

Just remember to do just a little a time. When they are this sick, they are much more likely to vomit and aspirate.

 

[casportpony]

Petsmart and Petco should have the baby bird food.

 

[casportpony]

You can also use lay pellets or crumble in water or Pedialyte, but it's much harder to get it through the tube.

 

[chelleigh]

Thank you! thank you! thank you to both of you for all your help! I dug out my algebra skills from the deep dark depths of my brain and did the calculations to the suggested oral intake of 125mg/ml per kg and came up with about the same that you did. I don't want to get my hopes up too much but she just pigged out on some cooked squash mixed with some feed. She did eat this a few times earlier today but in smaller quantities. I also continue to dropper feed her some yogurt. Making sure I don't feed her too much at one time since she hasn't eaten very much lately. No matter what happens to Max, I will have learned so much from this. If I can't save her, at least I now have better resources and know what to have in my chicken first aid kit to help the next one. I will give an update to her condition tomorrow.

 

[chelleigh]

A couple questions:

How many days do you give antibiotics to a chicken?

I started worming with Wazine and was going to follow up with a broad spectrum wormer. I am assuming I would continue to do this, right?

Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

A couple questions:

How many days do you give antibiotics to a chicken?

I started worming with Wazine and was going to follow up with a broad spectrum wormer. I am assuming I would continue to do this, right?

Thanks!

When my vet prescribed Clavamox for my peafowl, which is Amoxicillin and something else, it was for ten days. So I would say at least ten days. Remember that antibiotics can cause diarrhea, so you should weigh her daily. Any additional weight loss is bad.

Are you putting the Wazine in her water?

 

[chelleigh]

Yes, I did the Wazine in her water on Thursday.