islafarm
Songster
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Brahma, 8-9 weeks old, 350 grams (12 ounces) is 50% lighter than her sister.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Falls asleep very often - even while eating. Her left eye has been partially closed to fully closed. Pecks at food but misses it, usually too high or behind food. But she has an appetite and does eat. Vocal bird who moves around, can climb the ladder to roost and can get down in the morning too, can fly up to perch (1 ½ feet). No other symptoms that I can see. No discharge, sneezing, movement issues.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
7 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
no
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
no, see next question
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
The day I noticed her eye issue she had been smothered below two other chickens (her sister and a 4 month old brahma pullet). They were all in the dust bath in the sun and when they got up she was struggling below them, couldn't get to her feet. I picked her up and cleared / blew away the shavings / sand / dirt and set her down. She fell over twice. Held her for a while then had her drink something and she seemed okay. Later that day I saw her eye and thought it must have had something in it or been scratched in the experience. I don't think she could have been under them for longer than a few minutes. I let her eye be and when it didn't improve treated her for 4 consecutive days with an antibiotic eye ointment thinking maybe it got infected. There is no swelling, no discharge, no obvious irritation. She has been a mellow chick, but vocal, she's still vocal but falls asleep at a moment's notice. Almost like if she stops moving for more than 3 seconds she falls asleep.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Fermented chick starter feed, mealworms, greens, rainwater. Today yogurt and raw minced beef.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Gave her an antibiotic eye ointment for 4 days, today she's been separated and fed electrolytes, yogurt (homemade with good probiotics) and raw minced beef. I only realized today she was only eating about a ¼ of what I thought she was: I've been watching her at the feeder pecking away and thought she was eating. Only this morning saw that she was mostly pecking at thin air.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I live in an area with no support for poultry, no avian vets, no poultry specific meds, no testing. Have to treat her myself with readily available over the counter meds or 'natural' meds.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
A covered run she shares with 3 other chickens, 15 x12 x 6 feet, dirt floor with shavings / sand / wood chips. Part of the run has grass growing in it. Raised coop (3 foot) enclosed on 3 sides (I live in a warm area), lino poop boards, raised roost (about 6 inches), one nesting box with wood shavings. I clean poop 3x a day
Thank you! I have learned so much, and enjoyed so much BYC and I hope someone has ideas for what is going on with 'Sparkle'.
Brahma, 8-9 weeks old, 350 grams (12 ounces) is 50% lighter than her sister.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Falls asleep very often - even while eating. Her left eye has been partially closed to fully closed. Pecks at food but misses it, usually too high or behind food. But she has an appetite and does eat. Vocal bird who moves around, can climb the ladder to roost and can get down in the morning too, can fly up to perch (1 ½ feet). No other symptoms that I can see. No discharge, sneezing, movement issues.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
7 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
no
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
no, see next question
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
The day I noticed her eye issue she had been smothered below two other chickens (her sister and a 4 month old brahma pullet). They were all in the dust bath in the sun and when they got up she was struggling below them, couldn't get to her feet. I picked her up and cleared / blew away the shavings / sand / dirt and set her down. She fell over twice. Held her for a while then had her drink something and she seemed okay. Later that day I saw her eye and thought it must have had something in it or been scratched in the experience. I don't think she could have been under them for longer than a few minutes. I let her eye be and when it didn't improve treated her for 4 consecutive days with an antibiotic eye ointment thinking maybe it got infected. There is no swelling, no discharge, no obvious irritation. She has been a mellow chick, but vocal, she's still vocal but falls asleep at a moment's notice. Almost like if she stops moving for more than 3 seconds she falls asleep.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Fermented chick starter feed, mealworms, greens, rainwater. Today yogurt and raw minced beef.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Gave her an antibiotic eye ointment for 4 days, today she's been separated and fed electrolytes, yogurt (homemade with good probiotics) and raw minced beef. I only realized today she was only eating about a ¼ of what I thought she was: I've been watching her at the feeder pecking away and thought she was eating. Only this morning saw that she was mostly pecking at thin air.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I live in an area with no support for poultry, no avian vets, no poultry specific meds, no testing. Have to treat her myself with readily available over the counter meds or 'natural' meds.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
A covered run she shares with 3 other chickens, 15 x12 x 6 feet, dirt floor with shavings / sand / wood chips. Part of the run has grass growing in it. Raised coop (3 foot) enclosed on 3 sides (I live in a warm area), lino poop boards, raised roost (about 6 inches), one nesting box with wood shavings. I clean poop 3x a day
Thank you! I have learned so much, and enjoyed so much BYC and I hope someone has ideas for what is going on with 'Sparkle'.
