Washingtonians

[UrbanEnthusiast]

I think tht two year old Baytril is too old to be of use,especially if it has been stored at high temperature, dampness etc. I don't think it is working and that is why Salma isn't better. I know what money problems are like. You seem to be doing all the right things - so don't blame yourself. I hope she gets better.

Hmm... Well, you're the first person who's advised me on the matter. Thank you. It came from the next-door neighbors and they're pretty organized, so I'm guessing this was stored in decent conditions. At this point, I don't want to risk stopping the round early and potentially making things much worse if it is currently having any effect. Her eye is improving so whatever the problem is, I don't think it's an infection anyway. I just hope the antibiotics aren't making her worse. Thanks for understanding about the money. It's hard to admit sometimes just how much these hard times have affected us.

 

[TerrorBird]

When we were looking for Pudge today, we found that some naughty girl has taken to laying her eggs under the chicken house. Luckily, they're still good. They're all staying in the pen tomorrow so that the hawk (if that's what it was) might be discouraged, so we'll just see where she decides to lay her egg if she's going to lay tomorrow. She used to use the shelf in the house, but I've been noticing only one egg a day on that shelf for the past few days. I'm pretty sure that the bad girl is Muffet, but it could be Pudge. Someone's going to get a talking-to when I get home tomorrow!

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Well, my man just left my apartment with Salma. I hate transporting her around like this when she's trying to heal, but with her requiring constant care and us not living together, there's just no other way sometimes. The good news is we fed her before he left and she was definitely eating a bit better than she was a few hours ago. She even ate a bit straight out of the bowl each time we dipped her beak in the mixture whenever we could get her to wake up for a few seconds, so we alternated between that and the dropper. I wish I'd tried the sugar water sooner. Don't know why I didn't think of it. It seems as though if we get a little bit of it in her, she perks up enough to eat more substantial food - but only a little bit. This time we fed her a mixture of pureed carrot, yogurt, her own egg scrambled, and just enough water to get it through the eye dropper. It's late at night so we have to keep waking her to get her to continue to nibble on it. Maybe in the morning she'll be hungry. That's what I thought would happen this morning, but just like yesterday, she had no appetite till nightfall. Strange. But she's resisting us now a little bit when we try to pull her out of the dog crate, so that's a good sign. More like her old self. He's going to stop at Safeway on the way home and get some whole milk yogurt to put in her mixture in the morning. I'm definitely going to take Hallerlake's suggestion and keep her in the crate in the yard tomorrow facing the flock whenever we're not feeding her.

Is feeding her every two hours about right?

One thing I forgot to mention is that the two-year-old Baytril is in pill form, which my boyfriend tells me has a much longer shelf life than the liquid stuff. So maybe it's helping.

 

[Hinotori]

UrbanEnthusiast, they can heal from what seems like a sure death. Chickens are pretty hardy birds. So don't give up hope.

When my birds were attacked by the dog earlier this year, I had four mauled survivors. The one with just a gash was with the flock when I found the scene. The two who were badly plucked on the back and sides had bites and gashes had took off out into the marsh to hide, apparently successfully. One came when I was calling, soaked but alive, the other showed up about half an hour later all wet. One of those had internal injuries apparently, she has laid a weird egg ever since she started laying again a month after the attack.

The worst girl showed up about 6 hours later. I don't know where she was or how she managed to get home. I still haven't figured out how she was alive. Her feathers were spread out in piles over about two acres. She was severly plucked, had a head injury, had gashes on her back and right leg, and a horrible gastly puncture going into her abdomen several inches and ripped down behind that leg though skin and tissue. She looked bad and so pathetic but was so happy to see me.

I didn't think she would make it. She wouldn't eat on her own for a couple days. I forced antibiotic laced water into her several times a day and got a little egg into her. She couldn't move that leg hardly for almost a week. She hated me spraying out the wound with vetericyn frequently. No ointments because it was a puncture and they have to heal from the inside out.

I had all four girls in a pen together separate from the rest of the flock. There was always one of them sitting with the badly injured girl, keeping her company. She spent the better part of a month just laying in the sun when it was out. She limped for two months I think. It took three months for the hole to heal up fully. If you know where to look and lift the feathers, she still has a divot there. Other than that, a slightly droopy right eyelid is the only signs she was injured. She's was back to laying eggs regularly again until her molt started. I have two of her chicks in the batch of 6 week olds I have. She was always a good layer of a mint green egg and with her constitution, I wanted her genes passed on.

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

UrbanEnthusiast, they can heal from what seems like a sure death. Chickens are pretty hardy birds. So don't give up hope.

When my birds were attacked by the dog earlier this year, I had four mauled survivors. The one with just a gash was with the flock when I found the scene. The two who were badly plucked on the back and sides had bites and gashes had took off out into the marsh to hide, apparently successfully. One came when I was calling, soaked but alive, the other showed up about half an hour later all wet. One of those had internal injuries apparently, she has laid a weird egg ever since she started laying again a month after the attack.

The worst girl showed up about 6 hours later. I don't know where she was or how she managed to get home. I still haven't figured out how she was alive. Her feathers were spread out in piles over about two acres. She was severly plucked, had a head injury, had gashes on her back and right leg, and a horrible gastly puncture going into her abdomen several inches and ripped down behind that leg though skin and tissue. She looked bad and so pathetic but was so happy to see me.

I didn't think she would make it. She wouldn't eat on her own for a couple days. I forced antibiotic laced water into her several times a day and got a little egg into her. She couldn't move that leg hardly for almost a week. She hated me spraying out the wound with vetericyn frequently. No ointments because it was a puncture and they have to heal from the inside out.

I had all four girls in a pen together separate from the rest of the flock. There was always one of them sitting with the badly injured girl, keeping her company. She spent the better part of a month just laying in the sun when it was out. She limped for two months I think. It took three months for the hole to heal up fully. If you know where to look and lift the feathers, she still has a divot there. Other than that, a slightly droopy right eyelid is the only signs she was injured. She's was back to laying eggs regularly again until her molt started. I have two of her chicks in the batch of 6 week olds I have. She was always a good layer of a mint green egg and with her constitution, I wanted her genes passed on.

What a story! Thank you! It makes me feel more optimistic. I just wish we could afford Vetericyn and an antibiotic that isn't expired. But Salma isn't anywhere near as bad off as your miraculous bird was. After 48 hours since the attack, she's not eating on her own yet (unless you count us dipping her beak in a bowl of puree and she sort of nibbles for a few seconds then falls asleep again). But maybe she has a decent chance. I REALLY REALLY hope she has more appetite tomorrow. If it were any of our other hens I probably wouldn't be half this upset. It's like the raccoon could just sense which one is our favorite. I feel more confident now that she'll retain vision in both eyes if she does survive, so that's good. Don't know how well she'd fare with just one eye. It's awesome that you bred yours after she recovered.

 

[JNB]

I think tht two year old Baytril is too old to be of use,especially if it has been stored at high temperature, dampness etc. I don't think it is working and that is why Salma isn't better. I know what money problems are like. You seem to be doing all the right things - so don't blame yourself. I hope she gets better.

Hmm... Well, you're the first person who's advised me on the matter. Thank you. It came from the next-door neighbors and they're pretty organized, so I'm guessing this was stored in decent conditions. At this point, I don't want to risk stopping the round early and potentially making things much worse if it is currently having any effect. Her eye is improving so whatever the problem is, I don't think it's an infection anyway. I just hope the antibiotics aren't making her worse. Thanks for understanding about the money. It's hard to admit sometimes just how much these hard times have affected us.


UrbanEnthusiest
So I dint know much about using Baytril for eye issues.. From what I know of antibiotics I doubt that its making her worse. I can tell you that the main drawback to using past date antibiotics is that they may loose some potency and effectiveness. Also if the container was open and not stored properly and past date sometimes you can get cross contamination. I have used Terramycin on several occasions with my various critters. It is a broad spectrum med and it actually comes in several forms so if you do get some make sure its the Ophthalmic. I went and looked to see if I have any extra I could share.. but I dint. My Kiddo used mine up on a batch of orphaned kittens we took out of my moms attic. I went to order from my usual place and was surprised to find that theres a back order on the stuff. Will have to look into that later.

An alternative is to keep the eye irrigated. You can use just a Eye Wash. Ive actually seen some at the dollar store lately. I use a little medicine syringe for children's medicine and gently shoot it at the eye area to flush. I buy mine at dollar store.. I also know that if you ask for one at a pharmacy sometimes they will give them to you

If you do decide to get some Terramyicin I have found that Ebay has the best prices and availability right now. One other thing that our Vet and several others have told me is to give my birds a FEW DROPS.. like 10... of a liquid B12 formula a couple times a day for a few days. You can buy it most places that sells Vitamins. Personally I get mine at GNC I think I paid 6.99 for the bottle.. It is wonderful for shock, also helps increase appetite and healing. As with anything too much can be hard on the critter. So dint over do it We give injections to our cattle, or dogs any time they have an injury etc. I was taught how to give the B12 med injections by our vet. The key he told me was that if an animal is in shock or very ill its better to micro dose than to give all at one time. If your girl is still drinking water then try adding 3 or 4 drops to her water a few times a day. If not drinking well you will have to try and get it in her with a little syringe

I agree with all the others that you sound like you are doing a wonderful job caring for her and she is very lucky to have such a dedicated and loving owner I hope there was some info i shared that helps and you can use.

 

[Hinotori]

Well she's a fighter for sure and she was a favorite beforehand. She actually had a name before the attack. She may be just an EE but she's a nice girl. So she helped to supply me with a new generation of EEs. Well the chicks are kind of funny looking with those random feathers sticking out of feet and legs, and I don't know how many of them will have the little bit longer feathers on the head from their half silkie dad, only one sort of looked like Alfalfa when I caught them all yesterday.

 

[Hinotori]

And DH has said we will skip the clam dig scheduled for that weekend and go to the chicken show.

He's hoping to find some heritage brahmas I think. He's got a thing for big old birds. Not that we really need anymore chickens at the moment... Who's the enabler in this relationship, me or the guy who cuddles the cockerels and tells them how they have to grow up really big and kick hawk butts?

 

[Chicken Rustler]

And DH has said we will skip the clam dig scheduled for that weekend and go to the chicken show.

He's hoping to find some heritage brahmas I think. He's got a thing for big old birds. Not that we really need anymore chickens at the moment... Who's the enabler in this relationship, me or the guy who cuddles the cockerels and tells them how they have to grow up really big and kick hawk butts?

Hope to see ya there.

I would love to go clamming. The problem is I have never found any place to get my clam gun sighted in!!!

 

[pettec63]

Quote:
I understand your DH's concern, obviously with this in the family, I too have been WAY freaked out about mosquito's too! I use spray when I go out and I am super freaked out when I find them in the house! At this point there hasn't been enough studies done on the West nile in people. My sister's MS condition and West Nile, is complicated, as in the Dr's aren't sure what's causing what. Thanks for the kind words, I was just being the Big sister!!

One reason why I got my Scovies is cause they love mosquito's and flies and all kinds of bugs!! They do a pretty good job, but, I have noticed a few more squito's tryn to get into my house!! Everyone just needs to be careful, and watch your babies!! The tough part about that is trying to find a lotion that works that doesn't have toxic substances! I'm sure in this next year, there are going to be lots of information and lots of stuff put out about it!
Don't be too hard on the hubby he's just concerned and for good reason!