I'm wondering if someone can help me diagnose this pullet....
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
English Blue orpington, pullet, about 18(? +/-) weeks, weighs 2 lbs, 1 ounce. She feels thin to me... tall, but thin. She has seemed to gain weight over the last week or two, but still thin.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She doesn't seem as strong and active as our other hens (we have her quarantined). We brought her home about 3-4 weeks ago, having purchased her from someone who breeds chickens nearby. At the same time, my young daughter begged us to also bring home a runty looking small pullet. The breeder gave the small pullet to us and warned is that she might not live, but that the pullet wasn't sick, just not thriving. She was about 1/3 the size of the blue pullet. We caved in, and brought her home as well (I later wondered if she had Runting/Stunting Syndrome). We gave both pullets avia charge in their water, with ACV, yogurt, occasional scrambled eggs, and the same feed that the breeder was using (game bird starter). The small pullet drank a lot, but seemed to peck at food without getting much nourishment. She died after one week with no outward symptoms besides her smallness, odd feathers, and inability to eat effectively.
A couple of days after bringing them home, the blue pullet had the sniffles but seemed to feel fine, was eating and drinking fine. We gave her Tylan as a precaution. We did notice that she seemed to "sit down" a little bit, and would roost in front of the feeder and eat while laying down.
Her nose is clear, and she had no other symptoms. But she still lays down a lot. She doesn't seem completely steady on her feet, walking almost like she's on a balance beam -- one leg directly in front of the other. She can run. She'll scratch a little. But her legs just don't seem as strong. She still has a healthy appetite and drinks often.
She doesn't keep her feathers particularly clean, but I don't know if that's significant. She does preen occasionally.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
About 3 weeks (from the time we brought her home.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
In spite of quarantine, we did have two hens from our established flock who started to get the sniffles, so we did put everyone else on Tylan as well, and everyone seems to have recovered.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Don't know.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
We are still giving her the Game Bird starter that she was getting from the breeder. She drinks regularly. Gets a few veggie scraps. Doesn't care for yogurt. Eats scrambled eggs quickly.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
When we first brought her home it seemed pretty runny, but not really any more.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Tylan for five days. No abx for the last week or so. Avia Charge/vitamins/electrolytes. Dusted her for mites the day we got her home.
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?
Would like to try to treat her myself.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Right now she is in a rabbit hutch at night for isolation -- shavings for bedding. During the day she has run in the yard that she uses, with access to bugs/weeds, etc.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
English Blue orpington, pullet, about 18(? +/-) weeks, weighs 2 lbs, 1 ounce. She feels thin to me... tall, but thin. She has seemed to gain weight over the last week or two, but still thin.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She doesn't seem as strong and active as our other hens (we have her quarantined). We brought her home about 3-4 weeks ago, having purchased her from someone who breeds chickens nearby. At the same time, my young daughter begged us to also bring home a runty looking small pullet. The breeder gave the small pullet to us and warned is that she might not live, but that the pullet wasn't sick, just not thriving. She was about 1/3 the size of the blue pullet. We caved in, and brought her home as well (I later wondered if she had Runting/Stunting Syndrome). We gave both pullets avia charge in their water, with ACV, yogurt, occasional scrambled eggs, and the same feed that the breeder was using (game bird starter). The small pullet drank a lot, but seemed to peck at food without getting much nourishment. She died after one week with no outward symptoms besides her smallness, odd feathers, and inability to eat effectively.
A couple of days after bringing them home, the blue pullet had the sniffles but seemed to feel fine, was eating and drinking fine. We gave her Tylan as a precaution. We did notice that she seemed to "sit down" a little bit, and would roost in front of the feeder and eat while laying down.
Her nose is clear, and she had no other symptoms. But she still lays down a lot. She doesn't seem completely steady on her feet, walking almost like she's on a balance beam -- one leg directly in front of the other. She can run. She'll scratch a little. But her legs just don't seem as strong. She still has a healthy appetite and drinks often.
She doesn't keep her feathers particularly clean, but I don't know if that's significant. She does preen occasionally.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
About 3 weeks (from the time we brought her home.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
In spite of quarantine, we did have two hens from our established flock who started to get the sniffles, so we did put everyone else on Tylan as well, and everyone seems to have recovered.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Don't know.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
We are still giving her the Game Bird starter that she was getting from the breeder. She drinks regularly. Gets a few veggie scraps. Doesn't care for yogurt. Eats scrambled eggs quickly.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
When we first brought her home it seemed pretty runny, but not really any more.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Tylan for five days. No abx for the last week or so. Avia Charge/vitamins/electrolytes. Dusted her for mites the day we got her home.
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?
Would like to try to treat her myself.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Right now she is in a rabbit hutch at night for isolation -- shavings for bedding. During the day she has run in the yard that she uses, with access to bugs/weeds, etc.
