Weight Loss, loose stool - recovering from respiratory issue

[MightyMama]

I have a new question, so I'm going to put it in a new thread.

I brought home a chicken (7mo) with an upper respiratory issue. She was already halfway through treatment with Tylan 50. She finished that, her cough/sneeze went away almost completely. She's still got a very slight and infrequent sneeze, that's not really a full sneeze. Almost like she's just got to clear her nose a bit and mostly just when she's doing her egg song. I also noticed that her feet were being held stiff (not the legs) and she's a bit on the thin side. I've been giving her electrolytes, poly vi sol, a daily scrambled egg and some probiotics, in addition to her feed/snacks. She seems to have a healthy appetite and drinking well. She's moving around fine and her inner 2 toes are starting to move again - outer ones are still held out stiff. However last night she started having some loose stools...occasionally. Most of her stools look okay, but some are more liquidy. I'm going to buy her some starter feed to help her put on weight.

****Do I buy her medicated feed? or unmedicated?

I'm worried about doing too much while she's recovering, but I'm really hoping the loose stool isn't something new, and I'm a little worried that she still has the slight sneeze thing.

****How long do I wait before I should start another round of treatment if the sneeze doesn't go away completely? Or if her stools continue being loose, should I start corid?

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

I don't have ANY experience with this so I hope that the experts can help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have other chickens that might be affected by her respiratory infection? I hope you realize that chickens get respiratory diseases that make them carriers for up to a year for infectious bronchitis, and for life with MG and others. Respiratory infections, antibiotics, and electrolytes for more than a few days can cause runny poops. You could get some fresh ones checked for coccidioisis and worms by a local vet (call first.) Wet chick starter may entice her to eat well. The Polyvisol may be helpful for a few more days, but I would stop the electrolytes if she is drinking okay, espesially if they have vitamins in them as well.

 

[MightyMama]

Yes, I am aware.

Her runny poop seems to have passed. It was only for about a day. Today she seems to have put on a bit of weight. She's still skinny, but it feels like it's getting better, not worse. She's now curling 5 of the 6 toes, not all the way, but miles better than she was when I posted the first time.

But the sneeze...there's no runny nose. It is a bit crusty, but I'm not sure if it's from yogurt, or if it's something else. I'm worried that it will get worse again, and I have no idea how long I should wait before running her through another treatment. Should I wait until she's put on more weight and is otherwise doing better? Or is it better to knock it out now before it has time to get worse?

You think I should finish with the electrolytes, but will it harm her to keep using it? I want her to continue improving. I could replace the electrolytes with a powder probiotic.

Since she's in my garage, where I let my dogs out of the house, she wakes up and eats frequently through the evening, I was thinking about leaving the lights on so she would be more likely to eat through the night. Yay or nay?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You may want to weigh her so you get a baseline weight to see if she is really making progress. Then weigh her daily.

If you are feeding chick starter - look at your label. Most commercial feeds already contain probiotics. If you feel she needs additional probiotics, you can add 1tsp of yogurt to her feed daily.

I agree with @Eggcessive I would stop the electrolytes - they are good to get a sick or injured chicken hydrated for a couple of days, but the excess salt is not good for long term use. Poultry vitamins or the Poly Vi Sol add those to her water once a week for a boost.

You may want to clean off her beak and nostrils to determine whether or not she still has a runny nose. An occasional sneeze would be normal to clear the nostrils.

As for re-treating with the antibiotics, you may want to hold off on that to see if she will improve the rest of the way on her own with nutrition and time. While antibiotics do give some relief and help with secondary infections, they are not a cure. See that she is drinking well and eating the chick starter. At 7months old, you may want to offer oyster shell free choice if she is laying eggs. A daily treat of fresh greens or veggies would be good too.

Personally, I would not leave a light on all night. She needs to have a normal sleep/wake cycle. Up at dawn and sleep at dusk, just like any other chicken.

Hope she gets better soon.

 

[MightyMama]

Wow, thank you so much Wyorp Rock for your very complete answer. It is by far the most helpful answer I have ever received on this site.

I know that I'm new to chicken stuff, and I know that I've made a lot of mistakes this year. Most of which I won't do again if we "start fresh", but its impossible to learn what to do without someone helping out.

I really appreciate your help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You're doing fine. We are all here to try to help and learn from one another.

Please keep us posted on her progress.

 

[DennisParas]

My little flock got new castle disease. please suggest me their treatment

 

[Eggcessive]

My little flock got new castle disease. please suggest me their treatment

Where do you live, and has Newcastles been diagnosed by a vet? There are several types of Newcastles, and the most serious is Exotic or NDV, which is a reportable disease and does not exist in the US. It is a very deadly disease, and most flocks are killed with NDV to prevent the spread. The milder Newcastles virus is much less serious. Viruses will usually run their course over time. What symptoms are you seeing in your chickens? You may even want to start your own thread, so we don't get confused on whose questions we are answering.

 

[MightyMama]

UPDATE:

She's curling all of her toes now, and is starting to walk more normal. She still is skinny, she felt like she put some weight on, but now it feels like either she hasn't improved since then or it's gone back a little since cutting back on all the supplements.

I have not noticed any sneezes in the last couple days, so I think she might be over that for now.

Should I just keep on keeping on and see how she does?

I'm starting to think about how introductions are going to go. It's getting pretty cold here, so I don't know if a fast transition would be better (because I can't leave her in a kennel in the run...its just too cold). She's also only had any experience in the front yard, so I don't know if it would be more stressful to carry her around back, and then return her to her kennel in the front. How long should a transition take?