When to get our Chicken put down? Please advice really needed.

[Tiffany1804]

Yesterday I noticed one of our Buff Silkies not acting right. She just wasn't as active as she should be. She is 5 months old right now and we have 2 other bantams that are the same age that came with her. This morning when I went to let them out to free range she did not move to come out. After a few minutes I climbed in and got her. I keep the coop very clean the water is clean and so is the food and I clean the poop out daily. Since having her inside (brought her in around 6:30am) she has basically just been sleeping. I have gotten her to drink a little by putting her beak in some water but she won't eat not even treats. She has sneezed a few times and I know she can move. I took her in to wipe some poo she had stuck to her feathers off and she was walking on the bathroom counter. She will clauk every so often and look around but pretty much stays in the same spot I have her on the living room floor on a spread out towel since she's not moving much. I also have food, treats, and water out for her. I have called almost all the vets in an hour and a half radius non will look at her. No one seems to have experience with chickens most people here don't keep them as pets. I have also looked for Tylan 50 no one around has it. I suppose I could order online just affraid it won't get here in time and may not work. I have no clue what she had she is my first sick bird and sadly she is one of my favorites that I have bonded with. I don't want her to suffer. How long do I wait before making the judgement call to have her put to sleep. A vet will do that for me just not try and treat her. I can't do it myself it would kill me to do that. Please help I have no clue what to do.

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
Give her a chance. If you have the vet do it you best make sure you stay and watch to make sure he does an injection. The vet I used to work for would tell the owners to go on home and snap their necks. The owners were under the assumption he was giving them a "nice shot to put them to sleep". Give her a chance. Maybe she's getting ready to lay, maybe she's got a crop problem, maybe she's got coccidia or worms or mites or lice. Don't just give up on her.

 

[DazeGoneBy]

Hi Tiff,
I'm really sorry you are in this position. I consider my 3 girls pets as well. So, if it were me, I would keep her separated and comfortable and continue to offer food and water (or put them in easy reach of her).

The only reason I'd put one down is if they were clearly suffering (i.e., open wounds, etc.) Otherwise, I'd give her a chance...she may bounce back. Lethargic chickens are lots of times due to respiratory infection or mites. Have you looked for external parasites? You said she was sneezing?

Take a look at my page of first aid stuff, and the links for both mites and respiratory problems, and see what you can do for her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=566730


Best of luck!!!

 

[Tiffany1804]

Quote:
I checked for mites and lice I don't see anything and she has pooed a few times today and it looks normal to. She just is sneezing and lethargic those are really her only symptoms. If interact with her she will perk up a little but as soon as I leave her alone she pretty much goes back to sleep. I was thinking of giving her a week or so.

 

[Silkie-lover33]

Just keep babying her and give her electrolytes in her water. Get her outside on the grass for a little while each day and whatever you do don't put her down. I had this little silkie chicken that I was sure was going to die but I held him a lot and let him out on the grass and made sure he was warm at night and when he wasn't getting better I ended up getting him a friend to talk to. He would coo and the other chicken would peep back and it taught him how to eat and drink again (the silkie's old friends didn't like it anymore). It was really sweet how having a friend helped him!

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
Respiratory infections are super common in chickens. Get some Sulmet from the feed store (it works on respiratory stuff in addition to coccidia). Or see what kind of antibiotics they've got that you can add to their water. Antibiotics for birds are cheap.

 

[Tiffany1804]

Quote:
Respiratory infections are super common in chickens. Get some Sulmet from the feed store (it works on respiratory stuff in addition to coccidia). Or see what kind of antibiotics they've got that you can add to their water. Antibiotics for birds are cheap.

I have been to seriously 6 different store today and no one has ANYTHING it's driving me nuts. I live in a farm area but since everyone around here pretty much just eats there chickens none of the feed stores carry any antibiotics I also checked the pet stores and nothing. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
Respiratory infections are super common in chickens. Get some Sulmet from the feed store (it works on respiratory stuff in addition to coccidia). Or see what kind of antibiotics they've got that you can add to their water. Antibiotics for birds are cheap.

I have been to seriously 6 different store today and no one has ANYTHING it's driving me nuts. I live in a farm area but since everyone around here pretty much just eats there chickens none of the feed stores carry any antibiotics I also checked the pet stores and nothing. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

Petsmart and Petco have tons of fish antibiotics-same thing. Amoxicillon is amoxicillon. There's numorous ones. I don't think anything is sold specific for chickens. So if you're asking for chicken antibiotics they're going to tell you no.

 

[Tiffany1804]

Thanks a ton I will have to make another trip. What antibiotic should I get for her?

 

[seminolewind]

I would treat for coccidiosis.