4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[meezers]

Was hoping we'd escaped this this time, but Welly appears to be a bit 'chesty' . She was fine last night , I was in the run with them early evening and no sign of anything untoward, so has come on over night. No runny nose or sneezing, but her breathing sounds a little 'croaky', I can hear each in and out breath.

When Elsie had a cold it was runny nose and sneezing, I dosed her up with citricidal and she was fine within a couple of weeks, but I'm wondering if this requires the same response ?

I have some Johnsons cold mixture for birds ( for cold and bronchial trouble ) and have mixed that with her water, but it's such a little amount that I've put Welly in a cat carrier with the water to make sure she's the one that gets the dose. I've brought the cat carrier into the kitchen, thinking she'd be better in the warm ( it was a bit chilly here first thing ) I'll keep her in the carrier until I know she's had a good dose of the water, but should I put the carrier back out in the run ? or leave her in the kitchen . Just worried it may be contagious, though it's probably just the stress of the last week ( Had her 1 week now ), obviously she'll go to the vets if there's no improvement tomorrow, but how should I play the next 24 hrs ? Would a steamy bathroom help do you think ?

[chelsea]

She sounds like she has a respiratory infection poor thing and it will definitely require antibiotics. Its difficult to know what to do for the best before you go to the vets tomorrow... she will benefit from being in the warm but also may get a little stressed being away from her chums. I would maybe let her out this afternoon for a bit and bring her in later tonight at roosting and keep her in the warm overnight. Just an idea.

 

Hope she perks up soon, let us know.

[meezers]

Was thinking the same, the sun's come out now ( clouds appearing as I type ) so I move the carrier out to the run for the afternoon, though she doesn't appear stressed, she's just sitting quietly. The dogs bowls are right next to the carrier, so I've filled them both with boiling water ( much to the dogs disgust ! ) to see if the steam helps, she's made a couple of spluttery noises since I did that so hopefully it may be loosening whatevers causing the problem.

[chelsea]

yes, she might enjoy a bit of sunshine on her wings.

 

Has she been wormed recently meezers? Rattling is also a symptom of gapeworm.

[meezers]

I've just started the newbies on flubenvet, but I don't think it's gapeworm - she ( nor any of the others )has not been seen gaping and was the picture of health last night. In fact out of my 4 new chooks, her and Ozzy were the ones I expected no problems with - the places they came from looked A1 and seem to have a good reputation.

I'm having second thoughts about putting the carrier out in the run , I've been reading posts on Practical Poultry and most mention keeping the hen seperate as it could be infectious, AND the sun has gone in again ! It's a large cat carrier ( big enough for 2 large cats ) so think I'll keep her inside in it while she looks settled.

[Guest]

has she been vaccinated against mycoplasma?

[meezers]

Sorry, poet, meant to answer you earlier. She has been vaccinated , but against what I don't know - wasn't paying enough attention at the time ! I've rung the place I got her from to find out, but the guy rang back and missed me , then I missed him etc etc, will try again tomorrow.

Welly is still in the cat carrier in the kitchen, seems quite happy in there and it's easy for me to see how much she is eating and drinking - didn't eat anything until 6.30pm , even turned her beak up at mealworms and corn and I was beginning to expect the worst, but I found a bottle of 'Respite' in my chook box ( knew something was stinking of garlic !! ) so I've changed her water and added that, and then soaked half a slice of bread in her water and she ate the lot from my hand, that seemed to remind her she was hungry and she's been tucking into her pellets ever since. She's drinking plenty and has done one loose but normal poo ( must be a chook record - 1 poo in a day !! )

She still sounds like a snoring toddler - can hear her from across the room, but still no mucus, she seemed to perk up when I was cooking dinner, might be a coincidence or might be that the steam from the saucepans made it easier for her, think I'll take her into the bathroom ( in the carrier of course ! ) when I have a shower tonight.

She'll be off to the vet in the morning, or as soon as I can get an appointment, will update then.

[Guest]

good luck xxxx

[meezers]

Update;

We went to the vets this morning - almost felt like a fraud as though she was still making her gurgling/snoring noise, she had perked up no end, I let her out into the kitchen to stretch her legs first thing and she did the most ginormous poo that stunk to high heaven - that respite stinks going in and stinks going out She was still tucking into her pellets and apart from the noisy breathing, was the picture of health.

Anyway, the vet listened to her, weighed her ( 2.2kgs if I ever wanted to know )and felt her crop, then just stood and watched her - verdict- sour crop, even though her crop is quite small and food and water is obviously getting through, he said she had alot of fluid sloshing around causing the noise as she was breathing. She's to have 1 teaspoon of live yoghurt 3 times a day. And wouldn't you know it ? I have the one chicken who doesn't like yoghurt ! trying to syringe the first dose into her was hilarious ( not ! ) I mixed her second dose with corn and put it in the run - she ate some then, just to stop Ozzy having it all so Ozzy has been dosed now whether she needs it or not.

Not sure how fast the yoghurt works, but I can't hear her breathing now, so def on the mend.

Annoying thing is, I wondered about her crop yesterday evening, I massaged it and tipped her up a little , that was just before she started eating, but I wasn't brave enough to give her the yoghurt ( which I had ready in the fridge ) until I had the vets say so, think I'll follow my instincts next time.

[Guest]

if she doesn't like yoghurt you could try mixing it with some soaked weetabix or soaked bread or even use avipro instead?

 

hope she carries on getting better

[meezers]

Unfortunately , the only treats she recognises are bread, if it's really soggy, mealworms and corn. Everything else she just looks at me as though I'm trying to poison her. Before mixing the corn with the yoghurt I tried dipping mealworms in it , looked like grotesque little wormy ice creams she looked at them from every angle , tried one and said 'no thanks' it will have to be the syringe or corn mixture shared with Ozzy, don't suppose Ozzy will mind !