Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[poppy ben grace]

Hi all, my ex batt gertie was making a strange noise yesterday but seemed happy enough. Today she has gone rapidly downhill and i have put her in a big cage on her own with weetabix and water but has not touched it. She is sitting there and seems to find it very hard to breathe. Her crop feels normal not experienced enough to know if it is anything else. Am devastated for her, have only had her a couple of months, i really think this could be the end for her. No vets open today, i think she is too far gone to help. so upset, its my 40th birthday today aswell. What do i do i cant bare to see her suffering like this, there is someone in the village that would do the deed i think. Please help!!!

Edited April 24, 2011 by Guest

[Olly]

So sorry to hear this, and I'm afraid there is nothing I can suggest other than a vet, which you've already had to rule out.

If it's a breathing problem then it could be her heart, but it's quite hard to diagnose and if it is a heart problem, it's not likely there is much that can be done.

 

Only you can decide whether it would be better to bring her suffering to an end, or whether she is not in pain and/or you think she may recover. It does need to be done by someone skilled, so if you know someone who could do it that's good. I'm so sorry this has happened on your birthday, as well. Some ex-batts go on for a couple of years, but sadly some of them decline very rapidly and it's impossible to tell. At least she has had a few months of freedom and happy chicken activity with you.

[poppy ben grace]

Thankyou , how long do you think i should leave her, she is still the same.

[sandyhas3chucks]

have you called the ex bat helpline?

I see you are in cambridge and I know of people that do rescues there and their vets are open, and have experience. Might be worth ringing around...

[Egluntyne]

If you can't find help, then you will have to consider asking the person in the village to put her to sleep, as leaving an animal in distress is not a legal option. I hope you can find someone to treat her.

 

Has she been injured, and damaged an air sac, do you think? Have you considered the possibility that she might have gapeworm?

[poppy ben grace]

The gasping has got worse than yesterday when she was just making a strange noise. Is there any treatment for gapeworm? Will ring ex batt careline i think. Thanks for your help.

[Egluntyne]

A double dose of Flubenvet is one treatment for gapeworm ... however, strictly speaking, it should only be given on the say so of a vet.

[poppy ben grace]

She wont eat anything and we are giving her water with a syringe. Do you think we shoul syringe some watery weatabix in her beak? Bhwt careline is closed.

[Egluntyne]

I wouldn't. I'd just keep her on liquids for now.

[Plum]

Could be any number of things chest infection, gapeworm, aneamia etc., really need to get her to a vet or end it for her if she's in distress. I'm sorry, these things always happen at the worst time. Where are you perhaps someone knows where to get help

[poppy ben grace]

I live near peterborough, West Deeping. Cant get hold of any flubenvet ,vets dont sell it and cwg is closed.

[Chucky Mama]

When the vets are closed they provide an emergency service. If you call their normal number you will be given an emergency number to ring where you will be made an appointment with the out of hours vet covering your area. I very much doubt that home DIY treatement (including Flubenvet) will help if things are this advanced. She either needs veterinary treatment or despatching humanely I am afraid

[poppy ben grace]

have had her pts. Vet said likely gapeworm but too far gone. feel like i let her down. i wormed them with vermex but obviously not strong enough. Cant believe i am crying so much over a chicken. She only had a couple of months of freedom, if i had looked after her better she could be out there now with her friends.. rip my little gertie, so sorry i failed you.xx

[Egluntyne]

Very sorry to hear it. Don't blame yourself.

 

It might be a good idea to reworm all your remaining hens with Flubenvet, to be on the safe side.

[Henslaved]

Am so sorry about Gertie .

 

A couple of months of freedom is better than no freedom at all, and don't be too hard on yourself these things do happen I'm afraid no matter how hard you try to look after them.

xxx

[poppy ben grace]

It might be a good idea to reworm all your remaining hens with Flubenvet, to be on the safe side.

Am doing that today, have learnt the hard way and will not let the other girls go through what little gertie did.

[chuckmum6]

You didn't fail her, you rescued her! In chicken term, especially rescue hens, months are like years. She was a lucky girl, don't beat yourself up as death (whenever it comes) is part and parcel of ownership. I would use flubenvet on them all now, but I also use the herbal stuff every month or so too. Thinking of you.

[poppy ben grace]

Thankyou all for your kind words, am just relieved her suffering is over. She was such a poppet.

[Chucky Mama]

Well done for getting her to a vet, I am sorry that there wasn't a happy ending for you but as others have said, you did rescue her and give her her freedom

 

Flubenvet is the only UK licensed wormer and it is advisable to routinely worm all chickens every 3-4 months (you can still eat the eggs) You rarely see worms in poo as a symptom of worms - these are only evident when things have been allowed to get out of hand. Evidence is usually microscopic in the form of tiny eggs. By all means use herbal supplements in between times. As your vet no doubt advised, your girls will need to be wormed using the gapeworm dose.

[Plum]

So sorry

[PeckyBeak]

So sorry to hear about Gertie, I recently lost two of mine to Gape worm despite having wormed them with Flubenvet only 8 weeks before. They also had a respiritory infection which complicated matters.

The vet said that the gapeworm has a shorter life cycle of only 18-20 days from egg to adult and free range chooks can pick this up from wild birds and pheasants, which we have coming into our garden. As a result I have reluctantlay stopped feeding the wild birds to discourage them.

He has also advised me that I will need to worm again in 3 weeks time to break the cycle, which you should also do.

At least she enjoyed some freedom with you. 'hugs'

[poppy ben grace]

Thanks for that. my girls live in a big wir that is on bare earth with woodchip on top but they can scratch down to get worms i guess. i have given them all flubenvet and will repeat this again like you said. its so awful to think the reason poor gertie died was because she was free of a battery hen lifestyle and picked up a worm or something from a wild bird. Thanks again for all your kind words, its been a sad day.

[Alis girls]

Sorry you lost your girl - I know little about ex batts but you made her last days happy - I lost one of mine yesterday so I know what its like. I now wish I had had her PTS as she died alone - comfortable but alone. Really sorry but well done for rescuing her . RIP Gertie

[poppy ben grace]

Thankyou. sorry you lost your girl too, its hard, we get so attached to them dont we? I guess if we didnt care we shouldnt have them in the first place. Take care.

[Jools]

Sorry to read about Gertie

 

As your vet no doubt advised, your girls will need to be wormed using the gapeworm dose.

 

This is really important if it was gapeworm. I'm sure your vet has already told you, but the flubenvet dose for gapeworm is higher than for regular worming. If Gertie was diagnosed with gapeworm, all the others need treating for it too.