Lavenders_Blue Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Yesterday I noticed Pearl was sneezing an awful lot, and one quick listen to her breathing revealed a very rattly mucus sounding chest. I rang the vet straight away who couldn't give me an appointment until first thing this morning. After giving her a once over he declared it to be a type of chest infection (no kidding ) and gave her an injection of both baytril and tylan, plus an anti inflammatory. She has to go back on Saturday morning for a 2nd tylan shot and I have baytril liquid to give at home. I rarely take birds to the vets now as I've not had a success story yet, but I felt that this time it was worth a go. However now we've got home she has promptly taken herself off to the nest box to feel rubbish in privacy. I can't think that this is a good sign Apart from the rattly chest and sneezing, there are no other symptoms (eyes/nose/beak all clear). She's not eating, but that's hardly surprising. Any ideas what this could be and whether the antibiotics are likely to clear it? And more to the point, how likely is it that it will spread to the rest of the girls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 It has the classic symptoms of an advanced respiratory infection LavendersBlue. Any we have had have responded to a course of Baytril, although we had one that needed a second course at double dose. It is not contagious but other birds can also develop it in the same environment. Now you need to establish why she got it, because she will always be more prone to respiratory infections due to lung damage. The vet warned me of this and our experience has proved her right. Coop ventilation, particularly with wet birds roosting is one reason. You can get black mould growth in the bedding as a result which is very bad indeed. Dusty bedding is another possibility. Damp plywood can also grow black mould and we had a condensation problem on plywood which nearly finished our cockerel. All our ply is now primed and gloss painted. Perhaps there are other causes we haven't experienced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks Beantree, the coop is well ventilated, so I am not concerned about that. I never shut the pop hole, plus the ventilation grill on the coop is fully open (the coop is faced away from prevailing winds!) so there should be plenty of airflow. I use wood shavings in the nest box and the main roosting area is simply lined with newspaper so oughtn't to be dusty. She doesn't sleep in the nest box. I'd also be concerned if the coop was mouldy as it's plastic! However, it won't do any harm for me to give it all a scrub out with Poultry Shield at the weekend just in case there's any bugs lurking in there. I'm pleased to hear you had success with Baytril. I'm pleased to say that I took the dog out for a walk this afternoon and when I got back, Pearl had emerged from the sick ward and was pecking around with the others. I've taken her out some tuna to try and tempt her to eat - she's had a little, not much, but it's better than nothing! Fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Like you I have little faith in vets as usually cost money with a sad outcome. I took a rattly hen to the vets last Friday and he prescribed Baytrul and gave her anti inflammatory injection. She is on day six of Baytril and seems a lot if not completely better. Fingers crossed she makes a full recovery. Hope your girl gets better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Phew, thank you coco! I've stopped taking hens with 'non specific' illness to the vets - you know, when they're really off colour but you can't work out what's wrong with them. Whilst I'm no poultry expert, I know enough about hens to know that if I can't see what's wrong, a vet probably can't either. However this seemed diagnosable enough to be worth a go! I'm reassured to hear that I've probably done the right thing (Thank goodness, as it's costing me a small fortune ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wez Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 We had to take Dolly our Pekin with the same thing back in early February. Clear nose, eyes etc but sneezing and rattly chest. Baytril for 10 days and isolation worked and I think the others would have caught it pre the isolation to be honest so everything crossed for you. We had to put the tiny dose of Baytril on a few grains of corn which meant she ate it all with little fuss but hope she's better soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks Wez, I feel so much more positive after hearing all these success stories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Sounds as if you've caught it early enough H, the treatment ought to be successful. Just make sure that she drinks even if she won't eat; I would suggest syringing her with either NutriDrops or some diluted poultry tonic such as NetTex or Life-Guard.... chickens can last a few days without solids so long as they get this sort of nutrient mix, but they go off really quickly without any fluid. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks DM, she's definitely drinking as I've been watching her and she also managed to splatter the vet with watery poo this morning when she went for her top up Tylan injection She's not eating a huge amount but she is eating and is very much brighter, so I'm optimistic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Fingers crossed then, sounds like she will pull through. You may well find that she lays wonky eggs, or not at all as the virus can affect the ovary (hens only have one functioning ovary) and oviduct. With regards to your other hens..... they will have been exposed to the virus long before she showed symptoms which you could pick up. So, although it is recommended to isolate a bird with a chest infection, it is usually too late by that stage. Just make sure that they are as healthy and stress-free as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Here we go again... After 2 Tylan, 1 Baytril and one anti inflammatory injections plus 10 days of oral Baytril it semed everything had cleared up. The last dose of Baytril was Sunday night and today I go out to find Pearl sneezing like a foghorn and with a rattly chest again Sadly she will have to be culled Now I remember why I stopped taking chickens to the vet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I know, you try your best and it ends up with the inevitable result I have a long-term cougher... nothing obviously wrong with her,m doesn't respond to any meds, she still lays, so I am just letting her get on with it for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I'm sorry to hear about little Pearl - so often you think they've turned a corner, then you realise they're actually doing a U-turn. One of my girls started to look a bit off colour last night, nothing specific, just not quite her usual self, so the do-we-don't-we vet question arises again. I'm not up to culling (just not confident I know how to do it properly), I'd be happy to take her to the vet to be PTS if that's necessary, but not sure they can offer her much by way of treatment, will see how she goes ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Well the wee girl has had a bit of a reprieve for now, as she's still eating and drinking and not looking hunched or fluffed up. Long may it continue, even with the sneezing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 One of mine gets hayfever this time every year - could it be that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 I have no idea! How would I know? She was fine last year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Sneezes, no other symptoms or chest wheezing. This same chicken gets it every year around this time... same time as I get hayfever from tree pollen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 I don't think it can be hay fever then, as she is really bubbly-chested (if that makes sense?) and it disappeared with the antibiotics, as did the sneezing, but symptoms have reappeared now the antibiotics have ended. I'm just going to monitor her and see how she goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 The hen I had on baytril seemed to make a good recovery but is now sneezing again. She seems well in herself so I will see how she gets on. At least you have done your best for your girl, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I haven't checked back through your posts L_B, but if she's had Baytril, then ask the vet to try Tylan... that usually knocks it on the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 She had both DM, she had 2x Tylan injections and then a Baytril injection plus oral Baytril. Which set me back the tidy sum of £75 She didn't emerge from the coop today until after 12.00, and then moped around for the rest of the afternoon, so sadly we let her fly high a short while ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Sorry to hear that L_B, it's never easy, but it sounds as if she'd had enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 So sorry, you did what was best for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks both, it's never pleasant to let them go but it's a necessary evil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Sorry to hear that LB but you did all you could. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
