mrsatroy Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 My poor cochin Mary Blackberry is very poorly. I got her last August when she was around 20 weeks. I got her together with another cochin. And TBH poor May has never thrived and she is only half the size of the other cochin. In the past week I noticed her sniffles and sneezing became worse - she always was sneezing and gurgling. One of her eyes looked very sore and I was worried that she couldn't see out of it as there was a watery discharge. I took her to my vet who treated her for worms (even tho I had wormed her), coccidiosis, and gave her an antibiotic. I have her inside in a dog crate and up to yesterday she was still bright enough - I gave her some sweetcorn as she's underweight and she hoovered it up. Last night her gurgling and sneezing didn't seem as bad and I tucked a heat pad under her. This morning however she seems to have no interest in the sweetcorn and grain mix I've given her. I am really worried about her and wondering is there anything else I can do? Should I try giving her sugar water to boost her energy - any advice really appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Sugar water is an absolute last resort as it promotes bad gut bacteria. Nettex Nutri-drops contain sugars for energy as well, but also multi-vitamins and is for emergency use Mrsatroy. I'd use that if you have a local store with some in stock. Can't understand the vet treating her for coccidiosis or worms? Sounds like she has caught Mycoplasma and should be on Tylan. Problem is if not treated early it gets a hold on the chicken and runs them down to the point of no return. Often a vet in a bad case will give a Tylan injection or in a lesser case Tylan powder to add to the drinking water for all the flock, because they could develop it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Thanks for your reply Beantree. The Net Tex Nutri drops are difficult to get here in Ireland - I have ordered some on Amazon but I 'm afraid they might not arrive on time. She is on Baytril which the vet told me should cover Mycoplasma - but as you say sometimes once something like this gets hold it runs them down where even with the antibiotic they still cannot fight it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 We tried fighting Mycoplasma with Baytril and it had no effect at all, even a double dose. It is however very good for respiratory bacterial infections. I'd speak to the vet again. As you say it looks like sugar water, or honey water is going to be the only thing you have available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I hope she starts to feel better soon. Do let us know how she gets on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 She is still hanging in there. I syringed some liquified cat food into her last night and tucked her up with a heat pack and hot water bottle. She is still moving about the place and was well able to run away from DH when he was giving her the antibiotic. Her breathing is still very rattley and one of her eyes is still bubbly and sore looking - I am not entirely sure what she can see out of it. This morning when I left she was pecking at her grain but seemed to have little interest in the sweetcorn that she had previously wolfed down. While she doesn't seem to be any worse I also don't think she is improved and I am conscious of how long she is separated from the rest of the flock. But in this bad weather I don't want to go putting her back out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 If you can get hold of them some undyed fishing maggots might go down well. I've used them before with hens off their food and they often seem to be preferred over anything else - and that way she should get some fluids as well as calories & protein. Hope Mary B shows some improvement very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Any update on your poorly chook? Hope she is ok?....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Mary B seems to have brightened up considerably and when I left for work this morning she had tossed her bowl of mixed corn all over the floor and was pottering about pecking at it. Her breathing isn't as rattly at all and she now just gives the odd cough sneeze. Her sore eye is still a bit watery as are her nasal passages but it doesn't seem as bad as before. I am going to continue to keep her inside and monitor her. I spoke to the vet and she says we'll monitor her for 48 hours and see how she is. Sometimes apparently the syringing of liquids like antibiotics can irritate the airways and that maybe the reason she perked up once the meds were finished. Hopefully she'll continue to improve, I'm reluctant to get my hopes up as all my previous sick girls didn't make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I'm so glad she has perked up. Fingers crossed that she continues to make a good recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Aww, hope she makes it. It's tough I know, been there with various problems so really hope with your good TLC she muddles through. If not you will know you did your best by her and gave her a very happy life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Mary B is still living in my hall and still hasn't recovered. She is eating and pooping fine but still has bubbles in her eye/nose. My vet has ordered Tylan for me and I am going to try her on a course of that to see if we can pull her through this. I gave her some nutri drops which hopefully will have given her a boost - she has put on a little bit of weight since being inside but is still very underweight compared to the other cochin I have of a similar age. Fingers crossed the Tylan will do the trick. My only concern now is that if her problem is caused by Mycoplasma am I putting my other 15 birds at risk if I move her back out with them as birds tend to become carriers and the last thing I want is to put the others at risk. That said she has been living among the others for at least 6 months and has been sneezy/gurgly during that time and none of the others have any symptoms. Hard to know what to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 If it's of any help I have been there with the Myco a couple of times. One I kept in once for six weeks and then let her back out. All my others are fine and I have a lot of chooks of various ages/intro. Some survive ok, others don't. If they survive and appear free of all symptoms, then back out they go. One used to have a raspy breathing noise periodically but no discharge or bubbly eyes and eventually died many months later of no outwardly apparent illness? They never infected the rest of the flock. Hope your wee chook makes it, I know it can go either way so easily. Tylan is the best stuff in this case so hope it works for you, fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks redsunset for your reply - it's made me feel much better. I had awful visions that if poor Mary B pulls through that she would have to live forever on her own due to some nasty disease! Fingers crossed the Tylan will work for her and that I'll be able to get her back out in a more natural environment soon. I worry she'll get depressed and lonely all on her own in my hall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Glad the wee bit of info helped it's nice to pass on as so many people on here helped me tremendously when I had poorly chickens and no clue. It's a learning curve and a lot of reading on here with a bit of googling too! I still have lots to learn but observation of your chooks and you soon spot when something does not feel/look quite right. Hope your wee chook is enjoying the pampering indoors and making some headway in her recovery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I worry she'll get depressed and lonely all on her own in my hall! A long time ago we had Queenie in the house for a while. Each evening I would get her out and she would sit on my lap having a cuddle while we watched telly together. I think she quite enjoyed it. On nicer days, I would put the dog crate out near the other girls so she could have some fresh air and hear her friends. I hope MaryB gets better with the tylan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Mary B has been on Tylan since last Thursday and doesn't seem to have improved at all. Her left eye is still as bubbly and irritated as ever and she still seems to have a nasal discharge. I know she hasn't completed the antibiotic course but I had hoped to see an improvement. DH had a look in her mouth and the left side of the roof of her mouth does seem swollen but I'm presuming it is all part of whatever is going on in her nose/eye etc. I really don't know what is best to do. She is eating well and part of me feels she deserves a chance but also I don't want her to get sick, deteriorate and suffer. She is very underweight and I have given her a dose of nutri drops and have been giving her sweetcorn together with mixed corn and pellets. I have a new coop on order (couldn't afford a new eglu so it's a BEC cosycoop) so I was going to put her back out beside my existing girls and try and improve her condition and get her to put on some weight by feeding her up - but part of me is afraid I am just postponing the inevitable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolly Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 So sorry to hear about Mary B, she is lucky to have someone like you who obviously cares about her very much. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but she sounds like a very poorly little thing to me, i see she's been I'll for a couple of weeks now and unfortunately by the time they actually look ill, they are usually quite far along. In my experience, if none of the meds are working and she's still losing weight, you may find the kindest thing you can do now is let her go. Let us know how she gets on, keeping fingers crossed for her and you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I'm sorry to read that MaryB hasn't made the recovery you had hoped for. Once the antibiotics are used up, it will help you decide what to do for the best. It is a very hard decision to make when we try so hard to make them better. Fingers crossed those last bits of antibiotic might do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 After doing my very best for the past few weeks and trying to feed Mary B up on sardines, sweetcorn and poultry tonic, I finally took the decision that she just wasn't going to come round and I got DH to put her out of her misery. It still baffles me what exactly was wrong with her but I did all in my power in terms of vet care and TLC to get her right. Sadly it wasn't to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I'm sorry to hear that but you tried hard and did very thing you could so made the right decision. Well done OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Sad news, better to let her go. Peace little one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Ah I'm so sorry that you lost Mary B. But it is you absolutely plain to see that you gave her your best efforts I was nursing my hen Penny recently with sour crop. She was a hatchling of my beloved Mr Monty cockerel who I sadly lost to suspected Marek's She to had been a kitchen hen for 2 weeks with sort periods outside with the others on sunny days, loads of TLC, antibiotics, nutri-drops (brill) tasty treats and hand feeding. But in the end she was no better and I had to have her PTS (unable to do it myself) Sometimes they just don't thrive and we have to let them go. Sending you a hug X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Thanks so much for your replies - always hard to lose a girl especially when you have tried so hard to get them right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
