Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[GQsm]

Hi

 

We have a flock of 4 chickens in a single WIR sleeping in a Eglu Classic

 

this morning after 10am I noticed our single Wheaton Marans called Cocoa (Approx 23 weeks old, not laying yet) was very subdued and mosly sleeping.

On observing, I saw she was sneezing relatively often and sounding a bit weezy too. She was normal last night and I think first thing this morning I noticed her acting normal scratching etc, but she has not been normal since 10am I think.

 

She just looks like she wants to sleep, is constantly shutting her eyes, sitting down and looks like she is dozing off even stood up (unless something startles her) along with a regular sneeze and sometimes weezy breathing.

 

I cannot see any discharge from the eyes or nose, her wattle and comb look normal colour and her physical condition otherwise seems ok. She is doing the odd preen inbetween dozing off, I saw her drinking at one point but have not seen her feed or do any droppings for me to look at, although I have not been able to watch her that much only check back on her.

 

I have read as many posts as I could cram in and it seems I should take her to the vet asap for antibiotics. I have a choice of Retford Poulty which is a specialist quite a big drive away or a very local vet someone with chickens said they found decent which is also more wallet friendly.

 

My questions are..

 

A) Retford is going to be far more superior in testing, diagnosis and available meds, but it is going to mean 2 hours in a car in a cardboard box and I don't think that is ideal for a sick animal stress wise. Are they likely to do the same treatment as this local vet, i.e. inject or prescribe water dosing Baytril?

 

B) Is there a chance this is her breathing in some DE or Stalosan F that has irritated her? We have been liberal recently with it due to lice on a few birds and mite fear in general.

 

C) Anything I should be asking of the vet if I go to the local one? I am guessing he will make an immediate decision of an injection but should I be asking for a Baytril prescribtion to treat the other 3 birds in their water? What size if possible? Anything else?

 

D) What other steps do I need to be taking in addition to what the vet says. I have looked at the First Aid Box thread http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=18144&start=15. What are the important things I need for this issue and where can I get them from.

 

Sorry for a long post and a lot of questions, very worried, want to do all I can :'(

[Lewis]

Well done for being so on the ball and researching possible reasons for her being ill.

 

Personally I would keep a close eye on her today, give the vet a ring if you and worried and see how she is tomorrow. Sneezing for a few hours wouldn't automatically warrant antibiotics in my opinion but they vet may think otherwise. Retfords would likely give the same treatment as your local vet.

 

Your local vet should see her, especially if they come with a chickens recommendation, otherwise Chicken Vet has a good Find A Vet page.

[Plum]

A) they wouldn't normally test as a first line of treatment and any vet should give you a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Tylan which is licensed for poultry.

 

B) yes it could be an irritant but your vet needs to listen to her chest. I had one who developed a chronic snic after she was inadvertently in a cloud of diatom but lived to over 6.

 

C) sometimes meds are given in water so if you can't separate the others they are treated anyway but it's not nor.mal to give antibiotics as a preventative just keep an eye out for symptoms.

 

D) I haven't checked the thread for ages but I keep a stock of vets wound powder, purple spray for wounds, worming stuff (Flubenvet) , Vaseline or sudocrem for leg mites and red mite preventative. It's easy to buy a load of stuff you never use but as I discovered recently awful to get an attack of red mite when the shops are closed. Pet shops, farm stores and internet are good for most stuff.

 

I've chucked away calcium powder, garlic powder and seaweed

 

De and stalosan are good to use.

 

Hope this helps a bit

 

Cross posting with Lewis you type faster

[Beantree]

From the symptoms I would say she is trying to lay a 'softy'. They often lay a few as they come into or go out of lay. It's a very tiring experience for them as they have nothing to push against to get it out. You may not find it when laid as its common for the others to eat it, but if she suddenly is OK that's what has happened I think.

[Lewis]

How's she doing?

[GQsm]

Sorry, been a bit hectic, been meaning to report back.

 

Took her to local vets same day. He examined her, found some mucus in her throat and said it could be a number of things.

Prescribed a quarter tablet of antibiotic called Oxycare 3 times a day orally and gave her the first dose.

Day after she seemed to be mostly back to normal, sneezing less frequent but still there. We are continuing tablet course and she has been the same ever since. Two things we have noticed since, we are sure she has done one loose dropping with bright green in it and one that looked to have a little blood in it, although other droppings seem to have been normal. She still seems mostly normal in herself, nothing like the day she looked at deaths door.

I added some Hentastic Hentonic to their food and Johnsons Poultry Tonic to their water on Saturday, hoping that will also help.

 

Will report again if anything changes.