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

[Luvachicken]

Chloe, my pretty lavender pekin, has got a chest infection

I took her to the vets this afternoon and he said she is quite poorly and has given her some Baytril.

He did say she still had some meat on her, so that was OK, even though she has lost weight.

 

I noticed the other day that she was doing a strange kind of movement when she was sleeping - kind of like a cartoon character with a big snore.

I didn't really think much of it until I checked on them today to find she had a bubble on one eye and she sounded a bit rattly.

I'm beginning to think now, that when she was so fast asleep the other day, that she was actually feeling a bit peaky then.

 

I should have taken her sooner and hope that the Baytril starts working its magic especially as she wouldn't eat the treats I put the Baytril on

[Beantree]

We don't take any chances with Baytril and give them a shot (or lots of little ones) straight down their throat Luvachicken. You need to give her rearer pellets, not layers as the extra Calcium in layers inhibits the Baytril take-up. Also avoid Probiotic remedies, like natural yoghurt or Avipro, until the course is completed. Then I would recommend Avipro Avian because Baytril wrecks the gut flora and it needs to be restored quickly.

 

Good luck to Chloe.

 

Check the coop and bedding for damp. Chest infections are often caused by black mould from damp bedding, insufficient ventilation or condensation.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Beantree

 

I haven't been able to get the growers pellets I need - they are on order but take a long while

I like to keep the girls on Garvo pellets because when I changed make once before Gemma got an impacted crop from the change and I am not willing to take the risk.

 

The Baytril has worked before when they have been on layers pellets but I can see it might work better with less calcium but for now that's just how it has to be. Fingers crossed it will work.

 

Chloe is the only one affected, so far anyway, but she has been sleeping in the nest box with Gemma.

It is not damp in their house but I may have caused the problem because I shut the cube door most of last week because it was cold - mainly because they have all moulted badly and are a bit bald - I haven't shut the door for ages before that.

 

So now I don't know if she got a chill because of the cold or because I shut the door.

 

I do have some Avipro avian which I will give her once the antibiotics are finished.

 

She did tuck in to a nice portion of sunflower hearts before bed

[mullethunter]

If she's still eating and a decent weight I'm sure she'll be able to fight it off now she has the antibiotics.

 

Getting a bit chilly can't cause a chest infection (although I suppose it could weaken the patient a little in general so they're slightly more susceptible), so if you're worried about damp at all its probably best to keep the door open. They can always go to the bit away from the door if they need to.

 

Hope Chloe gets better quickly.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks mullethunter

 

I'm not sure she is a decent weight anymore.

The vet weighed her at 640g and my scales at home at 614g.

She certainly doesn't weigh what she used to.

 

It seems a bit silly to make to make a product with a door that you then don't shut the door on

 

I sometimes have put the door half shut. Does that make more or less draught I wonder ?

[mullethunter]

The sunflower hearts should keep her weight up, but to eat pellets and get more vits and minerals will she eat more if you make them into mash with warm water?

[Luvachicken]

I wondered that but was worried about the fact it's wet/sloppy.

I'm sure I read on here that that's not good for them either.

[Grandmashazzie]

It may just be different scales causing weight drop. When I worked as HV we often had babies weighed at outpatients and when I weighed next day had big drop. I knew my scales were calibrated yearly so didn't worry. Would she take some tuna with Baytril on?

[Beantree]

Wet mash is a good idea. We give ours a mid-day treat of that when it gets really cold, but it goes off very quickly so any leftovers need to be removed and binned no more than 2 hours later, preferably sooner. We give ours sunflower hearts as a protein boost when moulting and it does make a big difference.

[Luvachicken]

I made them some pellet porridge for their supper but they didn't seem very impressed with it

I will try it again tomorrow but at lunchtime instead, to see if that makes any difference.

 

Chloe did scoff the portion of treats with the Baytril on today so that is good

[Luvachicken]

Chloe was looking a bit better yesterday or so I thought.

Today though, when I got home at lunchtime to give her her medicine she really didn't look well at all

I've taken her back to the vets and she suggested doubling the amount of Baytril AND giving her the doubled amount twice. I'm a bit worried that she was on just 0.2 ml once a day and now she will be on 0.8 ml instead.

She is only dinky.

 

I think the cold spell today is what has set her back. It is pretty chilly and the wind is cold too so I have popped her in a broody cage in my kitchen.

I will pop her back with her friends later on tonight when she has had the next bit of medicine. Then if it is cold again tomorrow she can spend some more time indoors out of the cold.

 

I really need her to get better soon as she is such a sweetie.

Right now I can hear her munching something from the bowl I gave her so I'm hoping that is a good sign

[mullethunter]

I think if it was me I would let her sleep with her friends but then keep her in on her own during the day. Partly to keep her warm but also in the hope that if she's bored she'll just eat!

[Luvachicken]

Yes, I think she will be better off sleeping with her friends tonight.

She has eaten almost half a pot of sunflower hearts mixed with corn since we got back from the vet

She is fast asleep at the moment, still in my kitchen, with her head tucked in her feathers.

I'm waiting for a decent amount of time to pass so that her 2 lots of medicine aren't too close together - she had the last lot about 12.30.

I'm probably going to pop it in her beak because we wasted 2 lots at lunchtime because she wasn't eating.

I managed to find her a couple of alpine strawberries in the garden that she can have afterwards to get rid of the taste.

[Luvachicken]

I waited until about 9pm to give her the medicine and I couldn't believe the size of her crop

She must have thought it was her birthday with an unattended pot of treats just for her.

I just hope there is enough room for the medicine to find it's way through

 

I've decided to keep her in for the night just to make sure she is nice and warm.

The weather is meant to be pretty horrid tomorrow

[mullethunter]

Snuggly little chicken

[Luvachicken]

Snuggly little chicken

 

I do hope so

She looked really ill earlier with bubbles in her mouth that's why we went to the vet.

I think the bubbles may have been something to do with the effects of the medicine though

I haven't seen any more bubbles tonight.

[mullethunter]

How is she Luvachicken?

[Luvachicken]

How is she Luvachicken?

Much the same Mullethunter

Her breathing is still quite laboured and she still sounds snotty although not a lot seems to be coming out.

She has moments of looking quite perky and then moments of not looking so good.

 

I did keep her in all night and popped her back with her friends for a little bit at lunchtime today.

The weather wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be so thought she would like a bit of fresh air.

She had a big drink, pottered a tiny bit, went upstairs with the others - no idea why - and slept.

The sun had gone in about an hour later and it went quite chilly so I got her back in and she is now in our lounge.

 

She has now had 3 lots of the double medicine so I am hoping it will do the trick.

 

One improvement is that she has been cleaning some of her feathers tonight which I haven't seen her do for a while

She seems to be managing to eat and drink so that is good too.

 

Thanks for asking after her Mullethunter

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear this, you seem to be doing everything you can for her. If she isn't responding to the Baytril, the vet might give her Tylan (not licensed etc).

 

If you are worried about her gut flora, then Vit Boost tonic is full of probiotics. Nutrient-wise at the moment, I would be inclined to give her a drop or two of NutriDrops.

[mullethunter]

My fingers are crossed that by morning she'll be responding to her extra medicine

[Luvachicken]

Sorry to hear this, you seem to be doing everything you can for her. If she isn't responding to the Baytril, the vet might give her Tylan (not licensed etc).

 

When I took her to the vet on Friday Tylan is what she suggested but sadly none of the 4 practises they have had any.

She said if she was no better by Monday they would order the Tylan in for Tuesday.

 

If you are worried about her gut flora, then Vit Boost tonic is full of probiotics. Nutrient-wise at the moment, I would be inclined to give her a drop or two of NutriDrops.

 

I have some nutri drops, can I give her that while she is on the antibiotics though ?

 

My fingers are crossed that by morning she'll be responding to her extra medicine

 

I have everything crossed too.

 

Thank you both for your wishes x

[The Dogmother]

Yes, Nutridrops would be ideal.

[Luvachicken]

Thank you

I will give her some tomorrow.

I wasn't sure she could have it whilst on the antibiotics.

[The Dogmother]

Yes, there are no contra-indications. It contains concentrated nutrients etc

[Luvachicken]

Haven't used the nutridrops for a while.

They only have it once a day, don't they ?

 

Chloe has been in all day today.

It's cold and damp and to be honest, Chloe has been asleep for quite a lot of the day.

 

She has been eating and drinking and has done normal poop, as well as cleaning some more of her feathers.

One eye still seems to look a bit watery and she still has difficulty breathing through her beak - although she doesn't so much when she is standing.

I don't think she sounds as snotty but then it is difficult to tell as I have got used to her being indoors and got used to her sounds.

 

She really needs a miracle to happen before lunchtime tomorrow so we can see if she needs the Tylan or not.