[Little jack]

 
Hi, does any one know what's wrong with one of my neighbour's chicken's.For the last week it's been all puffed up the size of a football!!It doesn't look too well , but is still eating, not laying and has a little wander around.Also it sound's very chesty, making a crackerling sound.As it free range's and mixes with my chicken's, should we keep her on her own as we dont want them all it go like this!!What do you think can be wrong with her??Regards jackie.

[dizzylizzie]

The chicken needs to see a vet asap.Chickens hide their illness very well, so for her to be puffed up like this and quite chesty she must be feeling rotten. I would have taken her as soon as she became ill as i wouldnt want her to suffer, but i also wouldnt want my other chickens infected . Keep a look out for illness in the others and take her to a vet to get proper treatment.

[power_of_p3]

Hi littlejack,

I'm sorry but I don't know what is wrong with her but all I can do is tell you my experience with this  We had a brown sussex late last year and all of a sudden she began puffing herself up and sitting in the corner, she was eating a little and driinking, but not much.  And when she breathed she made a crackerling like sound as you say.  She was doing very small poops and they were green.  She always wanted to be in the nest box, sleeping, and lost weight over a couple of weeks.

All I can say is, the best thing you can do is get her to an avian vet, we couldn't and we lost her

I'm not saying this is the same thing but I certainly think she should be checked, just to be on the safe, please xxxx

Bb ~~jo~~


As lizzie says also, take her from the other birds just to be safe.  Ours were all fine and still are, but just to be safe.

[dizzylizzie]

hi, i will just say that if you havent got an avian vet a normal pet vet will be fine

[power_of_p3]

Hi lizzie,

Oh, I thought normal vets didn't really like dealing with birds, my mistake .  Is it best to ask before you try and make an appointment whether they will treat birds then?

BB ~~jo~~

[dizzylizzie]

My vet is a 'normal' vet and she is good . Not so much in her knowlage but in the fact that she understands they are pets, nd she will try anything with me. If they are used to treating budgies/parrots and you make it clear they are pets you should have no propblem. You may have to give thm some info, as there have been some awful stories of vts putting down egg bound chickens etc etc, but im my opinion, its always much better to have a vet than not to have one, even if its just to wright a script
Once you gain experiance you will be able to treat alot at home, but sometimes you still need a vet , of course if they are not pets, they still deserve not to be in pain, so if you can't treat them yourself, and your not willing to pay for a vet then you must not allow them to suffer and you must be prepared to cull them to prevent suffering.

[Little jack]

  Thanks for yoyr replys, this is much as i thought it would be a vet job, but as i say it's not one of my chicken's but a neighbour's.I did say to him i think it need's to see a vet at which he didnt seem to keen.I think he might do the job himself - if you know wot i mean !!! Just i would ask first in case there was anything i could do for her. Regards Jackie.

[dizzylizzie]

she may not need putting to sleep, she may just need antibiotics which arnt expensive, but by leaving her ill for a week, he may have put the rest of his flock and yours at risk by allowing infection to spread

[power_of_p3]

Hi little jack,

I'm sorry to reply in such a sad way  I do hope she gets sorted...perhaps unfortunatley whichever way is best for her xxx but I'm sure some anti-biotics would do the trick

I would like to ask someone with experience.  you say it's a neighbour correct, if you go onto their plot/into the garden and it is something infectious that can be carried in say the poop or something.  Would it be a good idea to disinfect your boots before you go near your chickens.  Cause I have wondered that about one of our neighbours on the plot (not the best hygiene and alot of birds, geese too, don't get me wrong they are cared for I just wonder), that if his birds have something, could I track it home on my boots back to ours in the garden...

Best of Luck little jack xx

BB ~~jo~~

[Chookster]

she not need putting to sleep, she may just need antibiotics which arnt expensive, but by leaving her ill for a week, he may have put the rest of his flock and yours at risk by allowing infection to spread

I agree totally.  Does she have a runny nose at all with this? If so, does it smell 'fishy'?? It most cetainly sounds like she just needs a dose of antibiotics but the later this is left the more harm it can cause and also of course, quite possibly spread to others in the flock.  

It's something that is so often and so easily just put off but it's really as simple as a quick once over with the vet and at a surprisingly lower cost than most fear  

At the end of last summer for example, I had two Growers with something similar to what you're describing and the vet charged me £5 consultation and £5 for a made up bottle of anti-biotic with 2 syringes for them to administer orally.  Total £10 - AND I even had a little to spare.

A week of anti-b's in time will surely do the trick. The warmer weather's on the way now but this one still needs nipping in case it spreads.
 

[Little jack]

 :happy: Hi all, on inpection today the chichen look's much better, she has been running around and is now back to normal size.No she didn't have a runny nose.The last few days i have been adding poultry sheild to her water.It's had to sepertate her as i keep my chicken's on my neighbour's land and they all free range as he has 3 acre's.All of the chicken's are well looked after, if not spoilt by me!!! with treats and scraps.Finger's crossed it's going.