[Beth]

Hi

I'm very new to the chicken game as I have had my three lovely ladies for just 2 weeks. Unfortunately Gerry is sick and I'm really hoping someone can give me some advice on what to do!

She is normally very forward and enjoys eating, but last Thursday morning she didn't want to come out of her house and when I returned home from work she was sitting underneith it. She wouldn't eat or drink and looked very poorly. On Friday her beak was open & she couldn't breath. I took her to the vet and he prescribed anti-biotics. Her breathing seems much better but she's on her third dose today and although she will eat and drink when i feed her, she won't leave to house to eat or drink. He poo is V. watery and smelly and she just sits there. Also she will only eat bread soaked in water, not her pellets.

Is there anything more I can be doing for her? Should I isolate her? The vet said not to but all the books say too.

(Before she got ill she ate a lot of earth worms as we were moving the decking in the garden - could this have something to do with it?)

I'd appreciate any advice anyoine has as I feel at a bit of a loss!  :cry:

[muntjac]

sorry to be harsh but the vet probably knows squat about chickens ....  he / she will prescribe antibiotics in every case .it sounds like the bird  has a bronchial infection and in my view would be better of culled .some vets see the backyard chicken keepers as a cash cow .

[Beth]

Thanks for the quick response.

Do you know how they catch these infections? Is there no cure?

[muntjac]

they just do ,it can be from spores  from soil straw bedding anything . i know i sound cruel but if so then i wont apologise .birds get ill and die there isnt a lot you can do about it ,happy birds stay fit and well with proper housing conditions and food .good bird husbandary.washing water drinkers out each time you fill them is a must .only green algae is safe in any water container .cleaning feed pots .making sure they dont get draughts or to hot is another .you do your best and they still die on you . be happy in tha fact the bird was happily chuckling away asmit wandered around the garden

[Shazzer]

one of our hens was like that for a day or 2 (beak open and stuff) she was bunged up with long grass as i discovered it when it was hanging out the back end

[Aunt Sally]

Your chook does sound unwell Beth  :!:  

As you have the antibiotics now I'd give them a chance to work.  It does sound like a respiratory condition.  Get some flubenvet to worm your hens too.  Lungworm can be picked up from worms (slugs and snails) as well as from other birds.  

Bread and water is good if she won't eat anything else, it will keep her hydrated, and I would isolate her.

Let usn know how she goes  

[Beth]

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Yesterday when I spoke to the vet he told me not to worm her at the same time as using the antibiotics, after I had already given one dose! I therefore have not givn her another dose today

Should I begin worming again tomorrow, or wait until she finishes the antibiotics?

Very confused and don't want to make her worse!

[Aunt Sally]

I think I'd go with the vets advice and finish the antibiotic before worming.  I don't know why but I expect one could interfere with the action of the other.

[AussieRose]

I recently had problem with sick chickens, could not breathe, panting, swollen abdomens, generally sad and sorry. Lost 2 one survived. Advise from American web site suggested that avocado skins I had been feeding them from work had toxic effect on them.  Also being winter here at the time their home was getting rather damp etc.  So I cleaned out everything, burnt all their old straw bedding etc and have had no health problems since.

[Aunt Sally]

I have always believed avocado is toxic to chickens !