Very sick hen - help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hi everyone, I'm new to this website and chicken keeping in general but we've had our girls for nearly a month now and I'm totally in love with them. Which is why I am going out of my mind with worry right now. One of our gorgeous girls, Jessica, is sick and has the following symptoms:

Lethargy, swollen eye/face, listless, gasping, not eating or drinking, sneezing, wheezing, mucus from beak, and yellow pus from beak area.

She's been sneezing ever since we bought her, but we were advised to put ACV in their water and maybe some crushed garlic. I also bought some Nettex nutri drops and she seemed fine, until this morning.

She made no attempt to come out of the coop and usually she's the first out. I read up a little online and it seemed that she may be brooding. General advice stated to physically remove her from the coop so she could eat and drink and move around.

I picked her up and put her down on the grass, nothing. That's when I noticed her left eye was swollen shut. She's not eating or drinking and not really moving either.

I called the farm where we bought her from and they advised that she probably had some sort of respiratory infection and to give her some Baytril. I won't be able to get any until tomorrow but from what I have read online about it, I think I'd be a bit worried about consuming her eggs after treating her with it. Am I being over-cautious here?

Reading online can be helpful but also extremely confusing! In the past half an hour I've read about countless infections and diseases that this could be and the treatment differs each time! I just want to make Jess feel better, it's horrible seeing her like this. It wouldn't bother us if we never ate her eggs again, so long as we were able to treat her.

Has anyone ever seen anything similar in their own flock? Or can anyone suggest what to do next?

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Thanks
 
Classic ILT or Infectious Laryngotracheitus and IB Infectious Bronchitus at the same time I would say. Have you had any new birds in last two weeks or did your birds come from different sources? This description sounds like exactly the same problem we had when birds innoculated with live viruses came into contact with birds that hadn't been. It could be a stress triggered flare-up of the live virus innoculations they have had if they are commercial hybrids -question the supplier. Egg withdrawral is the least of your problems -10 days though after course (but I ate all of ours anyway as I have no allergy to penicillin or anything else). Poultry vet on Monday first thing! Expect others to show symptoms if they have caught it from anywhere else- like visitors with chickens at home. We caught both extremely mildly and are potentially carriers -your immune system develops antibodies against it so you can see why avian flu spreads so easily. Our vet prescribed Synulox as apparently it assists better fighting infections resulting from viruses than Baytril -we didn't lose any birds anyway. Sceptics would say it was prescribed because more profit for vet than Baytril but, like us, you haven't got time to experiment.
 
Hi Chris, thanks so much for your reply. Since my last post jess has shown a massive improvement out of the blue. She's now eating and drinking and moving around as normal. The left side of her face is still swollen but her eye is now open, it is however very watery and leaking. No sign of the puss from her beak either.

I'm so relieved she has perked up, shall I monitor the situation before treating or would you still recommend a vet visit?

You were spot on btw - we introduced two birds into our existing flock of two last Saturday. Jessica is one of our original birds.

I know this may sound silly but can humans or dogs catch anything from chickens?

Thanks again
 
I'm only aware of avian flu having major consequences. She has caught the live viruses which were given to the two new birds, who are still infectious. Your other hens may get the same to a lesser or greater degree.
The ILT and IB viruses are very weak strains of the groups, most of which are fatal. If she has recovered on her own I would hold off on the vet and monitor. ILT can keep flaring up during stress times, like moulting or other illness, all her life and is then contagious (puffy eyes, runny nose, sore throat so loss of appetite). IB we have never seen repeat and they are apparently no longer contagious after 12 months. That virus has been recorded as travelling 1500yards between flocks! So what I am saying is that any new birds will always now be suceptable to catching ILT from the old ones. It does increase severity every time it is transmitted because it mutates. But we have introduced new birds after a 2 year quarantine of the affected flock and only some have been mildly affected with ILT. You may be able to smell a strange odour on your affected hen. Preening spreads the nasal discharge over the feathers. Worth noting the smell for the future to spot ILT apart from anything else.
 
The innoculations may not have been with live virus. I would look on this in the first instance as a simple respiratory tract infection for which antibiotics are usually needed. Cider vinegar and garlic are not likely to cure this though there's no harm in trying them.
If she is a lot better today, I'd try to assess whether her URTI is still present and if it is get the appropriate treatment.
A vet should advise about egg/meat withdrawal but if not then just allow ten to fourteen days.
 
Thanks for all the replies. This morning Jessica was a little better, though still didnt come out of the coop right away, was after about 15 mins. She's still sneezing and chesty and has a sticky beak.

Heres the thing - one of our new ones seems to be heading the same direction... on Saturday (before Jess showed any symptoms) Annie was swollen on one side of her face. Her eye was fully open though and she was bouncing around, eating and drinking as normal, no sneezing or anything. I called the farm where we bought them and they said she'd probably nicked her face somewhere but that it should go down soon. Granted, it has started to go down, however she seemed a little off this morning, and really fluffed up. She came out of the coop first, as usual, is still eating and drinking, but a little listless. Her symptoms are definitely not as bad as Jess'. Do you think its possible that they are suffering from the same thing?

Incidentally, our other two (one original, one newby) are totally fine... for now.

I think I will get some baytril from the vet in any case, hate seeing them like this!

Thanks again for all the advice - will keep you updated.
 
Could be an ILT flare up and Annie is the one who has passed it on to Jessica. We took in a trio of hybrids and went back to the original supplier to establish the immunisation programme. ILT and IB in drinking water (live viruses) was confirmed. Much worry as one of them, Daffodil a RIR cross, then had an ILT flareup. Of course all ours have had it now so absolutely no problem. But she took a year to settle down and stop. Now she has 'gout' like symptoms in her feet!
 
I agree with the above posts in the respect that is it likely from the symptoms you have described that your birds are suffering from some form of respiratory infection. By the sound of it they will need treatment with an antibiotic designed to treat respiratory infections in poultry.

I would be a little concerned that one of your chickens was sneezing when you brought them back home, this would suggest they were unfortunately already infected. You might want to consider returning the birds back to the supplier specially if they were already presenting with symptoms, but can understand if this option is not for you. Alternatively phone around for a vet who is used to treating poultry for some advice and treatment, it doesn't have to be expensive, a typical consultation plus medication will range between £22 and £45 roughly so a quote would be a good idea. You will also need treatment for all the birds from the same supplier.
If your chickens had a latent respiratory infection, then the stress of the move, weather etc may have triggered the flare-up, or it simply could be a sinusitis infection. I suspect however,with one of your other birds presenting with symptoms that the illness is infectious.
 
Morning all,

Thanks so much for the responses yesterday. I am pleased to say that things are looking up. Jessica was showing signs of improvement all day and by the time we took her to the vet, she wasnt sneezing at all - typical! Our vet isnt a poultry expert but he gave us some Baytril and advised to give them 0.5ml twice a day for 5 days.

This morning there was more improvement, they all came out of the coup for some breakfast and were eating as normal. Apart from the odd cough/sneeze/snot bubble they were in much better spirits! Especially Jess. Im hoping the Baytril will sort that out, but Jessica and Pam (who we got first, together) were definitely sneezing when we brought them home.

I've just realised I havent even told you all what they are: Jessica and Pam are RIR hybrids and Annie and Esther are Light Sussex hybrids. Whats everyone else got?

Thanks for all your help and advice over the past 24 hours, it was much appreciated.
 
Hi Newchick. All of ours are Pedigrees except for Annie Black Rock, the sole survivor of 4 we got over 3 years ago and the three assorted trio of hybrids I mentioned earlier. The other two of the trio are a Bluebell (wierd thing) and Gracie, who is a layer of extremely large green eggs the biggest of which was a 126 gramme double yolker. The original Copper Star hybrids that brought ILT and IB have long gone as Florence turned cannibal and ate Bottom's (our pet cockerel) comb and the Elisa turned egg eater. We could have ordinarily tried pot eggs but she laid her eggs in the nest box and immediately turned round and ate them. The rest are Laced Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Leghorn bantams and a few more assorted including a traditionally coloured and natured Marsh Daisy. I say traditional because the breed club have messed around with them so much they have lost the temperement, the white lobes and the larger comb. 'Twiglett' is a fiesty hen when annoyed and laid about 30 the first year but settled down to about 130 this year. She has won first in a show in Lincolshire before she arrived with us as one of 4 survivors from a 20+ flock hit by a fox attack. They were so traumatised that none of them laid for three months -fine now though.
Best of luck with your hens. May your yolks be big and golden!
 
Hi Chris,

Wow sounds like you have/had a right bunch of characters! We're so new to this but I can tell already that it wont be long before we expand!

We're still ploughing on with the baytril and they're all looking great (touch wood). Jessica is back to her lively self and although is still sneezing (haates the taste of the antibiotics!), she seems in great shape. Hopefully it wont be long before the sneeze goes once and for all.

Thanks again for all your help.
 
Give her a grape to wash the taste away, but cut it in half first or she will swallow it whole -ours would.
 
chrismahon said:
Give her a grape to wash the taste away, but cut it in half first or she will swallow it whole -ours would.
Click to expand...


lol that reminds me of a time i asked martin to give the chooks some left over beef cut offs. i would have cut them up into small bits, but he didn't really think about it and thought they would peck at it. HA!!! the hens were chasing each other round with massive pieces of meat hanging out of their mouths!!! one got cornered and just swallowed it whole!! I had to catch her and pull it back out to keep her from getting sour/impacted! :lol: they will swallow whole mice apparently... :shock: :-)11
 
Hahaha! I bet that was a funny sight! Do they generally like meat then? I know theyre omnivores so it's not forbidden, I just haven't ever given ours any.

Separately when I gave the girls their meds earlier I noticed Jess' breast bone was prominent while I was holding her. She doesn't look like she's lost weight, and like I said earlier, she is improving every day but perhaps she has lost weight over the past few days. She seems to be eating fine though. Apart from warm oats in the morning and extra corn in the afternoon, is there anything I can give herto bulk up a bit?
 
Hi NCOTB84.. glad your hen is improving! :-)17 Sounds like the antibiotics have gotten to the root of the problem. Don't worry about building her up, I am sure now she is on the mend she will continue to improve, so keep her on her normal diet. Chooks have a very simple digestive system. You can add bacteria to her gut through Beryls Healthy Bacteria, as antibiotics can affect the natural flora in the gut of a chicken. Don't use any human pro-biotics though.

One thing to check is your housing, make sure there is adequate ventilation..but no major drafts, no dust in the house and use dust extracted bedding or horse bedding, like esi-bed, they are other good brands out there. I use aubiose for my chooks, lovely and soft, absorbant and no dust. Chickens have a different respiratory system to humans and don't deal with dust and drafts very well, especially after a respiratory infection.

If you usually use lice powders in the house/on the birds just lay off for a week or two, as the dust may aggravate them.
 
Thanks foxy, have heard of that Beryls stuff before but never got around to stocking up on it, will make sure I get some.

I dont think there are any drafts in the coop, but how can I be sure? With regards to the bedding, I use HempBed-E from Flyte so Fancy, I think its essentially the same as Auboise - with some straw in the nesting box, which is where they seem to sleep anyway!

I also wanted to ask, how often should I be using ACV in the water, and can I drop some crushed garlic in with this mix or should I give it to them separately? We've been putting ACV in the water everyday but I read somewhere the other day that some people only give it to their chooks one week out of every month, say.
 
foxy said:
Hi NCOTB84.. glad your hen is improving! :-)17 Sounds like the antibiotics have gotten to the root of the problem. Don't worry about building her up, I am sure now she is on the mend she will continue to improve, so keep her on her normal diet. Chooks have a very simple digestive system. You can add bacteria to her gut through Beryls Healthy Bacteria, as antibiotics can affect the natural flora in the gut of a chicken. Don't use any human pro-biotics though.

One thing to check is your housing, make sure there is adequate ventilation..but no major drafts, no dust in the house and use dust extracted bedding or horse bedding, like esi-bed, they are other good brands out there. I use aubiose for my chooks, lovely and soft, absorbant and no dust. Chickens have a different respiratory system to humans and don't deal with dust and drafts very well, especially after a respiratory infection.

If you usually use lice powders in the house/on the birds just lay off for a week or two, as the dust may aggravate them.
Click to expand...


LOVE aubiose!! but we can't get it at the moment! So I've been using the Hemp bedding from CountryWide. It's very similar and works well actually for an alternative!
 
Our biggest Orpington hen spotted a baby Robin which crash landed on the lawn after its maiden flight. She ran over, picked it up and ran off to eat it. Fortunately I managed to catch her and rescue the baby.

We use Aubiose but it can be dusty. It is also quite sharp and hard on young birds feet so they get fine wood shavings.
 
My birds all have ACV every day unless they are on Battles tonic for a week,(and you can't mix the two.) they can have a maintenance dose of ACV with added crushed garlic at a doseage rate of 10mls per litre of water, in between the one week a month of 20mls plw for bantams, and 25mls plw for large fowl. But you must measure it properly, don't just guess the quantity with it being an astringent, although a natural product it can cause liver damage if overdosed. Using it as a worm repellant you must keep up with the maintenance dose or it won't work, as it changes the gut Ph to acidic where worms don't like to be.
I have used ACV for 5 years now, and have no ill effects from using it on a regular basis, if anything, my birds are much healthier, and don't normally suffer from respiritory problems. Being big orpingtons, and a heavy-chested breed they can and will get chesty rattles quite easily. But ACV seems to keep any illness like that at bay, even though they are regularly taken to shows.

JubesXX
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top