Scary and Unusual behaviour - help may be needed

[tlck9]

she has been put on antibiotics, she had a temperature - I'm now wondering what the egg withdrawal is....baydrill or something

I'm now worried I have done the wrong thing and perhaps should have put her out of her misery... although the vet said if she is to recover the she will show signs in 3 days....

Since she has been with the other chucks and they have got it, she seemed to thing it wasnt catching....

Oh, I really dont know I've done the right thing, we shall see tomorrow. Especially since i'm not entirely sure which are her eggs...I have a good idea

[RichmondHens]

Did she say what she was suffering from, or did she just prescribe the Baytril to cover anything possible? I can't remember what the egg withdrawal time is for Baytril - meat is 28 days - but I'm sure you can look it up on line. I'll try myself in a minute if you like.

You've done the right thing but if she doesn't improve after 3 days then I would cull her. Unless the vet can definitely identify what the problem is (and it sounds like she hasn't) then if it were my hen I would be of the mind to protect the rest of the hens and lose the weakling. It's a hard choice to make if you only have a few hens that are "pets", and going to the vet is expensive, often costing more than the bird cost, which is why a lot of people opt to cull. However, sometimes I think it is important to find out what you are dealing with, if possible, for future reference.

[RichmondHens]

OK tlck, it looks like withdrawal is 5 days, which means if she had a one off shot (which I imagine she would have) you cannot eat any eggs she lays for the next 5 days. After that they should be fine. If she is on a daily dose of medication, then you should not eat the eggs for the duration of the course of medication, and then for a further 5 days after treatment ends.

[tlck9]

The vet didnt confirm the issue, but Omlet's crop was particularly full and confirm that she was holding too much in there and that she was under weight

However she said since she was also poo'ing which she said looked normal she thought the antibiotics would start to shift the blockage.

Unfortunately I cannot separate the chucks so she has given me a syringe to give to her, she has suggested there is enough antibiotics for 10 days

My worry is that I have to go to a family funeral on Wednesday for a couple of days and dont have anyone that is going to be able to administer so i'm really worried. So I really need to find someone local that can help

Your thoughts are mine, yes she is a sort of pet but I do have to think of the other 3 chucks. I will give her until tuesday and then make a decision

Fingers crossed she will improve

A thought....if she is pooping do I need to avoid all the eggs, are the others likely to pick up any of the antibiotic from her poop

[Suechooks]

When my ex-batts are poorly I put them in a dog cage in my shed and dose them then. My vet gives Baytril for 5 days twice a day 0.5ml. Omlet will have had 5 days treatment by Tuesday so you should see if she's responding.
Just as an aside I had an ex-batt who had a pendulous crop all the time I had her - over 18 months before she succumbed to something entirely different. I don't think her crop ever emptied fully.
Fingers crossed for Omlet.

[RichmondHens]

No - the others' eggs will be fine to eat. Even if the others pick up a miniscule amount of antibiotic from pecking around in the poo it will be of an insignificant amount. I'm not sure whether just "passing through the system" will render it harmless anyway.

[frias]

If I have to give Baytril I do 1ml for 7 days but agree by day 5 you know if it's going to work or not. Not had to worry about eggs as the old girls needing antibiotics don't lay anyway. When one of mine had a sour crop I was told antibiotics wouldn't work and feeding live yogurt was better.

[Suechooks]

If I have to give Baytril I do 1ml for 7 days but agree by day 5 you know if it's going to work or not. Not had to worry about eggs as the old girls needing antibiotics don't lay anyway. When one of mine had a sour crop I was told antibiotics wouldn't work and feeding live yogurt was better.

True sour crop is a fungal infection so that's right. In Katie Thears book she recommends giving a very dilute solution of Epsom salts for sour crop to help empty the crop. I did try it and also live maggots - not sure either worked but the chooks loved the maggots! I was heaving just watching them squirm aaround in the box!

[di]

Sorry,your girls really seem to be giving you more than your fair share of worries of late!
At least you've been to the vet & have hope that things may improve with Omlet.
Is there any chance of picking up a second hand rabbit hutch/run for the duration of her antibiotics?I know it's an added expense,but something that you'll then have on hand if the need to separate one arises again.
Is there anyone at the lottie that you could trust to administer the antibiotics while you're away?I'm sure I remember you saying there's several other chook keepers on your site...they may appreciate being able to help & at the same time obtaining experience for if one of their girls ever needs similar treatment?

If separating them really is impossible...I seem to remember someone advising me a while back that to distinguish which chook laid which egg you can spray their vent with something which will leave a slight coloured residue on their egg?Sorry,I can't remember all the details,but maybe someone else can?

Hope all works out for you!xxx

[Nicos]

I can't see the harm in double dosing her just before you go- and then the same as soon as you get back..it's not ideal- but I'm sure she'd be fine- it's OK to double dose humans and animals...and would be better than culling her just cos there's no one to dose her!

An alternative.....Would the vet sell you one 15mg Baytril tablet ( like I have) and ask someone to give her half each day you're away???- can't see one tablet would cost much

[tlck9]

good news and bad news

I took the decision this morning to let Omlet go to the big bird in the sky.....

She looked far worse and did not move from the coup - something she has never done.

But......

Having took her to my normal vet this morning to have the deed done, and found it was a friend of mine on duty, she took a further look at Omlet and said that she deserved a chance on the antibiotics.

She said she wasnt looking at a dying chicken, just an unwell one, once that was extremely unhappy and unwell, but was worth trying to get better

I explained my problems and the good news is that she or her friend will administer the antibiotics while we are away

She has put my mind at rest and said if there is any chance for the worse she will let me know.

I am trying to see if there is any way of separating her, we are having a new coup built but just wont be ready in time to keep her in...

So i'm keeping looking, in a month, at least I will have a coup with run that could be used in the future as a hospital bay

[Suechooks]

Tick - that's great news for you and Omlet. Must make you feel better to know she'll get her antibiotics while you're not there.
For a hospital coop have a look at Bramble Poultry's post of a few weeks ago about Plans for Coops or similar title. There is a nice little coop and run there - broody or isolation coop. It's really simple - must be as I've made one myself - no help from anyone - and believe me I'm no joiner! I plan to keep it for any poorly ex-batts I bring home from the lottie. It took me about a week to make just doing an hour or so each day.
Fingers and toes crossed for Omlet!

[tlck9]

Ideas for soup crop

Okay, I have live yogurt and olive oil to feed my omlet on

Are there any other ideas on anything to help shift this huge crop???

She is still under the weather and its horrid to think of her suffering and being uncomfortable....

[Bramble-Poultry]

Hi tlck

Right somewhere on one of the sticky posts is about sour crop I think, gives you the how to flush method etc!.

There are two types of infection that peopel refer to as sour crop, one is bacterial and one is fungal, true sour crop is fungal - best treatment for this is a vet administered product (name evades me at the moment!) OR oral Daktarin - this is an over the counter remedy for oral thrush which is actually the same fungus that causes sour crop.

If however the vet has given antibiotics she is obviously thinking bacterial, bacterial infections of the crop are usually caused from a blockage, grass etc.

Distended crop can be caused by a blockage or worms but as we know you have flubenvetted her we will rule that one out! Antibiotics will help to aleviate any symptoms of infection whilst she passes her blockage -did you vet say she suspected an impacted crop?

But regardless of what we all advise on here she is under the care of a vet and you should follow her instructions. I do agree with your vet though you should at least give her the chance for the antibiotics to work, if she has got a crop problem they will take a little longer to get into the system than normal. If she is still not feeding properly and you are concerned about her weight ask your vet about vetark critical care formula around £12 a tub (you can get it in most good reptile shops too!) its good stuff to get them back on their feet as it contains all of the vitamins and electrolytes.

Hope she is better soon.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Nystatin - knew it would come to me eventually - naturally blonde does it show!!!