Hi folks. I need help. I am worried sick about our white leghorn named "Q-Tip". She is such a fun and sweet bird. Thats her in my avatar. She doesnt look like that anymore. I am not an expert on chicken illnesses. One of our flock died 18 months ago from CRD/Microplasm (it IS contagious) and it is quite possible that they all have it, but no symptoms have been seen like what our other bird had. About QTIP: She used to be the fastest moving, most energetic and lively bird we ever had. Small and yet the most reliable egg layer ever. Here is what we noticed:
1)1 year ago: her eggs started having a thin shell, then no shell. Increasing calcium made no difference. Sometimes she just dropped an egg w/out shell while walking around. So no real eggs have been laid in over a year. Maybe not related to her condition now.
2) Last fall she molted. Her comb got pale and she lost all her feathers. Thats the first time we saw her act sick and isolated.
3) After molting she never got back to normal. Never moving around fast. Often alone. Lately she isolates at a different part of the yard. She sits and closes her eyes most of the day. She is puffy, looks like she is sick. Her butt is dirty, like she sits in poop. I have washed it twice to try to clean it up. Her comb and face looks pale. VERY pale. She doesnt eat much. She NEVER scratches for worms with the other birds. No normal behavior.
4) She has leg mites and we have been treating them with some success. She has no other mites under her wings, etc.
5) She does not have unusual looking poop. It is green, but she eats grass. All the birds eat grass a lot.
6)She does not have swollen eyes or drainage from eyes and nose (prior microplasm symptoms from other bird),
7)She does not eat very much.
This has been going on for months. It has gotten worse in the last 2 weeks. Finally she is the worst ever today. She hardly moves now.
I went to the local grange/supply shop for help today. We are just now trying sulmet in her water and keeping her seperate. Maybe she has a bacteria, cocci or something that sulmet can help? This was recommended by the shop. But I am open to any ideas from you people. We have yogurt for food because I thought she may have sour crop, But I now don't think absolutely so. No swollen crop that I can feel. Its not huge.
Folks, I am just grasping at straws. My fun and happy birdy is sick. She is not herself. Today is the worst ever. This has gone on for 3-6 months but is worse now. I just want to help her. Any ideas on what to check for would be appreciated. Pale comb and very listless behavior. Any ideas? thanks. We are heartbroken and worried. Please help.
1)1 year ago: her eggs started having a thin shell, then no shell. Increasing calcium made no difference. Sometimes she just dropped an egg w/out shell while walking around. So no real eggs have been laid in over a year. Maybe not related to her condition now.
2) Last fall she molted. Her comb got pale and she lost all her feathers. Thats the first time we saw her act sick and isolated.
3) After molting she never got back to normal. Never moving around fast. Often alone. Lately she isolates at a different part of the yard. She sits and closes her eyes most of the day. She is puffy, looks like she is sick. Her butt is dirty, like she sits in poop. I have washed it twice to try to clean it up. Her comb and face looks pale. VERY pale. She doesnt eat much. She NEVER scratches for worms with the other birds. No normal behavior.
4) She has leg mites and we have been treating them with some success. She has no other mites under her wings, etc.
5) She does not have unusual looking poop. It is green, but she eats grass. All the birds eat grass a lot.
6)She does not have swollen eyes or drainage from eyes and nose (prior microplasm symptoms from other bird),
7)She does not eat very much.
This has been going on for months. It has gotten worse in the last 2 weeks. Finally she is the worst ever today. She hardly moves now.
I went to the local grange/supply shop for help today. We are just now trying sulmet in her water and keeping her seperate. Maybe she has a bacteria, cocci or something that sulmet can help? This was recommended by the shop. But I am open to any ideas from you people. We have yogurt for food because I thought she may have sour crop, But I now don't think absolutely so. No swollen crop that I can feel. Its not huge.
Folks, I am just grasping at straws. My fun and happy birdy is sick. She is not herself. Today is the worst ever. This has gone on for 3-6 months but is worse now. I just want to help her. Any ideas on what to check for would be appreciated. Pale comb and very listless behavior. Any ideas? thanks. We are heartbroken and worried. Please help.
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