Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I'm thinking this is okay to do. Nothing I've read about coccidiosis has these symptoms going on, except the lethargy, so there could be a secondary infection, or the "secondary" is/was the original culprit.

Here's my thinking...

1. She never had bloody diarrhea or other symptoms except lethargy, she did have very loose but normal-ish poop only after syringe-feeding water. It's been heavy with urates. No mucous. I had found two poops under the roost with what I thought were intestinal shedding but could have been part of a coccidia life-cycle according to the vet. The wet warm run conditions, their age typical for vulnerability, time since introduction, etc., pointed to coccidiosis .

2. I never found any coccidia cysts in the fecal float tests, although that could come later in a disease progression. I haven't tested for over a week now.

3. Ida is sneezing and her voice is raspy/two-toned, and her nares don't have mucous but have dirt collected there. This has been going on since she arrived as a day-old but only since banding have I determined it's only her.

4. Anna sneezed yesterday morning and again this morning. Her voice is very slightly raspy now. But I haven't heard much sneezing.

5. She's been scratching both side of her head, the skin at the beak line in front of her eyes has slight scratch wounds that get better and this morning I see again. I had thought I might have scratched her in syringe-feeding treated water but studying where my fingers are I'm pretty sure it's not me.

6. Anna had small bubbles in her right eye, found after taking pictures of her eyes to send the vet. This sort of clinched it for me, that I would at least try treating her for mycoplasma.

7. Both her eyes didn't look right, they are too dark overall, not enough distinguishment between the parts of the eyeball - the pupil, iris, and whatever the outer part is called, conjunctiva?

I couldn't get good left eye pics. Very hard to get any pics, she would move her head a lot when her eyes were open, and as soon as she stopped moving she'd close her eyes. Zoom in and you'll see tiny bubbles in the crevice on the nares end. Is this normal to have bubbles there?
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The Terramycin ointment has had an immediate effect, last night when I got home she had both eyes open a lot more and was looking about, & now wants to look out the window briefly. Her right eyeball looks much more normal. It’s been a both-eyes issue, with the left eye worse. I think her “it’s too early in the morning and I haven’t had my coffee” look has been due to swelling. Possibly mycoplasma conjunctivitis.

How long does one apply Terramycin?

It is a struggle to apply ointment. I get a 3/8 line of ointment on a (gloved) hand, first finger, and I try to pull her lower lid down with my middle finger, the other fingers also holding her neck below her head. The other gloved hand is trying to hold her neck/head/beak steady. I can tell she’s going to have a greasy hairdo very soon. She immediately preened for awhile after I put her back.

I think the terramycin is only for an eye infection - not for a respiratory infection that includes symptoms in the eyes.
Mycoplasma is said to cause bubbles in the eyes and respiratory symptoms. It is manageable with antibiotics but will return at times of stress.
Would the vet be open to giving you an Rx to treat mycoplasma?

 

[LozzyR]

Fluffy Butt Family myself and my family could really use your prayers right now. Grandma has been in a steady decline the last 2 days. Me and mom were changing her bed linen a hour ago and she had a spell and stopped breathing. She came back around but from her waist down what little control she had with movement is gone. Me and mom asked her if she wanted us to call 911 and take her to the hospital. She wants to stay home and begged not to go back. I cannot see into the future, but immediate family has been notified. I am not ready for this but I am holding it together in front of her.

I’m so sorry to hear that Rebecca.

 

[Sally PB]

Seems we are all experiencing our poor chooks molting

Poor Snowbird...

 

[notabitail]

Seems we are all experiencing our poor chooks molting

How long does a normal molt take?

 

[LhickenChicken]

I know this is dark humor, but if I get all demented and start talking to people not there, it is kind of reassuring to know that I'll never lack for company!l

Update on Anna She wouldn't drink much this morning, but she did eat. Her eating has gotten better, late last night and then this morning she did some high-speed peckings hadn't see her do before. Like faster than a normal seeing matching style. Still has to find the cup, goes by sound I think. But amazing rapid pecking. Very hungry? At least able to coordinate it. She still wouldn't drink very much, so eventually syringe fed her 2ml of treated water and an hour later she perked up. Call in to the vet as to whether this is normal at day five/six of treatment & could a bacterial secondary infection be a possibility.

Thinking better to go seven days, not end treatment after today. Thoughts, you all? I recall @BY Bob said he would go seven, but I have to search.

She's way sick, not sure she will actually recover, and I'm sick at the run drainage issues being the culprit and me not addressing them soon enough.


This afternoon out on the deck area with them. Anna decided to wiggle under my arm
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Then DH fired up the lawnmower and everybody startled or ran
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Under the outer shirt seems best now
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Earlier, a little while out and about, she got up on the tomato bean box edge herself because the others were around there. She looked around, then closed her eyes. Here's her look, usually a bit more wide-eyed, but still....
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The gang checks on her regularly and find things to explore near her.
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Nap on my stomach
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But of course the other Spuds have to pile on and disturb it and start excavating my clothes, but it's a good thing. This is Tedi, and Ida on my knees in the back
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Here Anna is grooming briefly, that she's doing that is good.
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Here's IdaView attachment 3648293

OK they found their spots
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I don't know. Does she have some kind of eye impairment?

 

[bgmathteach]

Pony Sunday:

Okay it’s not a pony, but he runs like one!
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I see your daughter has been spending time with him when this picture was taken! Lovely beads! He must be a good, patient/tolerant boy if she does that regularly!

 

[bgmathteach]

How long does a normal molt take?

For most chooks, 8-12 weeks, start to finish, but some take longer. Slow molters can take up to 4 months, but you don't notice it so much - except when they lose a tail feather or two - because it is so slow they don't look rumpled nor leave an explosion of feathers when they shake or dust bath. They just drop a feather here or there, and still look wonderfully coiffed.

Some molt information

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have never seen bubbles in any of my chooks eyes, but I have read that it is a symptom for a couple of illnesses; as far as the eye ointment I would apply it for a week.

Did I read that you were giving g her oral antibiotics also? Is she showing any improvement being on the antibiotics if so?

Yes, Baytril ~.06 ml 2x day. Today they went outside at 1:30pm when I could watch them and do chores and work on the run, as where they are doesn't have aerial protection. It's right next to the house, the front deck and areas right there I don't trust any hungry Red Tail.

She was much improved today, keeping her eyes open a lot and even decided to fly from the porch to the lawn area where the other Spuds were! (Maybe to not have to jump down the step off the porch. She later got back up at the lowest spot with one big foot step).n Still resting quite a bit. But if the Spuds move, she goes to join them. Possibly she is getting her feeding aim improved too, with both eyes open. I'm still not sure though, I must still feed and water her, and I worry some blindness has happened. But everything I read about mycoplasma says they can go blind from the eyes swelling shut, not that their eyesight is degraded. But nothing specifically says that doesn't also happen. Her eyes are still dark.

Looks to me as if her whole eye socket area is swollen still, esp. in comparison to the others. Nothing like Coryza pics, pus collecting there has crossed my mind. It still looks like tissue swelling and not a pus-filled sac.

More stories but no time tonight. Suffice to say she is slowly but surely acting as if she is getting better - and participating with the Spuds more and more! I am cautiously optimistic.

Still a question though - Ida's sneezes and apparent respiratory infection - check with the vet, or treat on my own, or leave and see if it ever gets better?

 

[SimpleJenn]

Kasumi/Thane guarding the girls while they dustbathe. Starting to act like a cockerel.

More corn, and some goofy faces!


Cuddles with Shep

And finally, the insulation looks like an UFO on the inside

Maybe two weeks and I'll remove the brooder plate. And raise the roost bar. Not sure if I want to unblock the nest boxes just yet.

Pretty fella.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I think the terramycin is only for an eye infection - not for a respiratory infection that includes symptoms in the eyes.
Mycoplasma is said to cause bubbles in the eyes and respiratory symptoms. It is manageable with antibiotics but will return at times of stress.
Would the vet be open to giving you an Rx to treat mycoplasma?

Well I've got Baytril and it being the weekend and not hearing back from the vets and then finding the bubbles and all, I went ahead and started treatment, .06 2x/day. I figure the Terramycin oitment might help, but that the eyes issue could be mycoplasma conjunctivitis, because how dark they look, she's like a barred owl.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-27211746
"Gave her .06 ml of 10% Baytril, she's .583 kg, so .1ml Baytril per kg = .0583 ml, I gave her .06 ml. "