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Post by ashley on Sept 8, 2009 17:54:25 GMT 8
You all been so helpful over the last couple of weeks... I worried I'll become know as 'the one with all the sick chickens' but I'm really worried now, I just don't know what to do and I can't find and info on diseases that fit these symptoms exactly.
Today I opened up the chicken coop to find Boo laying on one side, I initally thought she was dead, but she was alive, just unable to stand up. It was like one side of her was paralysed.
One of the other girls came up and gave her a peck, so not knowing what else to do I put her in a cat carrier for the day in the laundry with some water and the closest aproximation to the rickets diet I could muster up (catfood, rolled oats, half an apple and some yogurt) and left for work. I was expecting to find her dead when I got home but she was sitting there looking at me. I've just moved her into a large dog kennel as a make shift quarantine coop and she is standing up. Not exactly bright and chirpy but looking much more alive than this morning.
Othe than that I don't know what else to say, she has a bit of a dirty bottom and she's standing in that 'sad' position (tail down, neck tucked in) but otherwise she looks normal, her comb and wattles are her normal red colour (not washed out, or too dark either) I had a good look at her face and I can't see any discharge or other symptoms.
All I can find on the internet about paralysis in chickens refers to Mareaks disease, but that seems to be in younger birds. I bought Boo as a Pullet 3 months ago... is she too old for Mareaks?
I've fixed everything I can think of that may have caused any problems for the girls (cleaned the house, all waterers and feeders & wormed them).
Any help appreciated, I'm loathed to take a chicken to the vet, but does anyone know of a 'chicken vet' around Perth or Perth Hills? I just can't think of anything else to do.
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Sam W
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Sam W on Sept 8, 2009 18:09:27 GMT 8
god are you having a bad run or what i actually got a rir rooster of some one a year ago and it did the same thing except it died i just thought it was some sort of disorder but it may not be
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Post by Duck Diva on Sept 8, 2009 18:14:09 GMT 8
HI Ashley, Im no expert but I would treat her for Coccidiosis as it could be that. You can buy Sulphaquin or Sulphadim at the feed stores or pet shops and dose her. Can you post a photo of her? I had a chook with Mareks and she limped with one leg stuck out to the front of her body and shuffled along using her wings to steady herself.
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Post by newchook on Sept 8, 2009 18:51:41 GMT 8
Midland Veterinary Hospital on Morrison Road in Midvale phone number 9274 3200 has a 'poultry expert' Dr. Brian McErlean. It's hard to get them back on form the more condition they lose so the sooner they're treated the better - good luck. Cheers Gill
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Post by fluffychook on Sept 8, 2009 19:18:29 GMT 8
Ashley never think that you problems are annoying or that we will think you are the one with the sick chickens. We are here to help you if we can. I know when mine have been sick and I had no idea what it was that it was so helpful to chat to others who could help. From what I know of Mareks disease is that they get paralysed and diet does not improve it. Wendy (Duckdiva) can tell you about this disease as she was given a chook with it. So if she improved on the ricketts diet I would say it is something else. Newchooks suggestion sounds good as you can get some professional advice. If you have trouble getting sulphaquin I have some that you can use till you get your own. I bought mine online as I had trouble finding it locally.
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Post by ashley on Sept 8, 2009 19:49:20 GMT 8
Thanks everyone, especially your kind words fluffy, in my haphazard way I guess I was just trying to say I really appreciate everyones help..
I'll take a photo for you in the morning Diva and try the feed stores near work for Sulphaquin.
Cross Fingers!
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Post by ashley on Sept 9, 2009 7:46:29 GMT 8
Ok, I took these pics this morning, I also put her out on the patio for a couple of min to see how she walks, shes not limping, just walks about slowly, not really interested in anything. Fluffy, can you pm me your phone number? if I can't get the sulpha medicine today I will take up your offer to borrow some if that's ok. Thanks Ashley
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Post by fluffychook on Sept 9, 2009 8:00:39 GMT 8
You have a PM Ashley
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Post by ashley on Sept 9, 2009 9:55:49 GMT 8
Thanks Fluffy, I found some at the pet shop on Great Eastern Hwy in Midland this morning so I won't steal yours :-).
I'll sneak home from work at lunch time and give her the first dose today.
Cheers
Ashley
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Post by fluffychook on Sept 9, 2009 11:26:53 GMT 8
Thats great you found some, when I was looking the salespeople looked at me like I had two heads.
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Post by annieyokie on Sept 9, 2009 11:36:44 GMT 8
:)Hi has anyone nearby been spraying for anything recently could be a touch of poisoning ,You dont have wood chips?. This is going to sound silly but if you have any parsley it is a good detox and also good for the kidneys and blood.Either as a bit given to peck at or made as a tea (poor boiling water over a bunch in a cup or pot )and given in water bowl or with a dropper in side of mouth .doesn't have to be to strong but is great stuff.
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Post by beck on Sept 9, 2009 15:13:52 GMT 8
Hi ashley the guys probably have it right as my chooks got meriks and they never got back up seems to paralize the chook untill they eventually can't even eat really nasty disease it is usually triggered by stress or the start of the fist lay best of luck i hope she gets well soon
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Post by ashley on Sept 9, 2009 18:29:49 GMT 8
Ok, well she's still alive, and she's had two doses of Sulpha today.
I was worried that she had stopped eating since it didn't look like she'd touched the rickets mix I made this morning, her crop felt empty too, but I've never felt a crop before so I'm not really sure... either way I'm pretty sure she's too skinny.
Tonight I gave her some grated carrot, parsley & pellets mixed up together and watched her for awhile, she ate some of it but not with any sort of excitement. Carrot peelings are a favourite of hers so I thought it might entice her.
I'll try another batch of ricketts in the morning...
Annie, thanks for the parsley idea, I put some in her dinner tonight. What did you mean about wood chips? I use pine shavings (from city-farmers, it comes in a bale) for their bedding, is that a bad thing?
... tune in tomorrow for another eposide of "Life Of Boo"
Ashley
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Post by Duck Diva on Sept 9, 2009 20:57:41 GMT 8
Hi Ashley, when some of my chooks had a respiratory problem, they werent eating so I made a fairly dry mash of ricketts diet and formed little pellets of it and put in their beaks. It is a bit of a performance, but I found if I wrap the chook in a towel firmly so they cant get away, it gives me 2 hands to work with. one to prise the beak open a bit and the other to pop in the food or medicine. I give them a as many of these pellets as I think theyre capable of handling at the time and then do it again regularly through the day. They lose their appetites like most of us when we're sick and need to be forced a bit like our mums used to with us and soup!! Sounds like you doing a greta nursing job anyhow. Shes in good hands. hugs, Wendy
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Post by annieyokie on Sept 10, 2009 8:46:07 GMT 8
::)Pine shavings from the pet shop are fine I'm sure I use then with my chicks .I meant outside wood chips ,some are treated with creosote (cant spell it) or some other chemical and we have had pets in to be tested who show a toxic reaction to them. Hope she is better today.
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