Sick hen - help!

ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
I have a 1 year old Polish hen named Greta that has labored breathing so I listened to her chest and I do hear some rattle in there. I put her on Terramycin in her water (isolated from others) and she doesn't seem to be getting better but she does eat and drink. The others appear to all be fine. Any idea if I should try another med?

I have noted that she has not laid an egg since she's been confined. She may not have started laying yet this year? I thought she may be egg-bound but after hearing her rattle thought it was respiratory only.
 
Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
She may not lay if she's stressed out. How is she acting? Still eating and drinking? Is she alert or lethergic? Runny nose?
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
Yes still eating/drinking and no runny nose - just slightly labored breathing and the rattle I hear when I put my ear to her chest. She appears alert. She runs out of the cage to be with the other girls when I open the door. She makes those cute "bugle" sounds of protest when I put her back in there. Poor baby.

Cowgirl said:
She may not lay if she's stressed out. How is she acting? Still eating and drinking? Is she alert or lethergic? Runny nose?
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Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
ArkRescue said:
Yes still eating/drinking and no runny nose - just slightly labored breathing and the rattle I hear when I put my ear to her chest. She appears alert. She runs out of the cage to be with the other girls when I open the door. She makes those cute "bugle" sounds of protest when I put her back in there. Poor baby.
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Could be just a cold. I'd just keep an eye on her and if you think it's getting worse then I'd treat her with Tylan. That's a fairly common drug for respiratory issues. From the way it sounds now, I wouldn't be too concerned, but it's your call. I'd call a vet to get Tylan since you only need it for 1 bird.
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
Nah - she would wouldn't even be a good meal for 1 - she's a polish chicken, and they are not typcally meat birds. I tell everyone they are my special divas and they get away with laying smaller eggs than the rest, and taking the entire Winter off from laying - why? They think they are special because they are so darned cute LOL.

aps45819 said:
I'd invite Greta to dinner
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ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
I saw Tylan Injectable for sale at Jeffers for around $10 a bottle. I assume someone locally sells it also?

I have never given an animal an injection so how is done on a chicken?

In the meantime I'll do a sweep of the entire flock again later today to check for breathing abnormalities.

Cowgirl said:
Could be just a cold. I'd just keep an eye on her and if you think it's getting worse then I'd treat her with Tylan. That's a fairly common drug for respiratory issues. From the way it sounds now, I wouldn't be too concerned, but it's your call. I'd call a vet to get Tylan since you only need it for 1 bird.
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Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
Pasofever said:
I would probably do a few shots of PCN
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You can give pen, but Tylan 50 is usually a little better. I just read the dosage for each is 1/2 cc or mL IM in the breast daily. If you're using pen, make sure you use at least an 18 ga. needle since it's a suspension and you want to make sure the needle is big enough to get the actual meds not just the carrier.
 
PrepH4U

PrepH4U

New Member
Cowgirl said:
You can give pen, but Tylan 50 is usually a little better. I just read the dosage for each is 1/2 cc or mL IM in the breast daily. If you're using pen, make sure you use at least an 18 ga. needle since it's a suspension and you want to make sure the needle is big enough to get the actual meds not just the carrier.
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Dumb question here, if you have chickens at home for the purpose of free range fresh egg benefit. Why would you want to put chemicals into the chicken? :shrug: Wouldn't these antibiotics transfer to the eggs?
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
Oh my, see now that's what I need to learn I guess - I assume the needle is short that is used? How do you know what exact spot to target? Maybe I should find someone who knows how to do it to show me how?

Cowgirl said:
You can give pen, but Tylan 50 is usually a little better. I just read the dosage for each is 1/2 cc or mL IM in the breast daily. If you're using pen, make sure you use at least an 18 ga. needle since it's a suspension and you want to make sure the needle is big enough to get the actual meds not just the carrier.
Click to expand...
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
Sure IF she were laying eggs (she isn't) - typically you don't eat the eggs of a chicken that is on meds.

PrepH4U said:
Dumb question here, if you have chickens at home for the purpose of free range fresh egg benefit. Why would you want to put chemicals into the chicken? :shrug: Wouldn't these antibiotics transfer to the eggs?
Click to expand...
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
In doing research online I see many meds being suggested so that's why I wanted to ask locally. I think I do need to buy a few meds to have on hand since all I have is Terramycin at the moment.

Speaking of chicken issues, I have a rooster that looks like he had a mite infestation on his legs but I treated him with Frontline Spray several times as recommended but he still has protruding leg scales - how long does it take for the scales to look normal?

Pasofever said:
I would probably do a few shots of PCN
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Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
PrepH4U said:
Dumb question here, if you have chickens at home for the purpose of free range fresh egg benefit. Why would you want to put chemicals into the chicken? :shrug: Wouldn't these antibiotics transfer to the eggs?
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There's generally a withdrawal time for any meds you use, typically 7-10 days, and that usually goes for milk, meat, and eggs. As long as you're careful to dispose of any eggs from this chicken, it'd be fine.

ArkRescue said:
Oh my, see now that's what I need to learn I guess - I assume the needle is short that is used? How do you know what exact spot to target? Maybe I should find someone who knows how to do it to show me how?
Click to expand...

I'd use an 18 guage (guage is the thickness of the needle) 1/2" long needle. I'd also use a 1cc syringe if you can find it. With this small of a dosage, it's easier to dose the correct amount with a smaller syringe. You put the needle on the syringe, flip the bottle of meds upside down, insert the needle, and draw back the plunger on the syringe until you get the correct amount. Sometimes you can draw slightly over the amount you need, then tap the syringe with your finger to get the air bubbles to the top, then you can push out the extra meds to get the correct dose (and that'll push the air bubbles out of the syringe).

To give the chicken meds, you want to give it intramuscularly (IM) in the breast. Just hold her (or have someone else hold her), and insert the needle in the meatiest part of the breast. Slowly press the plunger in, and then withdraw the needle after you've given the meds.

It's easy peasy!
 
PrepH4U

PrepH4U

New Member
Cowgirl said:
There's generally a withdrawal time for any meds you use, typically 7-10 days, and that usually goes for milk, meat, and eggs. As long as you're careful to dispose of any eggs from this chicken, it'd be fine.



I'd use an 18 guage (guage is the thickness of the needle) 1/2" long needle. I'd also use a 1cc syringe if you can find it. With this small of a dosage, it's easier to dose the correct amount with a smaller syringe. You put the needle on the syringe, flip the bottle of meds upside down, insert the needle, and draw back the plunger on the syringe until you get the correct amount. Sometimes you can draw slightly over the amount you need, then tap the syringe with your finger to get the air bubbles to the top, then you can push out the extra meds to get the correct dose (and that'll push the air bubbles out of the syringe).

To give the chicken meds, you want to give it intramuscularly (IM) in the breast. Just hold her (or have someone else hold her), and insert the needle in the meatiest part of the breast. Slowly press the plunger in, and then withdraw the needle after you've given the meds.

It's easy peasy!
Click to expand...

Thanks for both answers. We had a chicken that was over 8 yrs old and was never sick. One day an nice eagle family moved in! Poor Rosie! :bawl:
 
Pasofever

Pasofever

Does my butt look big?
Cowgirl said:
You can give pen, but Tylan 50 is usually a little better. I just read the dosage for each is 1/2 cc or mL IM in the breast daily. If you're using pen, make sure you use at least an 18 ga. needle since it's a suspension and you want to make sure the needle is big enough to get the actual meds not just the carrier.
Click to expand...

Yeah tylan 50 works well too...I like it on the cats also...good stuff..
 
Pasofever

Pasofever

Does my butt look big?
ArkRescue said:
Oh my, see now that's what I need to learn I guess - I assume the needle is short that is used? How do you know what exact spot to target? Maybe I should find someone who knows how to do it to show me how?
Click to expand...
Not talking length here but gage of the needle...PCN is think you need a bigger needle (smaller gage) smaller the gage the thinner the needle...

You inject a chicken in the breast...
 
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