I am afraid everyone will get tired of me bouncing up and down with this but I just can’t help it. It almost seems like one step forward and two steps backward all the time. Every time I think I see a bit of improvement things seem to get a little worse again.
The last two days have been dull, almost dark in fact, miserable and wet. The girls spent most of the two days in the big shelter. Today was colder than it has been but it was dry, bright and sunny.
Mid morning the girls returned to their favourite spot in the sun.
The girls sit in the sun
On closer inspection I could see that Dandelion had bubbles in her eyes again.
Dandelion has bubbles in her eyes
Once the sun had moved from this spot the little girls returned to the small shelter. I bought the dishes of mash with the tylan water to the small shelter to encourage them to eat some.
I bring mash to the small shelter
Speckles decides to join in
Both Dandelion and Freckles have bubbles in their eyes again
This is worse today
I am seeing these two with bubbles in their eyes more frequently and the the wheezing sound has come back to their breathing.
I am on day ten of the planned twelve days of tylan so I will keep going for a few more days but I am constantly wrangling with how long I go on with this.
This has now been three weeks since the first signs of this and in my heart I know that the longer this goes on the less chance there is of a happy outcome. Freckles and Dandelion are just not shifting this and after moments of slight improvement they seem to worsen again. The bubbles in their eyes are now appearing more often but they are managing to blink them clear again. They seem to hit a low point in the afternoons.
I will call the local vets tomorrow to see if the vitamins have come in yet. My husband also suggested to give them their daily spinach once more as it contains vitamins and iron. I had stopped giving it to encourage them to eat the mash but now agree that it would be a good idea to go back to giving them some each day.
I hand fed the girls some spinach leaves dipped in the tylan water to try to get a bit more into them.
When I give them the bedtime corn you wouldn’t think there was anything wrong. They are at their most lively when scratching for every last bit of corn and digesting the corn helps them keep a bit of warmth at night.
Bedtime corn
Another couple of days of the tylan regime and then I will assess the situation again. I keep feeling my hopefulness waxing and waning but I am trying not to give up yet.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I hope so much that they will come through this.
I do too but I am not too confident at the moment. I know that I have to ready myself for an unwelcome outcome.
So sorry to hear things haven’t improved Carol – I really do hope they turn the corner soon.
xx
I hope so too but can’t stop worrying about them. I hate that this is taking so long and that in it’s self is all the more worrying.
I have my fingers and toes crossed for an improvement.
Thank you, me too.
So very difficult for you – you’re right that, looking at the photos, sometims they do look desperately sick, but at others they show much more life. They do have the energy to perch, which is something. Really rooting for you all.
That’s exactly how it is. I think they look a bit better, they have some food and a peck around and then in the afternoon they perch up looking miserable. That’s always when the bubbles appear and I can hear the whistling in their breathing. Come corn time they peck and scratch around. They perch fine at bedtime and are all close together. They go from looking okay and I have hope to looking really sick and I am down again. I really appreciate everyone’s support.
I’m so sorry. I really feel for you.
Thank you. x
Since they love their corn so much, would it help if they ate corn/tylan in bowls like the mash? How long can you treat them with tylan? You are the best chicken mama!! God’s got this!
I am pushing sunflower hearts and corn into the tylan mash to get them to take a bit more. They are eating the tylon mash every day so are getting it through that. The longest anyone has treated with tylan on the forum (D.T.L.) is twelve days and we will be on day twelve tomorrow. I am going ring the vet this afternoon and see if she will get me the denaguard which is stronger and also to see if she has the vitamins yet.