Jasmine has a two trips to two vets but is back home again

Jasmine has given me a fright. Yesterday was her third day of being broody. First thing in the morning I lifted all three broody girls from the shed and gave out the morning sunflower hearts.

Flame and Vanilla ran out into the run and had some seeds then scratched manically as the broodies always do but Jasmine just stood on the patio looking miserable and didn’t join in at all. I was alerted that something wasn’t right.

Jasmine isn’t looking happy

I went inside and had breakfast then checked on her again and she was back in her corner of the chicken shed. I made some dishes of mash to see if she would eat. I got Vanilla and flame out of the shed then I lifted Jasmine out and stood her in front of the dish of mash.

Jasmine started pecking at the mash which I thought was a good sign but then she started rocking backwards and forwards and then slipped over on to her side. She wasn’t able to get up again so I put her in the cat box with a dish of mash. She then stood up and started eating some mash.

I had to leave to do my lunch deliveries so I put Jasmine back in her corner of the shed as I thought it would be less stressful than leaving her in the cat box and decided to make a vets appointment on my return.

Jasmine has collapsed

At lunch time I once again lifted Vanilla and Flame out of the chicken shed. I then got my husband to watch with me as I stood Jasmine in front of the dish of mash. The exact same thing happened. Jasmine pecked at the mash then she started slowly rocking forwards and backwards and slowly started to fall onto her side.

I have never seen this happen before. I rang the vets and got an appointment for an hours time. I put Jasmine in the cat box with a dish of mash and water.

The vet checked Jasmine over and she seemed absolutely fine. The vet said that her crop had food in it, her heart was normal and she took her temperature which was also normal. She checked if Jasmine’s feet would grip her finger which they did. We put her on the floor and her balance was fine and she could turn her head fine. She seemed absolutely fine and wasn’t even stressed.

The vet arranged for me to call the next morning at nine o’clock and talk to an expert on exotic birds and animals who she had tried to talk to before I arrived. The expert was busy but the vet booked a slot with her in the morning. She said to keep an eye on Jasmine and see how she goes.

Back at home I put Jasmine back in the run and she went off for a dust bath. She then had some water and then returned to the shed.

Jasmine has a dust bath when back from the vets

This morning I was pleased to see Jasmine out in the run. She has come out of her broodiness quickly the same as last time.

However as the morning progressed Jasmine was sitting perched on the ladder with her eyes closed. This is not a good sign. Next time I checked on her she was sitting in the run with her head under her wing. I haven’t seen the girls do this since they were chicks.

At nine o’clock I called the vets and they said that they couldn’t talk to the exotic bird specialist but that I would have to go to their vet surgery with Jasmine. It’s in Wokingham which is three quarters of an hour from us.

I explained that with Jasmine being wobbly on her feet and now sitting dozing that I was really scared it could be mycoplasma again and if I don’t treat her it could be passed on to the rest of the flock. The vet said that they can’t give me anything without me first taking Jasmine to the specialist.

The vet made me an appointment for three o’clock in the afternoon with the specialist.

Back from the specialist

I explained everything to the exotic animal specialist and told her how worried I was about the possibility of mycoplasma. She listened to Jasmine’s heart and said that she has a heart murmur. She said that when Jasmine had been sitting in the shed and had then gone to the mash dish, the bending of her head downwards, had caused her to rock and fall sideways.

The vet said that the fact that she then stood up again soon after was good. I told her about Sienna and that they had come in to the flock together and could well be siblings. She said this would make sense and that they had both most likely been hatched with a heart defect but that Sienna’s would have been worse than Jasmine’s.

She gave me some baytril (antibiotic) to give to Jasmine by beak, twice a day, for a week in case she has picked up an infection. She said to try to keep Jasmine as stress free as possible. She may continue for a while, maybe up to a year or she may be short lived.

I said that in future if she goes broody I will leave her so as not to stress her by lifting her out.

I am so relieved that it isn’t myco and the fact that both silky girls have had a heart problem makes sense. I know that I have to be prepared that Jasmine may suddenly go but better that than a drawn out illness. The vet said she looked bright which was good. We again put her on the floor and watched her while she wandered around and then pooped on the floor. The vet said that was fine as it gave her chance to see that that was normal.

I am just glad that after two stressful days Jasmine is still with is and isn’t contagious. We can only hope to have her for as long as possible.