I am so up and down with Salmon at the moment. Yesterday Salmon was stretched out in the sun and I again felt a spark of hope.
Later in the day I tried to tempt her with mash and with sunflower hearts but she refused anything and I felt back down again. If she won’t eat then she has given up and that is the end of the road for her.
We decided to give her the weekend and make a decision on Monday.
Then this morning despite not having any sunflower hearts she was taking bits of spinach when I dropped them in front of her. She can’t exist on spinach alone but it gave me a little glimmer of hope once more.
Salmon had by now got a very mucky bottom again and I decided to clean her up. I thought that it would make her more comfortable and even if we ended up taking her to the vet I would feel better if she was at least cleaned up.
I held her over a bowl of warm water and started to clean her. The poop was white and hard and really stuck round her feathers. I had to gradually soak it off. As I was doing this a bit of soft egg shell appeared just sticking out of her vent.
I have been here with Marmite last year so I gently pulled the shell from Salmon’s vent.
I am feeling that we may now be in with a chance although it may already be too late. The egg itself must be inside her but I hope that continuing with the antibiotic tylan may be able to help stop an infection.
Salmon is in with a better chance having this out of her but it’s still too soon to know if it will make a difference to the outcome. We can only wait and see how she goes now. If I could just get her eating we may be in with a chance.
When separated in the cat box Salmon refused to eat the treats I put in her front of her and she won’t compete with the other girls either. I decided that I somehow needed to separate her from the competition.
I finely chopped some tomato, apple and spinach and added a little sprinkle of sugar for energy to a little dish. I lifted Salmon to the top of the small shelter and put the dish in front of her and also sprinkled some bits in front of her. I stood guard to keep the other girls from getting up there.
Salmon picked out all of the tomato. At least she had some even if not that much before she flew down off the shelter. I will keep trying to do this with different offerings. At the moment any food inside her is better than nothing.
A little later I put Salmon on top of the shelter again with some sunflower hearts and she ate them. I am now feeling a little more hopeful.
We can only wait now to see how she goes over the next few days.
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Well that’s more encouraging that you have pulled some egg shell out of her and as you say the Tylan should hopefully deal with any infection. Really am willing her to overcome this! xx
She certainly has me bouncing up and down at the moment. First thing this morning I was readying myself to take her to the vet and then when I pulled the egg shell out of her it gave me hope again, especially when she ate a little. I am willing her on too. xx
It sounds much more positive – might the contents of the egg have already passed through her vent in the runny poos she’s had? Good that she’s eaten at least something. Fingers crossed, and checking in with your blog frequently. X
I did wonder if that may be the case and best case scenario if it has. She is looking perkier. I have now lifted her several times to the top of the shelter and have just given her more sunflower hearts and spinach. She won’t compete yet but is eating when I protect her and seems to prefer to eat a spinach leaf from my fingers. Every bit of food I get into her makes me feel happier and makes her look brighter. I am beginning to feel hopeful again. X
It is sounding better.
I just put her on the shelter again and gave her finely chopped tomato sprinkled with a little sugar and held another spinach leaf for her which she pecked at. I am going to try little and often. She is definitely looking brighter. Her comb has remained red and she is now making chirping sounds. I know that if I get her through this it will remain to be seen what happens when the next egg arrives but I am just taking it one step at a time.
You can do no more than you are already doing.
Thank you.
Have you tried her with some cooked egg? One of mine was very poorly last week (I think she was ether stung or had a puncture would from something nasty) and I couldn’t tempt her with anything until I gave her some scrambled egg. For two days that was all she would eat and she has now made a full recovery. Fingers crossed for Salmon.
Funnily enough at the end of today I remembered that I used to try scrambled egg when they wouldn’t eat. I will try that tomorrow morning. Glad your girl made a full recovery.
That was so good to be able to get the soft shell out, and that she is eating a little. We all are hoping that she will get better.
That was the make or break moment. This morning she is looking more like her old self. I gave her some scrambled egg up on the shelter and she really tucked in. I took some photos which I will put in a post later today.
That’s great news; will look forward to the next post.
Distracted by the dentist this morning and the sun in the garden this afternoon but am just about to write it now.