JustAnswer > Bird
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Bird

Ask a Bird Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Bird question?

4 Vets and Bird Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Bird Question?

Related Bird Topics:

  • Ill
  • ,
  • Vet
  • ,
  • Two
  • ,
  • Back
  • ,
  • Come
  • ,
  • Cost
  • ,
  • Feed
  • ,
  • Info
  • ,
  • Left
  • ,
  • Neck

Question

chicken less than a year old looked fine earlier but is now streching its neck upwards and opening its mouth as if gasping for breath?

Submitted: 427 days and 16 hours ago.
Category: Bird
Value: $18
Status: CLOSED
+
Read More

Optional Information

Age: <1; Female; Breed: Chicken

Already Tried:
Nothing yet looking for advice but she in the house now in a box

Posted by S. August Abbott, CAS 427 days and 15 hours ago.

Info Request

How many chickens do you have, where are they kept, how fed/watered and how often are tools and utensils cleaned?

Have you vaccinated everyone?


427 days and 14 hours ago.

Reply

Hi,

 

we have 15 chickens - three from a neighbouring farm which we have had for about two months and its one of these birds thats ill. Another 12 we bought last week which are all a bout 8 weeks old.

 

We feed and water them everday and the are kept in our stables - the rome free-range all day and are put back in at night.

 

We havent vacinated anything and are not sure is required?

 

Thanks

 

Lee

Posted by S. August Abbott, CAS 427 days and 12 hours ago.

Answer

Recommended vaccinations for small flocks include:
Marek’s Disease; Newcastle Disease; Infectious Bronchitis; Laryngotracheitis; Fowl Pox; Fowl Cholera and Avian encephalomyelitis.

With the exception of Marek’s Disease vaccination, all other vaccinations should be given to stock over 10 days old.
There are many more details including explanations of the diseases and where to get the vaccines here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030   

Get in touch with your supplier for availability of vaccines. For small flocks it’s a good idea to find another small flock owner in your area and discuss sharing the cost of vaccines since they tend to come in large flock vials.

Call your local 4-H club, cooperative extension, farm supply stores, Humane Society, ASPCA and sometimes your local animal control agency will have resources for you.

Any other farms, big or small, may also be helpful.

The diagnosis must be made with a hands on visit to a qualified vet, but I suspect Newcastle's.   

There are three forms: Lentogenic (mildly pathogenic), Mesogenic (moderate) and highly pathogenic (Velogenic).

Newcastle's is often a sudden onset disease with symptoms which may include: watery discharge from nares, labored or open beaked breathing, facial swelling, paralysis, trembling, and twisting of the neck (involvement of the central nervous system).

Mortality can vary widely from 10 to 80 percent depending on the pathogenicity.

Again, this is just one possibility based on your indications.   You really need to confirm this with an exam.

Good luck and by the way, good instincts in separating them.


427 days and 11 hours ago.

Reply

Hi

Thanks for the advice. We have left the chicken overnight with our vet.

I read about Newcastles disease but also that there hadn't been a case in the uk for twenty years?

Thanks

Lee

Accepted Answer

I will be anxious to know what is determined (I had no idea you are in the UK) - with this new info, I would hope for something simple (bacterial infections are pretty common) caught early a course of antibiotics may do it in no time.   3-5 day courses are often all that's needed, but since you've got your vet involved, obviously follow their recommendations explicitly.

Please re open this question any time to follow up.

(Nice job by the way - you're doing all the right things)



Picture
Expert: S. August Abbott, CAS
Pos. Feedback: 99.6 %
Accepts: 1573
Answered: 9/7/2008

Certified Avian Specialist

Cert. Avian Specialist; Int. Assoc.Animal Behavior Consult; Pet Ind. Joint Advisory Council; author

+
Read More

Related Bird Questions

  • MY 2 PARAKEETS MALE/FEMALE LIVE TOGETHER THE FEMALE IS NOW
  • Can Cockatoos get human head lice?
  • Hi my name is cynthia, i got three cockatials, two male and
  • what causes hens to eat their eggs
  • I have a congo african grey who is 8 years old. She develope...
  • Hello, I found this email address online and I decided I wo...
  • we have a little baby born about 3or4 weeks ago. he seemed
  • Our parakeet's cere is very dry. It looks like it has a bro...



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.