The new regime and updates

We have to give Pebbles her antibiotic twice a day. Rather than stress her by trying to put it into her beak we decided to put it on some sunflower seeds in a little dish. It is sticky so will stick to the seeds.

I decided to put Pebbles in the cat box in the morning and evening with her own dish of seeds laced with her medicine at the same time as the other girls have their seeds/corn.

The vet called this afternoon to let me know what the specialist thought after seeing the video and hearing the recording of Pebbles. Her opinion is that it is probably viral and she thinks it’s a form of bronchitis. She suggested we carry on with the antibiotic but that I call her straight away if Pebbles worsens.

My greatest fear is the other girls catching it but she thinks that as it’s been several weeks since Pebbles first started to wheeze it seems they may not catch it. She said the youngest two are most at risk as the older birds will have built up some immunity but that there is no point in separating Pebbles as the other girls have already been in contact with her. If any other girl shows any symptoms I am to call her straight away.

The vet said if Pebbles doesn’t respond to the antibiotic after a few weeks we could try a different one and she could also take a swab from inside her beak to check for anything bacterial. She also suggested that I worm the three little girls as I had just done the bigger girls before I got them. I had intended worming them next time round which will be March but the vet said it would be best to do it now as any worms could make them more vulnerable to virus and any virus could make them more susceptible to worms.

Tomorrow lunch time I will add some flubenvet to chopped grapes and give it to the three little girls on top of the little coop while guarding them against the other girls.

While we were talking I said that Pebbles eye seemed fine today so it may just have been coincidence and perhaps she had rubbed or scratched it. Other than the wheezing she seems fine and is eating well and drinking and pooping.

I am so glad that I have found such a good vet and I am really impressed with her.

Toffee is not her usual self either but I think this is just down to old age. She is spending periods of time in the chicken shed especially in the afternoons. She also has a slightly mucky bottom and is producing very wet poops (which is why the mucky bottom). She is eating and she came out for a mixture of corn and seeds this evening. She looks fine and still complained, which she always does, when the treats ran out which is a good sign. She also had a peck at some pear that was on the patio.

I think that as long as she doesn’t appear to be suffering in any way and is still eating, I will just leave her be and keep a close eye on her.

In other news, Pebbles has got the hang of going to bed without help ever since we added the extra perch so at least that is one problem solved.

I felt this post was a bit dull without any photos so this one was a few days ago when I gave the girls a dish of mash. The little girls wait until the bigger girls have had their fill and then they have the mash to themselves.

Three little girls have the dish of mash to themselves

The little girls love me to hand feed them spinach but they all move so fast that most of the photos came out blurred. I did just get one close up of Rusty.

Hand feeding Rusty some spinach

I will continue with the new regime, keep updating and keep everything crossed.