![\"Topaz](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/topaz_has_a_new_trick.jpg\")
<\/a>Topaz has a new trick<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Coming down<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Who me!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>I’m leaving the table<\/p><\/div>\n
I don’t know how she knew I was there but as soon as I snapped the first photo she turned round and jumped out of the bush. She gave me her innocent look and casually left the table.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Emerald today<\/p><\/div>\n
Emerald has now finished her second course of flubenvet. She is still gaping but she is eating, drinking, pooping, preening, scratching and dust bathing. She is eating pellets again which I think is a good sign.<\/p>\n
I talked to the vet again yesterday. I showed him the photo of Emerald gaping and updated him. He is as mystified as I am. We both feel that if it was gape worm she would have responded to the worming treatment and he felt if it was a throat infection she would have responded to the antibiotic.<\/p>\n
He said if it was an obstruction in her throat she would have difficulty swallowing and breathing and if it was a fungal infection in her throat she would also have difficulty breathing. He said the only thing he can suggest is to give it time and see what happens.<\/p>\n
I know that if a chicken stops eating there is a serious problem but the encouraging thing is that she is eating. I just know that the gaping is not right and I still worry that we may lose her.<\/p>\n
At the moment she is still happy and eating well so we can only wait and hope. It has been nearly a month now. I have grown so close to her as I have been hand feeding and medicating her. She stays close to me when I am cleaning the coop or go to the store cabinet in case I might slip her some extra corn or sunflower hearts. She has cottoned on to her special treatment. She was also waiting on the table this morning for me to give her the grape with flubenvet but was disappointed.<\/p>\n
I am just willing her to get over this as she is beautiful and funny and endearing. I just can’t bare the thought of losing her. I can’t do any more than I have though. I will keep a close eye to make sure she continues to eat and will have just to give it time now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A few times today we found Topaz in the hypericum bush. She would climb in from the table, head first, and try to reach the leaves higher up the bush. Peaches and Barley were either side of her waiting to … Continue reading