Sick chick update

Late this afternoon, my husband and I drove our Plymouth Rock chick to the vet. We had an appointment not with an avian vet, but a vet who had a specific interest in poultry. As it turned out, he is a fellow chicken keeper and enthusiast.

This morning, our chick had been standing a bit better and although very wobbly, was walking a few more steps. I was still concerned it might be Marek’s but the fact she was regaining strength seemed to suggest her issues may have another cause.

She managed much better in the carrier to and from the vet today. The vet took a good look at her legs, manipulating them to check for any obvious breaks or dislocations. He didn’t seem to find any but pottered down the hall to chat to a fellow vet about her.

He was gone only a couple of minutes and put her on the floor when he came back. She was standing cautiously having a careful look around the room. He said that it probably wasn’t Marek’s but he would feel happier in his conviction a few days if she continued to improve. He prescribed her some anti-inflamitaries to be taken twice a day until Saturday. Hilariously, he had to prescribe dog anti-inflamitaries as chickens metabolise food and drink rapidly. So rapidly in fact, that he has given her a dose twice the amount needed for a 4.5kg dog!

He showed us how to give her the medicine and we left sniggering at the fact she has dog medicine. I carefully put her back into her coop and she immediately started on the greens I had dropped in earlier today. There is certainly nothing wrong with her appetite!