Please help !

EggSighted4Life said:

Can you hear rattling when she breaths?

I would continue the electrolytes and garlic. If she isn't taking any fluid, dip your finger and drip on the tip of her beak so it will roll around to her mouth and she will swallow it.

Is her crop still have a hard ball in it?

Personally, I would give the crushed vitamins in the water.... what have you got to loose? She isn't getting better really and it MIGHT help.

Sounds like she has infectious bronchitis, which by itself isn't treatable. Most people who give antibiotics are just hoping they are fighting of any secondary infection that might take place.

I wish I could be more help.

Click to expand...

EggSighted4Life said:

Laying is the most natural thing chickens do, I wouldn't expect it to make her weak. But there could be something underlying that causes it.

I would definitely do the B vitamins. Whatever her body doesn't need will pass in the urates. And the B's are the ones that will give her some energy, hopefully to recover. Even if they just give her enough energy to eat and drink, can help her. I know I always feel better for a little while after I eat when I'm sick. But have been to exhausted to even care about it sometimes. It's probably about the same for the chickens. If they're too tired, they just don't care.

Gape worms aren't common, but have you checked for that? It can be done by swabbing the back of the throat with a Q tip. And they would look like tiny red strings of blood.

Is she shaking her head? Since chickens don't have a gag reflex, that is how they would get something out that was stuck in their throat.

I would expect with illness effecting her, that she would quit laying all together for a period of time until fully recovered. At least that's what happens in most cases.

I put my ear to the back of the chicken and listen as the breath enters and leaves the lungs. Crackling sound is fluid in lungs. Rattling with mouth open may be an uncleared throat, maybe some phlem.

When I have caught bronchitis in the past, seems like it took a couple weeks to get over it. And of course that may not be it, we are just guessing and trying to help to the best of our ability. But it was painful in the chest to breath and hard to get a good breath. Sounds like she is trying to fight off whatever it is. So best you can do is support her immunity so she can fight of the virus. Viruses aren't treated with antibiotics.

Hang in there, it certainly hasn't been easy for you. 

Click to expand...

EggSighted4Life said:

I'm glad she is doing well! I was thinking about y'all just the other day.

What did you name Chickys' friend?

Some chickens may not ever be consistent about laying even when they are healthy. Which kind of stinks but since she is a pet is probably OK. Hopefully her friend will give you regular eggs when she starts laying.

So come to find out, when a chicken lays their egg they actually stand up and let it drop out. Just a little fun fact.

One of my girls gets really loud and preaches a sermon for a couple of hours before she goes to lay. Since I have 40+, I see all kinds of behaviors that would seem strange if I only had a few and din't know what to expect. She doesn't do that on days she isn't laying. And once she is done she is back to her quiet self. That naughty girl tries to hide her eggs!

Send a pic of the girls together when you get a chance.

Sorry for taking too long to reply , I tried to take a pic of the two together but they won't pose for me .

each time I'm about to take a pic , one moves and ruins the entire shot , lol

something weird has started yesterday , Chicky was sick all night long , no sounds ,doesn't move much , closes her eyes while on her feet , her wings are shaky ,they're not in their place , she was like that all night and the first few hours of the morning , then she laid an egg at 10.00 am , a beautiful egg as always , and then Chicky became fine and back to her regular self and activities , today she hasn't laid an egg and she was fine all day long until 5pm she started the same symptoms of yesterday , she stopped ,eating , drinking , playing and I can't hear her anymore , the only thing she does is eating egg shells , so I'm guessing she's about to lay an egg in the early morning , but what's happening to her , before laying any egg she used to be normal , only aggressive and loud sounds that indicate she's about to lay , but being that tired and weak before laying and also for many hours before laying is worrying me .

she laid an egg today but it was so soft that once she pecked it after laying it crushed ,and then Chicky was back to her normal self again , until now 3.00 am I went to check on them she's having the symptoms again , I'm so scared that forming eggs will kill her

is there a way to stop her from laying ?? I really don't know what's going on , laying eggs is supposed to be a natural process and it used to be natural for her but not this week , the new eggs forming in the ovary are making her so weak and sick .

Click to expand...

EggSighted4Life said:

Sorry it took so long for me to reply... we had been sick and then I almost forgot.

I'm not sure what goes on with Chicky, or if she is actually having a problem or if you are just extra sensitive to her needs.

The only thing I might think of is if she needed more calcium to help the muscles move the egg along. But I think they have contractions, similar to a woman giving birth every time they lay. Though I don't think it's supposed to quite painful like it is for humans since they do it every day.

It's possible she will go through it every time she lays. Is there any way you can post a short video of her behavior? That way we might see if it's as bad as you think it is? And I'm not saying it isn't... but maybe it will clue me in somehow.

Have you gotten eggs from chicky's friend yet?

One substitute people use when they think their hen's are having trouble passing an egg (like egg binding) is Tums. It's an over the counter chew able antacid tablet used for heartburn. But it's main ingredient is calcium carbonate. I don't know how effective it will be... but you might try giving her one a day or something and see if it helps. And I am only suggesting this because you don't have access to all the commercial stuff we do, as a way to help rule out calcium deficiency.

Some of my girls do spend hour in the box while laying there egg, so some take longer than others.

Chickens are born with all the ovum already in there body. After they are released they travel down the path where they get the white added then the shell then the color (simplified, not exactly). And she seems fine until it comes time to lay the actual egg, from what I understand. And now... you say it's not at every single laying, only sometimes. I love a good mystery, but not at the expense of your girl.

Hope she feels better!

Click to expand...