Dehydration: Symptoms, Cure and Prevention

[glencoejo]

Thanks for your advice.

Two days ago I purchased a dozen 12wk old Australorp pullets. The owner had boxed them the previous night. I collected them at 8am and transferred them to my own cage. I drove 100k home with them on the back tray of the ute. At 10am I put them in their pen and they were all dehydrated. They were flopping over, running backwards, disoriented and panting. I gave them three large pans of water plus chick starter food. I didn't know what to do so I sprayed them with a fine mist from the hose and immersed the worst ones in water to cool them. They were extremely hot. I did this several times throughout the very hot day. They ate well and were drinking all day but still displayed the symptoms at nightfall. Next morning eleven of them looked much improved. Only one was still very listless. This last pullet is breathing with an audible sort of gurgle. What does this mean? I will try some mollasses in their drinking water today.

 

[casportpony]

I prefer to tube fluids to my birds - 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours. This is the method and amount that's recommended in Clinical Avian Medicine. Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be kept warm, not in a cool place unless they are hyperthermic (too hot).

-Kathy

 

[HorseMadWhovian]

Please help me, I've found one of my silkies displaying the worse symptoms, its winter so I don't want her to freeze in a cold room what can I do to hepl her, she's weak but when I try to move her from the towels shes on she squawks loudly so I think she \s got fight in her I just really want to save her

 

[casportpony]

I found that putting ice into the water helps a lot. I don't have a chicken but I do have a duckling and ice was the one thing that got him back to normal after trying everything. Thanks to this info and ice my little Eugene is alive and well

Welcome to BYC and glad your duckling is okay!

-Kathy

 

[Sweetme-73]

I have 8 chickens ( 6 white leghorn hens, 1 white leghorn rooster and 1 brown leghorn hen). They are all 4.5 months old. We let them out of their run for a hour about every second day but the rest of the time they are in their run which is partly shaded throughout the day. Today we had them out and my brown hen (Henrietta) seemed ok until we put her back in the run. Then she just seemed dazed, tail down and just stood there. She took a few slow steps around and did drink water but wouldn't eat even when I offered her a treat of watermelon which they all love. I kept my eye on her for about an hour and she didn't seem better. It was getting close to the time when they all would go in the henhouse for the night so for safety from the others if they decided to turn on her and so I could take better care of her, I took her out of the run and now have her in a crate in my garage. She is still the same but I just put a dish of fresh water right under her beak and she is drinking. She has only laid one brown egg so far and that was about 5 days ago. I have been reading everyone's comments but still uncertain to what could be wrong. All my other chickens seem fine. I am new to this and I am quite worried about Henrietta as she is my favourite, mostly because she is the most friendly chicken and she comes right to me when I walk into the coop and she lets us pet her and occasionally pick her up and coddle her for a few minutes. I would appreciate any advice you have to give me. Thanks!!

 

[seminolewind]

If she's only 4.5 months old, I would treat her for coccidiosis right away. Treat with Corid or Sulfadimethoxine.

 

[Sweetme-73]

Have you had this experience before? Is there anything I can do to help? The stores were closed today but I will head out first thing in the morning if it's not too late. Thanks for your reply. I will most certainly keep you updated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Coccidiosis could be a possibility, as well as worms, but I would check inside her vent 1-2 inches to see if she is egg bound. Treatment for that is a calcium tablet or Tums given orally, and soaking in warm water up to the wings for 30 minutes. Of course, if here is no egg felt, then skip the rest. If you do treat for cocci, I would worm her after completing the 5 day course. Also check her for mites.

 

[Sweetme-73]

I left her to be on her own for the night and this morning she is clucking, pecking, eating, drinking and appears to be wondering why she is not with her friends....lol. I looked further into the large dog carrier that we have her in and there is an egg! This is only her second egg and it is quite large. It appears to have a thin skin around it but no evidence of blood. She must have been egg bound! I will check her more closely once my kids go to school. Should I keep her where she is for a little while incase there is another egg? Since this has happened could it happen all the time for her? I thank BYC for being available to me for advice and peace of mind! Thanks everyone and I will keep you updated on how my sweet Henrietta is doing! Have a great day!!

 

[Eggcessive]

She may have had a hard time passing the egg since she is new at it--was the egg large? I would let her out with the others, and I'm glad she is better. Make sure she is getting plenty of calcium with crushed oyster shell or crumbled egg shells available to eat.