hen puffed out, standing still, not eating or drinking? please help

[jamie444]

Thank you. She has had a few moments acting normal but it only lasts a minute or 2 then she is back to the standing still.

 

[rIrs roost]

Shouldn't probably ask this first. Has she been laying? If so has she stopped? Please bare with me.being new myself I'm not that much help.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

How old is this chicken? Breed? Where did you get her? Does she lay eggs frequently? How long since you know she laid last?

At first I was suspicious of coccidiosis, but she would probably be having noticeable blood/red stools.

Standing more upright sounds like it could be egg peritonitis, which is an internal mass and eventual infection caused when ova do not make it into the oviduct to go through the egg formation process. Are her legs spread wider than normal? There is no cure for this that i know of. I had a chicken with this problem.

She might also be egg bound, where an egg breaks or somehow gets "stuck" during the egg laying process. If this is the problem, she can be helped, but like you did with the warm water bath, I would not want to put her through something that may not help at all.


I am by no means an expert, so it still might be something else.

 

[jamie444]

I appreciate the help. No, she hasn't laid since this began. It almost likes as if she's trying sometimes, because she seems to be straining..but I haven't felt an egg in her crop...I'm afraid if it is egg binding that I won't be able to help her, as the bath and other things I've tried like putting her in a warm quiet room and giving her calcium, haven't worked :/ unfortunately there is no vets in the area who deal with chickens.

 

[rIrs roost]

How old is this chicken?  Breed?  Where did you get her?  Does she lay eggs frequently? How long since you know she laid last?

At first I was suspicious of coccidiosis, but she would probably be having noticeable blood/red stools.

Standing more upright sounds like it could be egg peritonitis, which is an internal mass and eventual infection caused when ova do not make it into the oviduct to go through the egg formation process.  Are her legs spread wider than normal?  There is no cure for this that i know of.  I had a chicken with this problem. 

She might also be egg bound, where an egg breaks or somehow gets "stuck" during the egg laying process.  If this is the problem, she can be helped, but like you did with the warm water bath, I would not want to put her through something that may not help at all.


I am by no means an expert, so it still might be something else.

Thanks wishing?

 

[jamie444]

Thank you. She is almost 2. We believe she is a bare legged white Maran. We got her from someone who raises chickens when they were a little over a year old. She does lay but I'm unsure when the last time was as we have 3 Other hens.

 

[campingshaws]

I appreciate the help. No, she hasn't laid since this began. It almost likes as if she's trying sometimes, because she seems to be straining..but I haven't felt an egg in her crop...I'm afraid if it is egg binding that I won't be able to help her, as the bath and other things I've tried like putting her in a warm quiet room and giving her calcium, haven't worked :/ unfortunately there is no vets in the area who deal with chickens.

What calcium have you given her?

The best way to feel for an egg is to press your finger into the vent. Wear gloves and use lubricant. You can soak her in warm water with Epsom salt, first. @casportpony has a very good thread about egg binding.

I wouldn't rule out the coccidiosis. I've had many chickens get it and none of them ever had the bloody stools. It's just an overload of "bad" protozoa in the gut, and is treated with corid in the water. If she's not drinking on her own, you may have to use a syringe.

 

[jamie444]

Thank you. I tried to find liquid calcium but went to 5 stores with no luck..so I've been trying to give her oatmeal and yogurt, mixed with crushed shells, but have had little luck getting her to eat them :/

 

[campingshaws]

Thank you. I tried to find liquid calcium but went to 5 stores with no luck..so I've been trying to give her oatmeal and yogurt, mixed with crushed shells, but have had little luck getting her to eat them :/

The calcium gluconate at tractor supply works the fastest. If you can't get that, then feed her a crushed up tums.

How long since she's had food or water? You may need to feed her with a tube. It sounds terrifying, but it's very easy and only takes a few minutes.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

When they get this sick, the digestive system can start to shut down. She needs water more than anything. Try the corid tomorrow (or now if you have some). You can find it at the feed store. If coccidiosis is the problem, she will start getting better very quickly.

If she has another problem, and you force feed her, it may hurt more than help. Diagnosing the problem first is important.

Research egg yolk peritonitis and see if you can rule it out as a problem.
Research egg binding to see if it might be that. If you think so, try the calcium glutonate.

Also, if you can post same pictures of her, it might help. Especially showing how she is standing. Can you tell if her legs look spread apart? Is she particularly heavy?