bmayer
Chirping
my huge 5yo buff Orpington hen, Eymma, was found yesterday morning looking very under the weather. I was able to assess her and get her to drink a little and she ate a few mealworms before shuffling off to lay under the coop where she stayed the rest of the day. Her comb is wilted and dark, she was walking and standing like her belly hurt, has been sitting refusing to get up for really any reason, and really isn’t interested in food or drink.
It has been close to 100° here Saturday, Sunday, and again today. My family and I went out for the day on our boat and I figured she wasn’t going to be with us within hours of leaving her with how she looked. I had my husband go check on her when he got out of work in the early afternoon and he reported she was still here. We got home late last night and I had to fetch her from under the coop. She did not put herself back and I realized she really had no mobility at all anymore as I was carrying her back to her flock.
Well, here we are, more than 24hrs later and she is still here. Still not interested in food or drink. She drank a few tablespoons of water this morning but isn’t interested in anything now. She is in the house sleeping in the air conditioning. I was able to syringe feed about a tablespoon of liquid sugar to see if I couldn’t jump start her system. She perked up a little to the point where she would fight the feeding but nothing more. She also hasn’t made a peep yesterday or today. Swallowing looks painful at times.
She hasn’t laid eggs that we know of in a couple years so I doubt she’s egg bound, and her crop was empty yesterday and this morning so there’s no impaction or sourness happening there. My guess is I have an older chicken who’s body is giving up. But I don’t want to assume and not try. Any input that could help my little one would be greatly appreciated.
It has been close to 100° here Saturday, Sunday, and again today. My family and I went out for the day on our boat and I figured she wasn’t going to be with us within hours of leaving her with how she looked. I had my husband go check on her when he got out of work in the early afternoon and he reported she was still here. We got home late last night and I had to fetch her from under the coop. She did not put herself back and I realized she really had no mobility at all anymore as I was carrying her back to her flock.
Well, here we are, more than 24hrs later and she is still here. Still not interested in food or drink. She drank a few tablespoons of water this morning but isn’t interested in anything now. She is in the house sleeping in the air conditioning. I was able to syringe feed about a tablespoon of liquid sugar to see if I couldn’t jump start her system. She perked up a little to the point where she would fight the feeding but nothing more. She also hasn’t made a peep yesterday or today. Swallowing looks painful at times.
She hasn’t laid eggs that we know of in a couple years so I doubt she’s egg bound, and her crop was empty yesterday and this morning so there’s no impaction or sourness happening there. My guess is I have an older chicken who’s body is giving up. But I don’t want to assume and not try. Any input that could help my little one would be greatly appreciated.