Sick bird (trigger warning: images)

[rowdyscastle]

I have a sick bird and I don't know what's wrong. She's at least 4 years old. She recently was broody and then when I was out of town, the sitter noticed that she was not doing well. Came home and she seems on the brink of death. Have since quarantined her, but the other chickens were trying to sit on top of her. She's moving a little bit not much. Has her head stuck upward and was dropping over the laying box before she came down (which she did on her own).

We did introduce a couple of other birds to the flock a couple of weeks ago, but they seem very healthy upon close examination.

 

[nuthatched]

She has wry neck, a vitamin deficiency.
Give 400i.u vitamin E capsule and about a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks, any brand from the grocery store.
What's her diet? The broodyness made her weak.

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you! I was wondering if it might be wry neck but didn't see any pictures with them tilted up like her. She is on all flock crumbles and we temporarily put electrolytes in their water.

Any tips on forcing her to take the vitamins you listed?

Pull down on her wattle and pop it into her mouth, you could syringe it but I'm not sure about with her neck like that.

 

[rowdyscastle]

I would try to get her eyes open and see if there's any pus or bubbles in the eyes. You can use a warm compress with saline to clean the eyes.

I would recommend if possible, to get the vitamins as suggested (400IU Vitamin E and B-Complex), you can find these in the vitamin aisle of Walmart, CVS, etc.
Poultry Cell is great for a quick pick me up, but it does not contain enough E to be effective. In 1oz of poultry cell, there's only 50IU Vitamin E, she needs more than that. BUT I would give the Poultry Cell until you are able to get something else. Direct oral dose of poultry cell is 1cc per 3lbs of weight.

When looking for lice/mites, look around the vent, under the wings, tail, etc. Lice you will likely see much easier since they are larger and move about on the bird. Mites are small and usually are more around the vent. If you do find either one, then dust her with a Permethrin based poultry dust.

If she's not able to drink on her own, then yes, you'll want to get her hydrated. Syringe or tubing fluids into her.



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Thank you so much! The feed store had me convinced of the poultry cell because of the selenium, but sounds like BYC all suggests the specific vitamins so I'll do that. Will check those things tomorrow when it's light again. Thanks again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would try to get her eyes open and see if there's any pus or bubbles in the eyes. You can use a warm compress with saline to clean the eyes.

I would recommend if possible, to get the vitamins as suggested (400IU Vitamin E and B-Complex), you can find these in the vitamin aisle of Walmart, CVS, etc.
Poultry Cell is great for a quick pick me up, but it does not contain enough E to be effective. In 1oz of poultry cell, there's only 50IU Vitamin E, she needs more than that. BUT I would give the Poultry Cell until you are able to get something else. Direct oral dose of poultry cell is 1cc per 3lbs of weight.

When looking for lice/mites, look around the vent, under the wings, tail, etc. Lice you will likely see much easier since they are larger and move about on the bird. Mites are small and usually are more around the vent. If you do find either one, then dust her with a Permethrin based poultry dust.

If she's not able to drink on her own, then yes, you'll want to get her hydrated. Syringe or tubing fluids into her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much! The feed store had me convinced of the poultry cell because of the selenium, but sounds like BYC all suggests the specific vitamins so I'll do that. Will check those things tomorrow when it's light again. Thanks again.

I can understand that.

Selenium can help with the uptake of E, but the egg you give her has plenty of Selenium for that. Too much Selenium can be toxic, so egg, tuna or sunflower seeds are what most of us recommend to give.

 

[rowdyscastle]

I can understand that.

Selenium can help with the uptake of E, but the egg you give her has plenty of Selenium for that. Too much Selenium can be toxic, so egg, tuna or sunflower seeds are what most of us recommend to give.

Thanks again! She got the new vitamins today and took them fine. Gave her water and scrambled eggs with sunflower seeds and shell. Her eyes are still closed but look normal when pulled open. Got some crusties off with the compress. No mites or lice.

 

[rowdyscastle]

She has wry neck, a vitamin deficiency.
Give 400i.u vitamin E capsule and about a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks, any brand from the grocery store.
What's her diet? The broodyness made her weak.

Thank you! I was wondering if it might be wry neck but didn't see any pictures with them tilted up like her. She is on all flock crumbles and we temporarily put electrolytes in their water.

Any tips on forcing her to take the vitamins you listed?

 

[rowdyscastle]

Pull down on her wattle and pop it into her mouth, you could syringe it but I'm not sure about with her neck like that.

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's got some crusties around her eye and face, what's the other eye look like?
Does she have a discharge or bubbles in the eye?
What's the inside of her beak look like?

Can she straighten her neck at all if you gently massage the neck and help her?

Any lice/mites?

I agree, it does look like Wry Neck, vitamin therapy would be good to give. Just pop the pills into her beak and let her swallow them. Give her some egg daily to help with the uptake of E.
Hopefully you can work on her and get her hydrated and eating.