UPDATE... MAREKS confirmed. Lethargic, eating, slightly off balance *PICTURES *

[mg15]

It will work out just takes patience.

 

[chickengr]

I have been doing that with her beak, into water with electrolytes and vitamins. No- the vet didn't show me and the techs that checked me out were clueless. I have an idea how to tube feed and was going slow, but, the syringe got clogged then shot out.

I always give water with a syringe, small amount at a time. as I don't have feed for tube feeding where I live I simply open the beak and put some cracked corn and wheat then flush it out with some water. it gets messy but that way I saved 5 birds who didn't eat and drink at all. it is good to put little honey in water, they can live on that for a couple of days if they don't eat - 2 of mine did.

 

[gotro17]

Now we are in the middle of the night and she woke DH and I up chirping. I gave her water and she refused food. Her head is moving SLOWLY, back and forth, with a light tilt- she seems to be trying to "track" with her eyes (which are half closed to wide open, not watery)...like a quick twitch to one side, then slowly back, repeat. Is this an end stage sign? Should I take her back to the vet and euthanize her? I don't want her suffering. Thank you!

 

[gotro17]

She flapped her wings and died in my arms. Just as she did, vomit, or bile, seeped from her mouth and nose. Did I accidentally kill her (from tube feeding)?!? I'm so upset. She was so beautiful and I let her down.

 

[mg15]

You didn't hurt her.
she was tracking with her eyes, that is not a symptom of death from tube feeding.
Others may know about the tracking symptom before death.
Chirping and Flapping her wings before death,,,,, they know don't they. Their last bit of energy to live.
I am so sorry and this is so sad.

 

[gotro17]

Thank you... It was terrible.

She was SO beautiful.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you... It was terrible.

She was SO beautiful.

Sorry for your loss.

-Kathy

 

[gotro17]

Sorry for your loss.

-Kathy

Thank you, Kathy... I poured through many of your posts, in fact, to try and figure this one out. It kills me to not know what took her. I am curious about the eye tracking at the end, unless she was just so totally delirious... Fingers crossed, all others are still well...

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm so sorry that you lost her. You really did your best. When chickens go through the dying process, they can have many strange movements that are neurological usually from low oxygen in the blood. When I have lost some they will have odd neck movements or a twisted neck, and some almost have a seizure. I'm sure that you couldn't do anything else to save her. Are you going to get a necropsy on her by the state vet to look for Mareks?

 

[gotro17]

Do you think it could have been Mareks? I'm in California- does anyone know where I'd send her...and how? I DID get her out if the trash about 4 hours later, with this suggestion from a more experienced friend, and put her in the freezer in the garage (shhhhh...don't tell DH! LOL).