Very ill chicken. What do I do??

[tashpotato]

Hi guys, I have browses this forum as a guest for a while but after my trouble today I felt I had to post.

I have a 4 year old Colombian black tail, she's called frenchy and she's a lovely bird, she comes to see me when I'm in the garden, we can pet her and pick her up, she knows her name.

The past couple of days I have noticed that she has been quiet, when I let the others out of the run into the garden she just stays in the run (not like her at all). I find her laid down a lot, haven't seen her eat or drink and she sleeps in the spare coop on her own :/

I have moved her inside with hay and a bowl of food(layers pellets) and water (she hasn't touched either).

I was going to try feed her with a syringe but I am scared as we lost a hen last year to sour crop and I worry it may be similar.

When I picked her up earlier she felt emaciated.

Has anyone any ideas/tips?
My vets isn't open until Monday and I'm hoping I can nurse her myself.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

After a month of being well, she has fallen ill again. Exactly the same as before.
I'm not sure whether it is a good idea to bring her in and repeat the previous steps as it is reoccurring and there must be an underlying problem, it's not fair on poor frenchy to keep going through this illness.
I'm wondering wether my local vet will just put her to sleep like they did the last chuck, do you think a farm vet will be better suited to this?

I hate to be the pessimist, as I don't tend to htink that way ... but, there's no advantage to seeking medical attention, as there's nothing that they can do to actually cure her condition: No matter which underlying cause, I'm afraid the eventual result is almost always the same.

I'm really sorry to type such a thing, but wouldn't if I believed there were any reasonably effective treatment ... it's something that tends to repeat, 'til they've finally gone through all they can. There's often infections that occur, which shortens their time even more, or the pressure/stress within finally overcomes their internal organs.

So long as you feel it's appropriate, you could just let her enjoy the time she has left, and arrange to have somebody take care of what may eventually need to be done, on your behalf -- there's no reason to increase your own suffering, should you decide that it's time to end hers.

 

[casportpony]

http://www.jefferspet.com/safe-guard-dewormer-for-goats/camid/LIV/cp/I6-SK/cn/3300/

I think the OP is in the UK, not the states, so Flubenvet might be a better option.
http://www.animalmedicationdirect.co.uk/flubenvet-1-small-flock-poultry-wormer-60g-pr-5789.html

 

[willowbranchfarm]

TUBE FEEDING

Here is NIMBY CHICKENS’s wonderful TUBE FEEDING TUTORIAL:

Supplies:

• olive oil
• 20-ml syringe
• feeding tube
• Polyvisol infant vitamins without iron.

The feeding tube can be bought from a vet for around $3.00. The tube is also known as a red rubber tube and come in sizes called French (Fr.). Most standard sized chickens are probably going to be about a 10 or 14 Fr. Also, the larger the diameter of the tube you can get, the less likely you are going to have to deal with clogs.

The vet gave also give you the syringes (no needles to go with them obviously, just the syringe) and the rest can be bought at the store. The bigger the syringe, the better since you don't have to draw up more often. If you can get a 35cc syringe most women with average sized hands find these easiest to work with. Most vets would be able to get you a 60cc syringe, but unless you have large hands these are a real pain when they are full and you're pushing the food through. If possible, many people find catheter tip syringes easier to use with a red rubber tube. Leur-lock syringes have threading at the tip that helps hold needles in place. It doesn't do much for a red rubber tube but will work if you have nothing else.

Use the oil to grease the feeding tube and also the plunger on the syringe to make it go down smoother. Just FYI: if the red rubber tube is too flimsy you can place it in ice water for several minutes to make it a little stiffer.

Use a blender with a liquefy setting or something similar. Do not use a food processor as in my experience they can leak. Use the same ingredients for a mash, but you want a thinner mix for tube feeding. Blend, leaving it on liquefy for 5 minutes and adding hot water if it is too thick, and then blending some more. You want the end result to be a velvety-smooth goop that will flow easily through the syringe. However, you will get some clogs no matter what you do. Try not to force the clog, as the pressure will cause the tube to pop off and spray goo. Just pull the plunger back and forth until it frees up, or if it is really bad, disconnect it from the tube, poke a needle through the tip to see if the clog is there, and try again.

For inserting the tube, you are going to need an assistant. First restrain the bird by wrapping it in a towel, or for a smaller bird you can use the cut-off sleeve of a sweatshirt.





A young Silkie cockerel

Use one hand on the bird’s breast and the other to gently hold its neck. Extend the neck. Holding them like this, they can't escape and your buddy can feel the feeding tube going down into the crop. The first few times you will be terrified of getting it in the wrong hole, but after a while you will be a pro. Another tip, make sure the chicken's neck is extended. Chickens and other birds have a sort of S shaped neck when they are holding it naturally, and this can make it more difficult to pass the tube.





the lovely Miss Bird









You want to aim the feeding tube down the LEFT side of the chicken's mouth if you are facing her. The crop goes off to the chicken's right side. You can feel the crop and jiggle the feeding tube to be sure it's in the right place. When you are sure it's down the right hole, attach the syringe to the feeding tube and fill your chicken with goo! Do not overfeed or you'll have a chicken squirting food out of her mouth.

Important note: Don't force the tube! It should slide down the esophagus into the crop smoothly and without resistance, especially if you are using olive oil to lubricate. If you have to force it, you're in the wrong place and you need to pull out and try again. If you stay to the right side of the mouth/throat (your left if you are facing the chicken while doing this) then it should slide in easy and you'll be fine. Red rubber tubes are a very safe way to tube feed. Some people also use metal gavage tubes, but these can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing because they can cause tears to the crop if force is used. The red rubber tube doesn't have enough substance to it to cause the crop to rupture unless you are using what will obviously be too much force.

Your bird may fight the insertion a little because the feeding tube feels weird and a little uncomfortable, but eventually they will settle down. She is able to take 6 1/2 syringes full from the 20 ml syringes I have.

 

[BetsyBellSteele]

I just lost a chicken about a month ago with similar symptoms and behavior. She had a very hard belly and was also thin. I felt really bad that I hadn't been more observant. My vet examined her and found she had many eggs backed up inside her. He explained that chickens don't exhibit signs of sickness until they are unable to fake being well because instinctually they know survival depends on looking strong. My poor hen was so impacted with eggs that there was nothing he could do for her. I opted to have her put down because she was suffering and he said she had a high fever indicating infection from egg bound peritonitis and was too far gone to reverse it. I struggled with the decision and hope I did the right thing. I am so sorry. I have heard that if the situation isn't too bad sitting them in very warm water and gently massaging their bellies can some times help. Good luck.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Well, she seemed a little perkier yesterday and finally left the coop, today they're in the garden and she's out but not happy and her tail is down. I'm just gonna leave her i think as she's been treated before for many things so whatever it is that's wrong is something I can't cure. Here she is today, tail down

She appears to not only carry her tail/head down ... she looks to be a bit distended in her abdomen. When you pick her up, compared to others of the same breed, you'll likely notice she's got a bit more in her gut than the rest.

Could just be the feathers, but I'm guessin' she's carryin' a a half kg or more of excess fluid and/or another mass, which would cause her to adjust her stance/walk to accomodate.

Sure wish there was some way to effectively prevent/cure this, as it seems to happen more often than I originally thought ... not that anything I've typed is likely to be of any help. Except, perhaps, to make sure you realize that it's not 'your fault' that it's happenin' to her )-;~

 

[chickflick]

I'm sorry your hen is sick. Keep her separated and put vitamins in her water. Do a search on sour crop. There's a lot of good info. If she isn't eating, you may have to feed her with a syringe. You don't want her to get dehydrated. Good Luck!

 

[seminolewind]

See if she'll eat some "mush" made with feed, water, and maybe something like molasses.
Is she pooping? What color? Is her crop emptying? Can you feel for an egg? If I have to give water, I use a spoon or syringe and drip it on the side of the beak, usually the little tongue laps it up.

 

[tashpotato]

Hi guys!
I heard her waking up this morning, checked on her and she's at the food and water!
I'm going to check her crop in a short while when my brother arrives (he's better with things like that, I'm scared I hurt them).

She has one poop in there, very small but it seems normal.

**edit**
There is now something watery on the floor, it's yellow with little black lumps :/ she could just be a bit warm though
Edit again...
She is pooping normally now. Through keeps laying down and closing her eyes a lot. I have fed her scrambled egg which she loved.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Glad she is doing better.