Very sick chicken

[horseshoe13]

Congratulations you have worked so hard for her. I'm so happy to hear she is improving. Still praying hard for you both!

 

[winkyfaye]

Thank you so much. She still has a long way to go, but it at least we are going in the right direction.

 

[nightowl223]

*applause* That's some very positive news! You may be over the hardest part!

As for helping her gain weight, I'd add in either some gamebird starter (it can be found at feed stores, and depending on type, goes all the way up to 28% protein), or some dry cat food, or even catfish food - I've got a friend that uses ground up catfish food in combination with chick starter for her just-hatched little ones. Anything to get the protein levels up in her feed, so her body can use it to build more muscle. LOL, sort of like body-builders swear by those protein mixes!

 

[winkyfaye]

Well, we are still having issues, but yesterday was her best day so far. She is still not really eating on your own. She will peck at some things a little. She is way more alert and interested in things. We put all the other critters up and let her walk around in the house a little to see how she did. I then carried her outside to the temporary run and she showed interest and pecked around. First time in a couple of weeks she did anything but stand or lay with her eyes closed most of the time.

I am still grinding up stuff in the magic bullet and syringe feeding. I started grinding up can cat food for more protein along with the layer crumbles, electrolytes and probiotics. Most of the time her crop is emptying, but not always. Everything I am giving her is liquid or nearly liquid. She has stopped moving her head and neck funny as if trying to dislodge something.

Thanks for the food advice will continue to add the cat food and pray for the day when she eats on her own again with no problems.

 

[horseshoe13]

Oh WOW!!!!! That is awsome.

 

[winkyfaye]

Yes I am proud of her for her fight.

 

[nightowl223]

That's really good news!

She's starting to be interested in being a chicken again!

You're doing a great job helping her, and a great job keeping us updated, too. Thanks!

 

[winkyfaye]

She had a big day today. While outside in the temporary run she found and ate a worm!!!

So I moved some leaves around and found a few more and took them to her. She was walking and pecking like a normal girl. But she did trip once. We got a weight on her today and she actually was a little heavier than I had thought. She was 2.6 lbs. Like I have said, I do not know how she is still alive, as she is nothing more than bone and feathers. We have a long road ahead but as long as we keep going forward I am happy.

After her big day today she was really tired when we got her out to feed her. Thanks for all the encouragement.

 

[winkyfaye]

Well I am sad to report we lost our Ms. Comet today

. She had a few good days and I was really in hopes that we would be able to save her, but it was not to be. She started to go downhill again despite syringe feedings, the worms and time outside scratching for bugs. I would like to say a big Thank You to all that wrote with ideas, suggestions, and encouragement. We will never know what caused her illness, but I wonder about a possible cancer. We had her for just over 2 months, but loved her. Since all 7 were so thin when we got them, we feel that we gave her all the love and care while we could. Faye

 

[horseshoe13]

Oh no! I'm so sorry for your loss. You gave her the best.