[ʀᴇꜱᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ] Hen suddenly falling asleep while standing, droopy tail! | 𝘌𝘥𝘪𝘵: 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦

[Tiffany Wikk]

You’re welcome, I’m so very sorry, I really wish I could help more

Completely understand on waiting to do a soak, I hate stressing mine out with those, too. And I’ve never been able to feel anything definitive either when I’ve tried to feel for an egg Regardless, if she is egg bound, you’ve done the most important thing for the moment and given the calcium plus d3, let her rest in a quiet, warm spot and hopefully she will lay. You’re doing everything you can

Thank you so so much! I love her dearly and I'm glad to have all the help!

I’m sure you have already checked, but what about lice and mites?

I don't believe we have lice or mites. We've treated not too long ago for them.

Or anything she could’ve gotten into that would’ve made her sick?

The chickens have two large runs and haven't free ranged recently. There shouldn't be anything new in the runs. The only thing I can think of is possibly a discomfort from the dewormer, it's the only new thing.

 

[alinas2010]

Thank you so so much! I love her dearly and I'm glad to have all the help!

I don't believe we have lice or mites. We've treated not too long ago for them.

The chickens have two large runs and haven't free ranged recently. There shouldn't be anything new in the runs. The only thing I can think of is possibly a discomfort from the dewormer, it's the only new thing.

Gosh, I’m just grasping at straws here, trying to think if we missed anything. I want your sweet hen to be okay!! Do check her crop in the morning and let us know how she is.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

You can directly check if she’s egg bound by inserting a finger up her vent. Get a rubber glove and Vaseline or a water-based lubricant and very gently insert your finger into her vent, *straight back, and don’t go any further than two inches* If she’s egg bound, you’ll be able to feel an egg almost immediately.
It’s unpleasant, yes, but you’ll be able to tell quickly if she is really egg bound or not.

We have done a finger check before on a hen that was egg bound in the past. I am hesitant now though because of a post by azygous, whom I trust very much. I'm not afraid of the unpleasantness but rather I am concerned of hurting/stressing her. Thank you for the help though.

I hope your hen gets better, she sounds like a real sweetie

Thank you! Yes, she is such a wonderful bird. Constantly wanting cuddles.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

Gosh, I’m just grasping at straws here, trying to think if we missed anything. I want your sweet hen to be okay!! Do check her crop in the morning and let us know how she is.

Thank you so so much! I will definitely check her crop tomorrow and will continue to update as I am able!

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

Update (~12 hours after first noticed symptoms):
I'm so glad she made it through the night. She's acting pretty much the same, sleepy, similar stance, even panting a good amount.
I checked her crop and I don't think it emptied much at all. I feel the seeds and mealworms still from yesterday, a fairly good amount, even a bit hard.
What could this mean? Is all this a crop issue? Does she have a soft egg and a crop issue? Yesterday when I found her feeling poor she had nothing in her crop at all besides maybe a tiny bit of water. Why would it be empty then and not this morning? She has poo'd tiny bits, how is this possible if she has an egg stuck? I'm still really scared.

Spoiler: Poo

Looks as though she poo'd twice over the night.

Stance:

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m so sorry your girl isn’t feeling well
Tagging a few folks
@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[LaFleche]

Her poop picture looks like she has had quite the infestation and in this case she can feel ill from the toxins the worms excrete when dying.

Keep her hydrated, add poultry vitamins containing B complex and E to her water and feed her some scrambled eggs.

I would not poke around in her vent to check for an egg, as this can lead to further issues and infection.

You can sit her on a warm water bottle covered by a damp towel to relax her abdomen.
Giving warm epsom salt baths might not be the right thing for her at the moment as this could push her over the edge if she is too weak.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

I’m so sorry your girl isn’t feeling well
Tagging a few folks
@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

Thank you so so much!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would just give her regular water now, and offer some moistened chicken feed. Repeat the calcium in 24 hours if she hasn’t passed an egg. Her crop may be slowing down, so keep checking it. Try giving her 1-2 tsp of chilled coconut oil cut into small pieces to peck. Then massage her crop several times today to try and break up the impaction so it can pass.

 

[LaFleche]

Did you check her lower abdomen for fly strike?