13 Week EE Injured (17 wks now) ~Vet Update Not Good~ *Graphic Pics *

[Damummis]

WOW!!!! Very impressive. I hope I have your courage if needed. Keep up the good work

 

[Lorimary]

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This is probably just crazy, but could you record the sounds of the other chickens you have with a small recorder, and play it while you're cleaning and feeding her? Or find chicken sounds online? Some of my chicks are very mild mannered. Maybe you have one that could be in with her for a few minutes a day? I honestly don't know if that's a good idea or not, but I'm a sucker for a lonely chick.

You're incredible and Kudos to your daughter and husband for helping you out!

 

[Lolliegee]

My husband reminded me that we have this weird screen cage thing that someone gave me. I might be able to make it work for her to get her outside and not have to worry about the flies. Depending on the weather tomorrow (we've been having wonderful thunder storms and are supposed to get more, I think) and when I get home, I'll try it out. Do you all think I should put her in the run with the other chickens/ducks? Since she'll be in the cage and the won't be able to hurt her, but at least they'll be close, or should I just put her outside closer to me, but where she can still hear them? I don't know if proximity would make any difference or not, but want to give her whatever would help her most. If I can't get her outside, I will try the chicken sounds and see if that does anything. Certainly can't hurt. Thanks for the idea.

I've determined as of tonight's feeding that she must not like yogurt. She definitely fights me a lot more when I'm trying to give that to her than when I feed her the mash. So now, I need to figure something else out to give her that will give her the good stuff that yogurt gives her. Any suggestions?

For a little while tonight, she was actually sleeping a normal sleep instead of the obviously sick...head hanging down just kinda droopy way. She had her head tucked back, not quite under her wing. It was nice to see her looking more like a healthy chicken. I'll be glad when that becomes the norm for her.

Oh yeah, one other minor victory for me. My hubby was pooped, as it was pretty late when I started the evening's care session and he fell asleep before being able to help with her injection. I actually managed to hold her and give her her shot all by myself. She was quite patient with me while I was trying to find some bit of muscle to put it in. Man, she hardly has any muscle at all! In the end, it ended up being more subcutaneous, than muscle. Not sure why that happened, but at least it's in her. I'm pretty sure that dose won't be as effective, but, there wasn't much I could do at that point.

That's all for tonight. Thanks to everyone for watching our progress. I'm sure all the good wishes must be helping!

 

[Lolliegee]

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Thanks for your support and I'm so glad your hen got better. Did you post about it here? I'd love to read about it.

 

[bragabit]

I have been following your story and hope that your little hen gets better soon!

 

[WingingIt]

I know that you can buy probiotic (the good stuff in yogurt) capsules at health food stores. My doctor had me buy them and open them up and give them to my son in soft foods when he got food poisoning. Maybe you could get some of those and mix it in the wet mash for her? I've been reading along but haven't posted because I had no advice to offer but you are truly an inspiration and that is one special lady you've got there.

 

[beakkeeper]

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Hear hear!

I've just been on the cheer squad for most of this, since I'm no chicken EMT. But I will say that you have been doing a great job and I don't think I could say that I would do all this for my bird (if I had any) .

 

[threehorses]

My chickens hate yogurt on its own, too. I mix it in the crumbles, wet them a little, so that they're soft and not too wet, and that gets rid of the stickiness.

Or yes - you can buy other probiotics. Acidophilus mixes from the store, capsules that you break onto food.

Id you're doing it daily, you can back it off to not daily - every other day would be fine.

I love the idea of the weird screen cage. Very inventive! I'd put her near th eother chickens, just watch if they wander off that she doesn't get too aggitated maybe?

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

Wow! I just read the entire thread and I have to tell you that you are AMAZING! Most people would not go to these lengths for a chicken. Well, I would too and if I ever have to deal with such a situation and find myself getting frustrated or tired of it I will think of this thread! You truly are an inspiration and wonderful person! You and your little girl are in my thoughts!

 

[Lolliegee]

So, here's today's update...

She's still gettin' feisty when I feed her. Keeps pulling out of my hand. I got quite a bit of food down her tonight. I mixed a little honey with her mash and she seemed to like it more. Actually was making a little effort to eat it. Well, as best she can since I'm still putting the syringe in her mouth. Unfortunately, she still won't eat on her own, but I'm hoping she will soon.

A couple of things I noticed today...she's doing this weird thing where she puts her head down and kinda backs up. She's been doing this for a couple of days, but she was doing it enough today that she managed to knock her water bowl over. (At first, I thought she had actually drank some, but then realized she had just knocked it over.

) Any thoughts on what this might be?

She has been sleeping normally more often...with her head tucked in. That's a good sign, I think. I think of it like when a person's sick and has a fever, they don't have regular sleep, they have a fever sleep, but then the fever breaks and the pass into normal sleep. To me, that seems to be what she's doing.

When I was feeding her tonight, I noticed she was shivering a little bit. I've noticed that before, but I thought it was more the shock of it all. Tonight, I thought maybe it's because she's actually cold. The food I gave her tonight had been refrigerated since I didn't use it all on the last feeding. I thought it had time to warm up since I don't feed her until after I finish all the cleaning, but I get the food out at the beginning. Do you think it could be too cold for her?

I haven't been able to take her outside yet. We were still having thunderstorms today and right now they're forecasted for tomorrow too. But Friday is supposed to be dry. I'll definitely be taking her outside to try and help her spirits.

I really appreciate everyone's comments and good thoughts. I know you all think I'm going above and beyond with her, but I don't really see it that way. I mean, the only other option would have been to cull her and that seems like it would've been extreme since she seemed to have a good chance at making it. Don't get me wrong, it certainly hasn't been easy, and there have been times when I've thought that if I came out in the morning and found that she had passed, I would've been relieved. But, I feel like if she's fighting to live, then I oughta fight right along with her.

I find it funny that so many of you can't wait to check for the updates, because I can't wait to see if anyone's posted with any support or new suggestions. Please, keep the support and suggestions coming!! They both are incredibly helpful! I feel like I've got my own cheerleading section.