3 month old chicken suddenly lathargic

[oliverj102]

Hi there,

3 months ago I hatched some postal Buff Orpington chicks, the pure ones that are really fluffy and sit low to the ground. last night when I was putting them to bed one wasnt keep to join the others, it had just hunkered down at the entrance to the coop. I picked her up and placed her in the coop with the others and she snuggled up into a ball of golden feather like always, I figured maybe she just didn't want to go to bed yet.

This morning I let them out, and I was 1 short on count. Panicking I opened the coop and she was stood up in the coop, so I picked her up and took her out and placed her next to a small amount of food, she didn't care and hunkered down, normally she is almost ferral at feeding time so something felt wrong. I brought her up to the house and put her in my chick enclosure (which is really too small for her but she wasn't moving much and if she was sick i wanted her separate. I gave her a box of growers pellets all to herself and some sugar water for extra electrolytes like I would with a weak chick.

she is fully feathered, very fluffy and golden, no mites, her feet are fine, she can perch on my arm, she can stand, but doesn't want to for longer then it takes to poop and step forward out of it. She is permanently hunkered in the pen, doesn't really want to drink or eat. Ive picked her up a few times and she just wants to sit on me or next to me. I felt her neck and it feels like its got a U bend in it. it goes back towards her body, then does a 180 forward 2cm then another 180 back into her body. I've never felt a chickens neck in hunker so don't know if that's normal or a condition.

Any help would be great, ive dipped her beak in water a few times to make her drink but im not sure what else to do as she is just wanting a cuddle and not to actually be a chicken!

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures may be helpful. How old is she? Does it seem like wry neck? Wry neck is a neurological symptom that is sometimes seen with a head or neck injury, a vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, and is also a symptom of certain diseases including Mareks. I would make sure that she is drinking fluids, then eating. She might not be able to do it on her own, so you will need to help her. Vitamin E 400 softgel and 1/4 tablet of human vitamin B complex given orally with food each day would be what I would give.

 

[oliverj102]

Pictures may be helpful. How old is she? Does it seem like wry neck? Wry neck is a neurological symptom that is sometimes seen with a head or neck injury, a vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, and is also a symptom of certain diseases including Mareks. I would make sure that she is drinking fluids, then eating. She might not be able to do it on her own, so you will need to help her. Vitamin E 400 softgel and 1/4 tablet of human vitamin B complex given orally with food each day would be what I would give.

She is just sat hunkered, no physical symptoms, like she is going to sleep. Wings tucked in, crouched down and looks like a golden ball of feathers. The other 6 from her hatch are all fine and running round so it cant be nutrient deficiency as 2 days ago she was eating fine.

Need to point out, I call her a "her" but she could swing either way as they are too young to sex. also just checked the hatch calender and they are 9 weeks old this week.

 

[Eggcessive]

It doesn’t appear to be wry neck, but perhaps just puffed up or hunched. That can be common in a sick chicken. She is young, so I would think of treating for coccidiosis with Corid from the feed store. Is her crop empty or full? What do her poops look like? Pictures are welcome. Can you get her drinking some fluids? Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days. You can give her a few drops orally of the undiluted Corid to give her a boost. If you have Poultry NutriDrench you could give her a dose of 1-2 ml now, and then give no more until Corid is finished. B vitamins should be avoided while on Corid. While examining her look her over for lice and mites on her skin.

 

[oliverj102]

She is so fluffy its hard to get fingers through the puff ball. I think i can feel her crop, it might be a little blocked but its hard to tell. Ive been syringe watering her, she will hake half a dozen drips before protesting. in case its impacted ive removed her feed, she is quite fat so not gonna starve overnight!

per poop is the same as the rest, wet but maintains its shape. she has done 2 little ones since i brought her up so if its a blockage its in getting to the stomach not out of the other end!

Im planning on bringing her in the house overnight as i dont want to put her back until she is looking happy again.

The earliest I could get any form of meds for her would be Monday as no where is open and Im very rural, so looking for home remedies where possible to make her happier.

 

[oliverj102]

Update: The medicine arrived yesterday, Coxoid Oral Solution.

It said to mix it with 4.5 litres of water so I scaled it down to 1 litre as she is a small chicken!

Ive also been massaging her front where her Crop as initially it was all doughy and enlarged, I thought it might have something in it. Its now flat and almost undetectable.

Since it went flat she has started chirping a lot more and grooming herself, but still isnt interested in food.

I'm administering the medicine in a syringe of water in the palm of my hand as its the only way I can get her to willingly drink it. Currently she is getting 5ml every hour or so. She is usually taking several gulps of it before having enough. she may be drinking more as there is water in there too but I cant easily track that.

She seems a little unsure on her feet just now. she stands fine, stretches her legs and wings out when she stands but she is slow walking and sometimes wobbles when being set down, this may just be weakness from lack of food now tho.

She still has no interest in food which is starting to concern me. I placed growers pellets in with her as she normally wolfs it down. I placed this down yesterday once the crop lump was gone. She has continued to poop throughout the ordeal but it looks normal, dark, almost black with a white splodge same as the others, despite not eating in 4 days! her system must be almost empty now!

So in recap, she is grooming and drinking from my hand, also stood up more but not bouncing round like the others. She isnt eating, has no mites and is still pooping. Is there anything else I can try or is she likely on the mend and just needs a while?

Incidentally, how much should she be drinking? an adult layer says it should be 500ml, but she is little and not laying or eating which must lower consumption. for reference she weighs maybe 800g tops, and using your thumb and middle finger you can encircle her body to pick her up. Her eyes are open and she is alert and chirping too.

 

[oliverj102]

Update, I force fed her some food as its been 5 days since she ate. She was really not happy about it, but 5m later attacked her food bowl and demolished it. Silly chicken acted like she forgot how much she liked food. She was back to normal withing hours and wanting out of the cage.