A chiken not doing to well

[tudlytops]

Hi! all

I'm new here and new to having chickens...

We took in 8 chickens and 2 cockerels, just before Xmas, but we really don't know that much about chickens.

They are rescue chickens, we don't really have any info on them, we were told they were young and not all laying yet....

Now, they are all doing fine, except for one red one, i think they are the common farm chickens, for the past couple of days, she's all puffed up, she's eating but not like the others and she's not pecking around like the others. she seats a lot.

Any one have any ideas of what we can do for her.

Thank you

 

[Imp]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry your first post is an emergency.

First thing you need to do is isolate the sick chicken. If it is something contagious you do not want it running through the rest.
Is a vet an option?
Bring it inside, keep it in a warm, dim, quiet place. Give it it's favorite foods if it won't eat. You can get vitamins and electrolites, anti-biotics at the feedstore. Can't hurt to try.
Any other symptoms? How does the crop feel? What does the poop look like? Vent looks OK?

Here's some questions that might help:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3569

And info:

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

http://www.welphatchery.com/poultry_health.asp

http://www.colchesterpoultryclub.com/health.htm

Good luck

Imp

 

[3goodeggs]

Could she be broody?

Good luck with her.
I hope everything works out and you enjoy your new charges.
Welcome to byc.

 

[chuckzoo]

Imp has given some good advice.

There is a sticky at the top of the emergencies page, if you can fill that information out perhaps providing more information?

 

[Judy]

If they all came from the same place and she has some disease, chances are very good they were all exposed to it long ago, so I probably wouldn't isolate unless I had a separate pen in the coop and thought she needed the rest. There are so many things that could be wrong, or nothing could be wrong. I'd just make sure she is really eating and drinking, and not being kept from this by the others.

 

[tudlytops]

Thank you all...

i really can't tell you much more, we got them just before Xmas and placed them in an emergency pen, we just finished a nice big run and cops, etc for them.

All the others are fine and one of the cockerels is, well seem to be really really busy lol.

What does broody chicken mean?,

Sorry really knew at this, the poor things were going to be put down and i just kinda step in and said i'd take them without though really, so now i'm trying to learn....

Again thanks

 

[tudlytops]

Oh and yes, if she needs i can bring her to a vet...would not have a animal sick if i can help....just not sure he can do much with, she not pecking as the others and seats alot...

 

[3goodeggs]

A broody hen is a hen that has it in her head that it is time to hatch out eggs...even if they don't have any under them.
They don't move around much, they start to pull feathers out on the patch that would be over the eggs. They do not eat much because they lose some sort of... consciousness. It is like a trance.
I have had two hens go broody this winter. They were not even laying eggs. no one was. They couldn't even steal someone else's.
I don't know.

if someone has answered this since I started writing this...company came and I didn't press send, then sorry for the repeat.
Good luck, I hope that broody fever is all it is.

 

[tudlytops]

thank you 3goodeggs

Is there anything i should do if that's what it is....or will it just pass?

 

[tudlytops]

There sorry i didn't look first, thank you all

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Red, i think common farm chicken, not sure, been told they are young.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
just seats there, doesn't eat much and its all puffed up, like if it was cold..

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
2 days

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
no
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
no

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing that i know of, how though we were building the new coop and they were a bit stressed with the comings and goings

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
i give them pallets, corn and a hand full of seeds everyday, sometimes, vegs, apples.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
The poop in the coop all looks fine, but i am knew at keeping chickens...

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Nothing, just made sure she did go in at night and that she is worm.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Well we don't have a lot of money, so if I could help her myself would be better..

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
na

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
They were enicially housed in the pump house, with an wooden coop, they are still in the pump house, but now have a large run, 2 coops and nesting box.
The coops have straw and saw dust, tried to keep it to what they had before we got them.