ADDITIONAL INFO: Ugh. My Margo. Again.

[micstrachan]

I’m sorry. Was that hen laying right up to the point of showing symptoms? I agree oviduct infection seems most likely. But this came on so fast. I suppose if she’s all inflamed in there, she could be getting backed up and there could be pressure on her intestines. However, she had a normal poop yesterday morning. No poop from Margo as of right now. Oh, geez, I need to lock up the rest of the flock. They went to bed half an hour ago.

 

[Mo'sMenagerie]

Reading your thread, and just want you to know I lost a bird similarly a few weeks ago, and it was a terrible experience for all. You are doing all you can and its obvious you love your girl. Wishing you both peace.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Mine came on incredibly fast. She was fine and laying one day and passed away two days later.
Davis report said oviduct infection that turned into sepsis and omnipresent ecoli took over. Nothing to be done.
Oviduct infection was endemic (been going on for a while).
Vet told me 80% of mortality they see in poultry is this. Endemic in the hatchery chick population nowadays.
ETA: 80% is too high but she told me it was incredibly common in hens they see.
Sorry to be so graphic in light of the situation.

 

[azygous]

I'm afraid the wing flapping is part of the nervous system response to death. The chicken is no longer alive and conscious when this occurs. It's upsetting to me, too. When I euthanize, I wrap my chicken securely in a towel to minimize the death throes. I've had two hens die unexpectedly and suddenly while I was holding them. I was relatively new to chickens and it was pretty unnerving.

 

[micstrachan]

I'm afraid the wing flapping is part of the nervous system response to death. The chicken is no longer alive and conscious when this occurs. It's upsetting to me, too. When I euthanize, I wrap my chicken securely in a towel to minimize the death throes. I've had two hens die unexpectedly and suddenly while I was holding them. I was relatively new to chickens and it was pretty unnerving.

Sorry you had to go through that, but glad you learned from it. Margo is still with us and seems to be sleeping as comfortably as she can. She occasionally wakes, opens her eyes and raises her beak up toward the ceiling. I think breathing is getting a little harder for her, but she’s still hanging on. It would be a wonderful miracle of overnight she pooped and also stated responding to antibiotics, but I do realize that is a long shot. I have to work at least part of tomorrow, so if Margo is still with us, I’ll try to dose her with the Enro & ibuprofen. What about fluids? I fear she is getting dehydrated, but now if I do much as put a drop on her beak, she swallows, but then breathes with an open beak for a bit. I hope her crop isn’t leaking over into her lungs.

 

[micstrachan]

Reading your thread, and just want you to know I lost a bird similarly a few weeks ago, and it was a terrible experience for all. You are doing all you can and its obvious you love your girl. Wishing you both peace.

Thank you. I’m sorry for your loss.

 

[micstrachan]

Mine came on incredibly fast. She was fine and laying one day and passed away two days later.
Davis report said oviduct infection that turned into sepsis and omnipresent ecoli took over. Nothing to be done.
Oviduct infection was endemic (been going on for a while).
Vet told me 80% of mortality they see in poultry is this. Endemic in the hatchery chick population nowadays.
ETA: 80% is too high but she told me it was incredibly common in hens they see.
Sorry to be so graphic in light of the situation.

I’m sorry about your poor girl. Margo seemed to have an oviduct infection last summer, so it’s possible she has been harboring one for awhile. I’m going to keep hitting her with the Enro until she either leaves us or recovers. She had that bluish tinge to the back of her comb for a couple days pres-symptoms. Kicking myself for not starting Enrofloxacin then, but she had no other symptoms and I don’t like the idea of prophylactic antibiotic use. Considering how fragile the birds are and that I’m not breeding mine, I might change my tune on that.

As of right now, Margo seems to be sleeping somewhat peacefully. I only got four hours of sleep last night, so I’ll be signing off soon.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Margo is fading fast, I’m afraid. I’ve got her in a carrier with a heating pad propped up with towel, but she can barely move. I’m going to dose her with enrofloxacin and hope.

Hopefully that helps her. Hope she is able to snap out of it. Best wishes to you.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh, Michelle. I am so sorry. I remember her illness last summer, and she seemed to bounce back so nicely. I wish I could help. I know how much she means to you. Much love and good vibes your way tonight. My heart breaks for you and your beautiful Margo.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Michelle.
I think it may be time to help Margo die.
There are so many things that Margo's symptoms could represent. Reproductive system failure, with or without an infection, could be responsible as could various cancers of internal organs, heart liver and kidney issues; the list is endless.
I know it's hard not to try everything within your power to save her but there comes a time when keeping her alive is for your benefit and not hers.
I had to kill Blue Spot a few weeks ago. She was 9 years old and I had watched her lead her tribe, hatch chicks, many of the fights she had and watching her decline was heartbreaking. I hope I made the decision early enough. Her last days were spent with her family and not in confinement and her end was quick and painless.
If your other hens don't bother Margo, put her with her friends for her last hours and at night euthanize quickly.
Blue Spot's last day. Blue Spot is the blond hen.