Found my pet silkie Tribble floating in a bucket when I came home. Thought the hen was dead, she was so stiff and cold. Actually brought inside to wrap for burial (it's the silkie, Tribble). ? Movement? So, warm baths, gentle warm blow-dry; increasing respiration, heartbeat and responses.
An hour later, she is dry, warming on a heating pad, wrapped in a towel, in a dark room in a towel-shrouded cage. I just checked on her, breathing is less labored although still slow and heaving her body and head. Leaving her be, but checking every quarter hour that it's not overheating.
What's next?
8:20pm update: Ok, the electric heating pad turns off every 20 minutes as a safety feature, so I have three 40watt light bulbs shining down into her box. I guess I've got to wait until morning to see how she'll do. She was occasionally shivering until I put that third one in there. Will continue to check until I go to bed.
9:05pm update: She pooped. I take this as a good sign her functions are returning, even though she made a mess of her feathers. Head is held a bit more upright and turns when I open the door. Are her eyes open yet? Who knows - it's a silkie. I put a tiny dish of yogurt plus crumbles, and a tiny dish of water with a smear of a drop of vitamins, in the box next to her towel wrap. I put a hand to her feathers - warm under the lights - but her bottom is still not normal warm, even with the towel.
6:30 am Next Day Update: wow! Eating, drinking, pooping, and giving everything the stinkeye. Wandering around her box, a xxl storage tote for the truck, as if contemplating mayhem (hence the super upgrade in space and security of objects). This is a one year old, tough little bird! *cue Monty Python "not yet dead", please* Just keeping her warm, quiet and fed for a couple days to see that no cold develops. wow.
Last Update, three days later: TA DA! The hen has been released back into the flock. No apparent ill effects, although I'll keep an eye on her. Thanks to BYC, I didn't give her up for dead.
An hour later, she is dry, warming on a heating pad, wrapped in a towel, in a dark room in a towel-shrouded cage. I just checked on her, breathing is less labored although still slow and heaving her body and head. Leaving her be, but checking every quarter hour that it's not overheating.
What's next?
8:20pm update: Ok, the electric heating pad turns off every 20 minutes as a safety feature, so I have three 40watt light bulbs shining down into her box. I guess I've got to wait until morning to see how she'll do. She was occasionally shivering until I put that third one in there. Will continue to check until I go to bed.
9:05pm update: She pooped. I take this as a good sign her functions are returning, even though she made a mess of her feathers. Head is held a bit more upright and turns when I open the door. Are her eyes open yet? Who knows - it's a silkie. I put a tiny dish of yogurt plus crumbles, and a tiny dish of water with a smear of a drop of vitamins, in the box next to her towel wrap. I put a hand to her feathers - warm under the lights - but her bottom is still not normal warm, even with the towel.
6:30 am Next Day Update: wow! Eating, drinking, pooping, and giving everything the stinkeye. Wandering around her box, a xxl storage tote for the truck, as if contemplating mayhem (hence the super upgrade in space and security of objects). This is a one year old, tough little bird! *cue Monty Python "not yet dead", please* Just keeping her warm, quiet and fed for a couple days to see that no cold develops. wow.
Last Update, three days later: TA DA! The hen has been released back into the flock. No apparent ill effects, although I'll keep an eye on her. Thanks to BYC, I didn't give her up for dead.
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