Ameracauna's strange behavior

[chickenmommax8]

Hi all, I'm really hoping someone can help me figure out what's going on with my six month old ameraucana. As of earlier today, I started noticing she was laying off by herself, away from the others. When picked up and moved, she's move, but not as fast as she normally moves and as of this eveining, she's literally just standing still. Earlier this morning, I saw her climb into a nesting box but left after about half hour with no egg?

This eveining, I put her into a magnesium filled warm bath for about twenty minutes, and gave her some magnesium in a separate food with oyster shells. She picked at it once then went to stand in the corner again. She honestly hasn't moved in hours. I'm keeping in her own little coop away from the other girls for the night. I'm really worried about her.

Her crop doesn't feel full of hard, which I expect since I haven't seen her eat much since earlier today.

Help??!!

Signed, a very new, very concerned chicken momma.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Some suggestions posted to your friend's page here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1105640/new-member-hen-wont-sit-and-is-hunched-over-picture

 

[smleggshack]

I don't know if this will help but just the other day we had the same issue with one of our cream legbars. She sat in the box for a bout two hrs....no Egg! The next day she was standing with her eyes shut and not acting normal. This is what we did...and we wernt sure if she was Egg bound or just sick!

Okay so we seperated her in a dog cage in our garage. It's hot here already so I didn't put a heat lamp on her. We covered the cage with a tarp and so she could relax. I noticed she wasn't drinking or eating on her own so I started with electrolyte water and a syringe, I just slowly squirted it against her beak and she would drink a little at a time. We then tried to feed her some layer crumble but that didn't go over well! It's very hard to force feed a chicken!

Durning all of this I examined her crop, abdomen, for mites, lice, vent everything and anything. I spent many hours online to find anything that could help! So her abdomen didn't feel hard like she was Egg bound, her crop was empty but with the smelly green poop I thought she ate something bad, I continued with forcing water but she wasn't getting better. We then thought what the heck let's try lubing her up in case she is Egg bound. So with more research we used a syringe and injected lube into her vent and massaged her vent and abdomen and left her alone for a while.

The next day no Egg....my chicken was not improving. I then went bought some plain yogurt and plastic gloves.....it was time to internally examine her and force her to eat yogurt. I started with forcing yogurt in her a little at a time. Next was the fun part. I put on my gloves and lube and gently felt inside her for an egg, I could feel it so I gently lubed up inside her and massaged her. I left her be for a while longer still no Egg. I continued to force her to eat yogurt and kept her hydrated. By the end of the day she seemed more alert, and even wanted to Peck at sunflower seeds but still no Egg. I had hope but I thought we were gonna lose her.

Today I get up and go check on her and yay an egg and my chicken (honey is her name) is all better. She didn't feel hot anymore and was eating and drinking.

We have only had chickens for alittle over a year and the first year was great....this year our rooster died we had a hawk attack, that chicken is healing and doing great now.

I have read that you can and may have to take other steps with sucking out the yolk from the egg breaking the shell and removing the shell....I'm glad I didn't have to do that!

So I know this is a long post and lots of people will tell you different things. This was just my experience. It was frustrating not know for sure what was wrong with her.

PS....if I should warn you if you do insert you finger inside her vent she may poop! Mine did and it was gross, so stay clear of her behind! I'm doing this whole post from my phone so I hope it makes sense. Good luck with your girl I hope she gets better.