Belly hard for two days, then suddenly goes soft. Please help!!

[jjthink]

Quote:
What temperature is the area she's in? I think likely okay because you were making sure she was in comfortable conditions so the panting is pain. Problem still unaddressed.
What actions have you taken thus far?

JJ

 

[chickensarefamily2me]

Tonight, Ursula has moved herself from in front of the TV, to underneath my bedside table. She is panting right now. The room is cooler than I would like, she eats either grapes, or bread, and sometimes scratch. I have frozen water bottles to cool her off, and am going to give her the Tums right now. She is more active than ever. She took half the Tums, and I am going to give her the rest later.

 

[jjthink]

Thanks for the update.

Sadly, she is in pain

. That's what the panting means since it's not hot.

I think you are going to lose her if she doesn't get the help she needs. I am sorry to have to say this but you should know and see if you have anyone that can help you get her help. Day after day of suffering like this almost certainly will not end well.

Do get the rest of the Tums in her as gently as you can. If the timing is too far apart from the first half you probably should give more than just the other half. Tums may (or may not) help with an eggbound situation and we don't even know if that's what's going on but if it is going on, it's an URGENT situation..

If she's been eating very little she should have 3 drops Polyvisol liquid children's vitamins daily administered along her beak line gently with a dropper, like you are doing with the Tums. The stuff tastes like crud so it's best followed by something with good taste like a couple of cut up blueberries that you offer her by hand.....

She really needs more help than this - these are just things to try to give her a bit more strength. She is under the table because she feels really bad and the TV is too much stimulus - she needs quiet and darkness now that it's night time, so she can hopefully sleep.

JJ

 

[Pickaduck]

If the temperature isn't too warm then she's panting because she's in pain. I know you are trying hard to help her but I don't think she is going to recover from this without additional aid. You mentioned looking into the 4h option - did that ever work out? I wish there were more options but at this point if she's still panting and in pain and you are unable to get her medical care I am wondering if putting her down might be the most humane thing you can do. I know it's hard and I hope it works out! Keep us updated!

 

[chickensarefamily2me]

4H option didn't work out... Maybe I'm just stupid with computers, but after two hours, my head ached. Nothing. She is standing up more, and my Dad told me to take her back outside today. I leave Friday, and then she's out of my care for a full month. Dad says she's panting due to the uncomfortablity of being in the house. He returns at noon, and Ursula has to be back outside before then....

 

[jjthink]

What are the temps outside? What provsiions are made to keep the birds cool in their coop and during the day?

Reintroducing a bird to other birds can be challenging for the one that's been away. It has to be done carefully and with supervision. Preferably reintro would be at night so they all wake up together in the morning, and then are carefully supervised to make sure they don't attack the 'newcomer'.

Arghhhhhh....I don't have a good feeling about any of this - bird not well, you leaving. Isn't there ANYONE who is really great with chickens and who really cares and who you could give the bird to? Does Ursula have a best chicken buddy in your flock there? What is the size of the flock there.......

JJ-

 

[chickensarefamily2me]

Ursula has a sister named Tillie, and I have several fans, water bottles, ice water, and shade. I finally got ahold of Peter Brown, and he told me she may be laying internally. I have told my Dad, and fortunatly, he finally understands whats going on. He will be doing his best. Which isn't nearly as much as I do.... *sigh* The temps are between 80s in the morning, 90s during the day, and 80s at night. There are a total of 12 birds in the coop.

 

[Pickaduck]

What did Peter Brown tell you to do?

How is she this morning after having been outside overnight?

 

[chickensarefamily2me]

It's amazing, and very odd. Peter Brown told me she was laying internally. But when I took her out last night, she stopped acting sick, and started acting like a chicken again. I don't get it. She's a little warm outside, but I have fans, waterbottles, ice. She should be fine. It's wierd, but I'll keep an eye on her through Dad.