Blizzy is Dizzy? (Started out 'dizzy', can't walk, won't eat)

[cowcreekgeek]

Nevermind the leg stuff. Blizzy does the same thing with her right leg. It appears to depend upon which leg I mess with first.
She has no external parasites as far as I can tell. She did not want to eat this evening, likely because my sister had me caught up in something until 8 pm and she had settled in for the night by then. She slept through the entire meal and I could only get into her roughly half as much as usual. I guess we'll see how that works out.
That's for sure about the talking thing! Just imagine the egg song if they could talk!

Wonderful that you caught that ... was wondering if it was just her reluctance, as I've seen that behavior w/ dogs, horses ... even people, once you've caused 'em any discomfort. And, if my chickens could talk? Rather than one tellin' me why they peck w/o end on any waterer they see, they'd all be asking me questions, and demanding answers to their every demand, and callin' me all those terrible names they've heard me call a few of them ...

You see, I refuse to name my birds individually, but talk to 'em all the time while I'm handling them ... the first one I get hold of is "#1" and -- by the time I'm finally finishing up, those last ones tend to resist bein' picked up enough to be called something far less polite than numbers ~'-)

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, sorry for not reporting in earlier. I had school today. Unfortunately, that meant that Blizzy went without her mid-day feeding or any water for a few hours. She seems okay, but was very thirsty! She guzzled about 1/2 cup of water just now! She's been reluctant to eat today, but I added more water to her brownish goo this evening and she must have thought that was alright.

She had a normal colored dropping today! I don't know if I had mentioned it, but her droppings have been green. She is pooing more now, so I'm hoping that means she's getting enough to eat. Anyone know what the normal rate of ingestion to expulsion is in chickens?

Nothing else to report, really. She's getting a little more active, but still not applying weight to her legs. She looks around all bright eyed and curious when I catch her awake.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Okay, sorry for not reporting in earlier. I had school today. Unfortunately, that meant that Blizzy went without her mid-day feeding or any water for a few hours.

She seems okay, but was very thirsty! She guzzled about 1/2 cup of water just now! She's been reluctant to eat today, but I added more water to her brownish goo this evening and she must have thought that was alright.

She had a normal colored dropping today! I don't know if I had mentioned it, but her droppings have been green. She is pooing more now, so I'm hoping that means she's getting enough to eat. Anyone know what the normal rate of ingestion to expulsion is in chickens?
Nothing else to report, really. She's getting a little more active, but still not applying weight to her legs. She looks around all bright eyed and curious when I catch her awake.

As to the ratio? You're doin' what I often do -- over-thinking, when you consider weighing input/output. Then, you'd have to consider the amounts of fiber, and fat content ... food goes in, nutrients/vitamins are hopefully absorbed properly, and the rest hopefully comes out in a healthy way.

Ahh, but there's a point of concern: A healthy way. >>peck here<< for an article, basically, about chicken poop ~'-)

Make sure there's always water available for her, even when she's asleep. Ya never know when she's gonna want some, and thirst compels the sick to get up 'n move.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, I don't know what has changed. Blizzy does not want to eat. She does not want to drink. She is still perfectly perky, looking around, observing her environment and reacting to sounds and movements. She just does not want to eat or drink.

I got her to eat maybe a spoonful of her food and 10 mL of water. She is very interested in the syringe I've been watering her with, but she only drinks so much and then she sits there while it rolls down her wattles or off the tip of her beak.

(Perhaps I'm just not being patient enough. My stress level is slowly going through the roof as finals week gets closer and more and more stuff needs to be done around the house to prepare for winter. Ugh.)

I will work on something to make sure she has water at all times. I'm afraid to put a dish in there in case she spills it or dunks her head too deeply into it because of her current lack of balance.

Also, if it means anything, her droppings don't really resemble any of the pictures at that link. She has been having really watery droppings with a distinct 'white cap' uric acid section in them, and many particles of green waste that resemble wet crumbles. Sometimes these particles are more of a single mass, but other times they are spread out. I have determined that the 'normal-colored' poo she had yesterday was a cecal poo. She has not had one since.


EDIT: She still would not eat at all for her lunch. I'm not gonna let this fly now that she's finally acting better, so I force fed her for lunch. Pulled her beak open and carefully poured her strange brownish goo into her mouth. I thought that I had fed her a lot that way (nearly emptied the bowl and there wasn't that much spilled), but her crop didn't feel terribly full afterward. I didn't push it too much with the water because there was a lot in her food.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Okay, I don't know what has changed. Blizzy does not want to eat. She does not want to drink. She is still perfectly perky, looking around, observing her environment and reacting to sounds and movements. She just does not want to eat or drink.
I got her to eat maybe a spoonful of her food and 10 mL of water. She is very interested in the syringe I've been watering her with, but she only drinks so much and then she sits there while it rolls down her wattles or off the tip of her beak.
(Perhaps I'm just not being patient enough. My stress level is slowly going through the roof as finals week gets closer and more and more stuff needs to be done around the house to prepare for winter. Ugh.)
I will work on something to make sure she has water at all times. I'm afraid to put a dish in there in case she spills it or dunks her head too deeply into it because of her current lack of balance.
Also, if it means anything, her droppings don't really resemble any of the pictures at that link. She has been having really watery droppings with a distinct 'white cap' uric acid section in them, and many particles of green waste that resemble wet crumbles. Sometimes these particles are more of a single mass, but other times they are spread out. I have determined that the 'normal-colored' poo she had yesterday was a cecal poo. She has not had one since.
EDIT: She still would not eat at all for her lunch. I'm not gonna let this fly now that she's finally acting better, so I force fed her for lunch. Pulled her beak open and carefully poured her strange brownish goo into her mouth. I thought that I had fed her a lot that way (nearly emptied the bowl and there wasn't that much spilled), but her crop didn't feel terribly full afterward. I didn't push it too much with the water because there was a lot in her food.

Try, at least while you're home, to just remove her from the sling, 'n let her try for herself ...

What did you worm her w/ and how long ago? Still, sounds like a possibility.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The flock was wormed with Ivormectin pour-on at the rate (if I'm remembering correctly) of 1/2 mL per large fowl and 1/4 mL per bantam. I believe this was in April, but I don't remember for certain. It was, however, in the spring of this year.

Blizzy is not in the sling at all right now. She's been laying with her legs stretched out behind her. I have tried putting her on her feet to lay, but she eventually kicks her legs back out again.

She will not eat. She's still as alert as ever, but has to be made to eat. She is drinking on her own now, though, once I show her where the water is. She doesn't seem to be able to find the water on her own, however.

I think I'm going to put her back in a sling. She was just doing so much better when she was in one, and it made my life so much easier. I have a hammock from the ferrets we had that is long enough I can allow her to reach the floor while sitting in it. I figure that's better than laying with her legs stretched out behind her.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

The flock was wormed with Ivormectin pour-on at the rate (if I'm remembering correctly) of 1/2 mL per large fowl and 1/4 mL per bantam. I believe this was in April, but I don't remember for certain. It was, however, in the spring of this year.
Blizzy is not in the sling at all right now. She's been laying with her legs stretched out behind her. I have tried putting her on her feet to lay, but she eventually kicks her legs back out again.
She will not eat. She's still as alert as ever, but has to be made to eat. She is drinking on her own now, though, once I show her where the water is. She doesn't seem to be able to find the water on her own, however.
I think I'm going to put her back in a sling. She was just doing so much better when she was in one, and it made my life so much easier. I have a hammock from the ferrets we had that is long enough I can allow her to reach the floor while sitting in it. I figure that's better than laying with her legs stretched out behind her.

Once she's showing a bit more improvement? Alvendazole might be a good idea, as the Ivermectin has a reputation for resistance, and doesn't kill all types of worms.

Laying on her breast, and the legs behind her, is almost certainly the result of poisoning/toxicity, unless she's dyin' of thirst. Stop giving her any supplements, save for the Apple Cider Vinegar, and make certain to fill her crop w/ water, as that's another potential cause of these symptoms, and will help flush her system. She may have gotten algae or yellow jasmine poisoning, or the toxins from botulism from decaying matter or the maggot that often feed on it, or just too many vitamins/minerals w/in her system w/in too short of a time.

I know how difficult such extensive care is to do, esp. on your own ... you've done a mighty fine job ~'-)

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Can do. I wondered if she would eventually get too much of the vitamin/electrolyte water. Whether she eats or not, I can always get her to drink, so I'll be sure to fill up that crop of her's with ACV water after every meal.

She is now in sling.2, which has her low enough to the ground that if she straightened her legs beneath her, she would lift out if it. I put her feet beneath her initially, but she has stretched them out behind her again. She still grabs my finger if I push up on her feet, but will not put any weight on her legs. I'm trying to exercise her a few times a day to see if that helps.

I didn't know algae could be a toxin to chickens! We have a creek running through our woods that the hens sometimes go out to when they're free-ranging, and we've always had things lying around that collect water. Is there a specific kind of algae I should look for in the future when I'm out with the girls? I don't know about yellow jasmine, as we certainly don't bother with landscaping (unless it's been known to grow wild in northeastern Indiana?). The red sexlinks in my flock have always been the ones to find all sorts of nasty things to eat, though, so botulism is a strong possibility.

We're getting a water bottle with a basin for birds today (hopefully a plastic one). How often should I change out the ACV water in it?

I am also considering tube feeding at this point. She has begun to lose weight because of her refusal to eat, and I can't have worked this hard with her just to lose her to her own stubbornness. I'll do some searching of my own, but do you have any recommended pages about tube feeding? Also, is it overly stressful on the bird? The last thing I want to do is stress Blizzy out with this procedure.


It is difficult, but it's made so much easier having someone knowledgeable available to give me ideas to try.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Can do. I wondered if she would eventually get too much of the vitamin/electrolyte water. Whether she eats or not, I can always get her to drink, so I'll be sure to fill up that crop of her's with ACV water after every meal.
She is now in sling.2, which has her low enough to the ground that if she straightened her legs beneath her, she would lift out if it. I put her feet beneath her initially, but she has stretched them out behind her again. She still grabs my finger if I push up on her feet, but will not put any weight on her legs. I'm trying to exercise her a few times a day to see if that helps.
I didn't know algae could be a toxin to chickens! We have a creek running through our woods that the hens sometimes go out to when they're free-ranging, and we've always had things lying around that collect water. Is there a specific kind of algae I should look for in the future when I'm out with the girls? I don't know about yellow jasmine, as we certainly don't bother with landscaping (unless it's been known to grow wild in northeastern Indiana?). The red sexlinks in my flock have always been the ones to find all sorts of nasty things to eat, though, so botulism is a strong possibility.
We're getting a water bottle with a basin for birds today (hopefully a plastic one). How often should I change out the ACV water in it?
I am also considering tube feeding at this point. She has begun to lose weight because of her refusal to eat, and I can't have worked this hard with her just to lose her to her own stubbornness. I'll do some searching of my own, but do you have any recommended pages about tube feeding? Also, is it overly stressful on the bird? The last thing I want to do is stress Blizzy out with this procedure.
It is difficult, but it's made so much easier having someone knowledgeable available to give me ideas to try.

Yet another risk of free-ranging, despite it's many benefits. As I walk the paths around my chickens and guineas, they follow my every move, rattling their beaks on the wire. It puts me in mind of prisoners, using their cups upon the bars, and it make me feel badly, despite how certain I am that containment (at least for now, and in this environment) serves their best interests, even if not my own (which, perhaps, it actually does ~'-)

As to the tube feeding: >>peck here<< for an excellent article, right here on BYC

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Thank you for the link. I also found another good one here on BYC, both of which I have saved for future reference.

For now, though, there is some hope of her eating without tube feeding! While I was out today, I picked up some 60 mL catheter tip syringes (two in a box) at TSC. I got Blizzy to eat about 25 mL of pureed food (out of the 30 mL I tried) with one of them. (That's about 25 mL more than I was getting her to eat otherwise!!) She also now has a water dish available at all times during the day. She readily figured out how to use it, and was drinking happily while I was preparing her pureed food.

She appears to be trying to walk now, but still can't hold any of her weight. She had her feet forward and toes spread on her own, and had kicked all the straw out from under her! Here's hoping with the ability to drink any time she wants and some food actually getting in her system, she'll continues to improve!