Bored, underfed, and picky chicken! (almost sounds like some teenagers I know...)

[SlatyGapSis]

Update: I put her in the coop last night and made sure she was warm and dry with no drafts. She seemed fine this morning when I checked on her, but after work I found her huddled in a corner trembling. There appeared to be a few attempts at eating and some grit and oyster shell were disturbed. She didn’t stand when I came near or fuss when I picked her up and her comb and wattles are quite pale. I’ve had her wrapped in a towel in my arms for about 90 minutes. She stopped trembling and seems to be sleeping, with the occasional sudden wake up. My gut says she won’t last the night but I just have no idea what to do for her.

 

[JadeFarms]

Feel her crop, does it have food in it? What does her poop look like?

 

[SlatyGapSis]

Nothing in her crop and I didn’t see any poop today.

 

[JadeFarms]

Nothing in her crop and I didn’t see any poop today.

Try to give her food, if you have to put mush (water x chicken feed) in her beak. Make sure she eats. Don’t force it down her throat, put it in her beak and let her swallow it by herself. She needs food to live. Also give her water.

 

[hookie]

Please let us know how she is doing tomorrow.

 

[SlatyGapSis]

Please let us know how she is doing tomorrow.

Her comb color is back to normal this morning and she pooped!
The poop is a bit green but that’s to be expected since she didn’t eat much yesterday.
She did, however, pass out for a few seconds when I forced her beak open for some nutridrench.
I’ve provided some water and marked the level on the bowl. I don’t want to tube feed the water but we’ll see how stubborn she is. Her feet are chilly this morning so I’ll be holding a chicken while working. Good thing I spend most of my time at a computer.
Edit: I kept her inside last night in a dog carrier and covered with a towel to keep the heat in.

 

[SlatyGapSis]

Just checked on her and she ate a quarter of a small apple and drank half the water I gave her.

 

[aart]

She did, however, pass out for a few seconds when I forced her beak open for some nutridrench.

<cringes>
Not sure if I posted this here but....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[SlatyGapSis]

<cringes>
Not sure if I posted this here but....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

I appreciate the link...I do follow this procedure and was quite surprised when she passed out. I immediately tipped her head forward so the Nutridrench would drain out her beak and not down her trachea. I have not attempted opening her beak since, and she seems to be eating and drinking well, if not a lot, on her own.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I appreciate the link...I do follow this procedure and was quite surprised when she passed out. I immediately tipped her head forward so the Nutridrench would drain out her beak and not down her trachea. I have not attempted opening her beak since, and she seems to be eating and drinking well, if not a lot, on her own.

I do it a little differently, so this might work better for you if you need to do so again in the future. I open the beak and then use one finger on my off hand to keep it open - this frees up the rest of my hand/arm to hold onto the bird to administer medication by myself if needed. Then with my dominant hand I aim the syringe tip sort of under the tongue, towards the front half of the beak, empty syringe slowly, and then gradually tilt the head back very slightly while letting go so they'll naturally swallow. They may dribble a little bit but I've not had issues with anyone aspirating liquids that way.