Buff orpington hen can't hold her head up

[Nifty550]

I have a four-month-old buff orpington hen who has been healthy since I got her as a chick. She came from a hatchery and received all necessary vaccines. She has never displayed any issues up until this morning when I found her sitting in the coop and she could not hold her head up properly. She appears to have no injuries and all of my other chickens are acting completely normal. I tried to get some water in her but she was difficult to handle and uncooperative so I was not very successful. I put her in a dog crate with food and water and she did seem interested in the food. Other than not being able to hold her head up she is acting completely normal, eyes bright, no sneezing. I've been researching on here and it seems like botulism could be the issue? Or possibly a vitamin E deficiency? I feel like I need to treat her with something but I don't want to treat her for the wrong thing. I've contacted my local country max and they do carry Corid which I have read on here is the proper treatment for botulism. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I would be devastated to lose this hen

 

[CrazyChickns]

pictures or a video would help

 

[Nifty550]

CrazyChickns: Sorry I don't have an actual picture with me (I'm at work), but I just did a quick google search and found the picture below. The chicken in the picture looks very similar to my hen in color, etc. but her wing is not drooping like this picture, she is just have issuing holding her head up like the chicken in the picture. She was still able to perch and I saw her eat as well. She was very feisty and uncooperative when I attempted to give her some water via syringe. I will be able to post an actual picture and/or video of her later.

 

[Nifty550]

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'm not sure if I should use the Corid treatment, Polyvisol and vitamin E and selenium, molasses and/or Epsom salt. Thank you!!

 

[CrazyChickns]

I don't think corid will treat botulism. That's more for Coccidiosis. If it's botulism and she survives the first 48 hours (after the first symptom occurred) her chances are good. Botulism treatment for chickens would have to be given very soon after the first symptoms for her to have a better chance than she would if she wasn't treated and you can usually only get them from a vet. I would try treating her for vitamin e deficiency because even if it's not that it won't hurt her. Vitamin E deficiencies come from either too much fat in their diet or from the fat in their food becoming rancid so I would get another bag of food of good quality and only feed her that. Botulism can come from contaminated food also but it could also come enter from a wound or from something else in the run or on the ground she may have eaten. Make sure she doesn't have any cuts. If is is botulism she doesn't sound like she has it too bad and should survive but it's hard to tell until after 48 hours have gone by. Make sure she is separated from the other chickens so that if she gets worse, the other chickens can't bully her. And make sure that she cannot drown in the water that you give her because that is the biggest problem with chickens that cannot hold their heads up. I wish you best of luck with her and I hope this helps.

 

[Nifty550]

Thank you for the reply!!

 

[bluesmannc]

I have a four-month-old buff orpington hen who has been healthy since I got her as a chick. She came from a hatchery and received all necessary vaccines. She has never displayed any issues up until this morning when I found her sitting in the coop and she could not hold her head up properly. She appears to have no injuries and all of my other chickens are acting completely normal. I tried to get some water in her but she was difficult to handle and uncooperative so I was not very successful. I put her in a dog crate with food and water and she did seem interested in the food. Other than not being able to hold her head up she is acting completely normal, eyes bright, no sneezing. I've been researching on here and it seems like botulism could be the issue? Or possibly a vitamin E deficiency? I feel like I need to treat her with something but I don't want to treat her for the wrong thing. I've contacted my local country max and they do carry Corid which I have read on here is the proper treatment for botulism. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I would be devastated to lose this hen