Camille is twitching her head, not drinking, not eating, lethargic

[dczech]

Please give any advice as soon as possible, I don't think she will last long without some RAPID improvement.

One of my hens, a RIR, has started having a severe problem.

She was already mostly blind, and we have been keeping her inside with us. Until a few days ago she seemed happy and content. Interacting and very friendly with us and our cats.

In the past few days she has had a few incidents where she would fall over suddenly and struggle to get back to her feet, doing some scrambling and flapping to help in this effort.

Last night and today the situation has taken a very definite and decisive turn for the worse. For several hours this morning she seemed only able to sit still for a few minutes before spinning and flapping frantically as shown in this video:

She seemed able to calm down when I would hold her, but if I set her down, she would do this again after only a few minutes.

She is not eating or drinking, and doesn't react at all to sounds she used to react to (my voice, scratching/tapping in her food, splashing water in water bowl, etc). I have managed to get her to drink a few CC's of electrolyte and sugary water (very reluctantly) from a syringe, but that doesn't seem to even perk her up at all.

I put her in a grassy area and she seems calmer, not doing the spinning and flapping, but is twitching her head constantly. I'll see about getting a video showing that and link it here or in comments.

I'll post this up so I can start getting any advice right away and follow up with additional background info in a comment/response.

 

[dczech]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
RIR, approx 3 years old, approx 4lb?, lighter than she was

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Current: poor balance, constant head twitching
Recent: several incidents of spinning and flapping as though scared

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
about 3 days

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Some blood on one foot, possibly injured in one or more of the spinning incidents.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing that I"m aware of.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Was eating 16% layer feed along with some vegetables and a few mealworms and drinking plain water.


8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal until today. She had some very liquid excretions today, mostly clear with some whitish parts.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
No treatments, just trying to get her to eat and drink. She is not voluntarily doing either, POSSIBLY because she can't see or hear.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Current intention is to treat her myself, or possibly may need to euthanize as I believe she is suffering already and I don't want to extend that if there is not a good possibility of recovery.


11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
One video posted, I will get another

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Usually sleeps on a small 2x3x8 inch wooden roost