Chicken fell in pool

[Donna Jeanne]

Hi. My favorite hen just fell into the elevated duck pool. The water is freezing. She is alive, but in shock and not breathing initially. I took her out and got her breathing. Warming her with a towel and hair dryer. Her breathing is very difficult and labored/wet. She’s rocking her head back and forth and shivering. What else can I do? If she makes it, any precautions I should take? I’m moving the pool, but I mean with her health. I gave her Vet Rx.

 

[micstrachan]

Poor thing! Warmth is key. Do you have a heating pad?

Also, poultry vitamins and electrolytes in her water would be good.

She may have aspirated fluid into her lungs, so the VetRx was probably a good idea. Keep us posted.

 

[Donna Jeanne]

Thanks. She’ll stay indoors tonight. She doesn’t want water so I gave her yogurt. Will try to get electrolytes in her. Thanks.

 

[casportpony]

Shivering is a good sign. Just do your best to get her warmed up. Do *not* force feed or force water until she is a normal temperature!

 

[sourland]

@casportpony is right on the money. First priority is getting her core temperature back to normal. Good luck.

 

[Donna Jeanne]

Thank you. I kept her inside over night. It’s about 50 degrees today. How long before I put her back outside?

 

[casportpony]

You can put her back out when she is acting 100% normal.

 

[Donna Jeanne]

Thanks

 

[micstrachan]

How is she feeling? Have the respiratory symptoms subsided?

 

[Donna Jeanne]

She’s doing okay, thanks. I still have her inside again tonight and will let her out in the morning. She’s sneezed a few times, but all else seems fine. At about nine tonight she started being a bit more active and back to herself. She’s been lethargic for four or five days so thought she may finally lay her first egg, but now who knows. She seems to want to be held a lot which is new.