Chicken suddenly Ill, rapidly deteriorating - please help :(

[hennyjen]

In a matter of days, my perfectly healthy chicken went from laying happily to sitting on the bottom of her coop, breathing slowly & heavily. She has deteriorated quickly over the last 48 hours, but is still eating and drinking when I put food in front of her. She does not stand up and barely moves around - when i pick her up, she will flop back down and roll onto one side, one wing splayed out slightly, her normally upward-facing tail, tucked downward. My dog did chase her the other day, but no trauma can be found and she started displaying these symptoms a good 24 hours that happened. She is 1.5 years old. Only other change lately is that I replaced their bedding with new cedar chips. I've felt around for a possible egg being 'stuck' - I didnt find anything, but don't know exactly where to feel either. Her comb has become faded and flopped over. I'm very worried that she will not last the remainder of the week at this rate. Vitamin deficiency? Disease? Parasite? Please help

 

[Happy Chooks]

First off, cedar is not a good choice for chicken bedding. Chickens have very sensitive respiratory systems.

Have you checked her legs? Any swelling or tenderness?

 

[hennyjen]

thanks for your response. I called the vet on my way home from work and was unable to even find someone who would treat her. unfortunately, I was not fast enough in finding a treatment as she was dead by the time I got there

Cedar shavings being bad for them is certainly news to me - the place where I buy their supplies offers cedar and pine shavings, both of which now sound like bad choices after I investigated your comment. thank you for letting me know, I will certainly pass this along to other chicken owners (and the store which suggested it) and can at least make the proper precautions for my remaining chicken.

 

[Leslieb118]

So sorry for your loss. As far as the shavings go, Pine shavings are ok, but you definitely want to stay away from cedar.

 

[Happy Chooks]

So sorry you lost her. Pine shavings are fine. Get the larger shaving, not the shredded ones.