Chicken very lethargic, breathing heavy, not eating or drinking

[WindyMesaFarm]

One of my approx 2 year old hens has become very lethargic in the past couple of hours.
She seemed fine earlier today, running, eating, drinking,etc.

In the past couple of hours she has become very lethargic, just sitting, not eating or drinking, barely enthused or strong enough to even eat a raspberry, which she would usually devour instantly.

She barely seems able to stand, falling on her side and not even trying to get back up.

Checked outside and about 1 inch inside of her vent and did not detect any blockage.

I currently have her wrapped in a towel with a warm water bottle.


Anyone have any suggestions of anything else I should do or possible diagnoses (out more questions to help)?

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings WindyMesaFarm,

So sorry you come to BYC, on such a sad mission.

We will try to figure out what is happening to your hen.

First, place the hen in a hospital crate, box with a towel or bedding, keep her warm and out of drafts.


Could she have eaten something poisonous?

If that is a possibility: you could treat with activated charcoal, purchased at any pharmacy. They are capsules, so you'll need to mix the charcoal in water then give with syringe.

Give her some electrolytes in water, if she makes it to morning, some vitamin supplement should also be given.

Offer minced soft fruit, melon, wet feed in small amounts.

It is very difficult to save a chicken from poisoning, they can die quickly or linger for a day or two. But, some do recover.

You should also check her crop, is it hard like a golf ball or squishy? Does it make strange noises when squeezed?

These are a couple of things that can affect a chicken very quickly.

Hopefully, there will be other members offering experience. Please do consider all possibilities. Then, think about the days events and what the hen could have gotten into. Insecticides, algae polluted water, dead animal carcass, automotive chemicals etc.

Hope this is helpful.

God bless and peace to you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

2 year old hens has become very lethargic in the past couple of hours...very lethargic, just sitting, not eating or drinking, barely enthused or strong enough to even eat a raspberry...barely seems able to stand, falling on her side and not even trying to get back up

Hi @WindyMesaFarm I'm sorry to hear about your hen.

Do you know when she last laid an egg?
Is she molting?
Have you added any new chickens to your flock in the last 30days?

I agree with @Hen Pen Jem it's always a good idea to investigate whether or not she ingested something toxic.

Examine your girl's abdomen - do you feel any swelling, bloat or feeling of fluid? You mentioned that you examined her for being egg bound - is she pooping? What does that look like? (photos of poop and hen are always welcome)
Is her crop empty, hard, soft, full, swollen, squishy or do you detect a sour odor on her breath?

Suddenly becoming lethargic, not standing and falling over - she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors. Symptoms include lethargy, going off food/water, difficulty walking, sometimes bloat/fluid in the abdomen, poop that looks like it may have egg in it, sometimes masses can be felt in the abdomen, weight loss in the breast and difficulty breathing.

If you have vet care, that is best. Do the best you can to keep her hydrated. If you have poultry vitamins like Poultry Nutri-Drench you can add those to her water or direct dose her at 1cc per 3lbs of weight. Fluids are important. She will be o.k. without food for a couple of days if need be, but not without fluids.

Please keep us posted.

 

[WindyMesaFarm]

She didn't make it.

Got weaker QUICKLY.
I was keeping her warm. Wrapped in a towel
Started to hold mouth open to breathe.
Her crop felt completely empty.

I did not have any charcoal, but I have her some electrolyte-vitamin water with a dropper. She coughed up a bit after that, I thought maybe that was a good sign, but within a few minutes she stopped breathing.

RIP My sweet Lucy

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so very sorry.

Do you feel that she may have gotten into something toxic?

Some people send the body to their state lab for testing to find out the cause of a sudden death. If you want that info, I can get it for you.

Others (like me) do an informal necropsy at home, looking at the abdomen, internal organs, etc. to see if there is anything obvious that I can see. This is not something that everyone wants to do, so that's o.k. too.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello WindyMesaFarm,

This is a sorrowful event.

Please take time tomorrow, to walk the areas your chickens visit. Look for anything that could be toxic, even cigarettes. Look for fungus growths, mushrooms, anything of a chemical nature.

Keep your flock in the run, till you have had time to ensure their safety.

Let us know what you find, if you think it could have caused your hen's death.

Be at peace, you acted as quickly as you could, and you did your best. We here, know what it feels like to lose a hen or rooster.

Again I am so sorry for your loss.

God bless!

 

[micstrachan]

I am so very sorry for your loss.