Chickens, head severely picked and can’t stand. Please help.

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

I agree, I'd try watery feed to get more fluids into and a sling for periods of time to get her upright.

She suffered head trauma, so she may be having some neurological difficulties. If she were mine, I'd give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily along with bits of egg for the uptake of E.

Does this work as a sling

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks good. Is she tolerating the sling well? Are you able to put food and water in front of her to take as she needs it?

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

It looks good. Is she tolerating the sling well? Are you able to put food and water in front of her to take as she needs it?

I am going to work on the food and water holder. I have been mixing water with food and she eats that. Se is not trying to escape, so I think she is tolerating it. I do have a few questions

1. Does she stay in this 24/7
2. Whenever she drinks water she violently shakes her head is that to be a concern
3. Is it ok that she is panting like that( even when not in the sling)

 

[EuroChook]

I am going to work on the food and water holder. I have been mixing water with food and she eats that. Se is not trying to escape, so I think she is tolerating it. I do have a few questions

1. Does she stay in this 24/7
2. Whenever she drinks water she violently shakes her head is that to be a concern
3. Is it ok that she is panting like that( even when not in the sling)

I was going to mention the gulping for air. She is also arching her neck to do it. Has she been doing this all the while or only since the sling? Could be a sign of pain or that she has inflammation and water deposition in her tissues which is being aggravated by the sling as it presses on inflamed tissue.

Shaking of head could mean her throat is irritated, or inflammation is causing some regurgitation. Is she eating ok?

Check her crop and body for swelling. If inflamed, oral antibiotic and a non steroidal anti inflammatory will be needed.

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

I was going to mention the gulping for air. She is also arching her neck to do it. Has she been doing this all the while or only since the sling? Could be a sign of pain or that she has inflammation and water deposition in her tissues which is being aggravated by the sling as it presses on inflamed tissue.

Check her crop and body for swelling. If inflamed, oral antibiotic and a non steroidal anti inflammatory will be needed.

She has been doing this before the sling since Sunday morning. Around the same time she stopped drinking water and losing balance again ( she was able to stand Friday and Saturday )

I do not feel any swelling and her crop is almost empty. She ate a little bit so there’s a little bit of food in there.

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

I was going to mention the gulping for air. She is also arching her neck to do it. Has she been doing this all the while or only since the sling? Could be a sign of pain or that she has inflammation and water deposition in her tissues which is being aggravated by the sling as it presses on inflamed tissue.

Shaking of head could mean her throat is irritated, or inflammation is causing some regurgitation. Is she eating ok?

Check her crop and body for swelling. If inflamed, oral antibiotic and a non steroidal anti inflammatory will be needed.

She has also started to not eat food either. She’s trying, but can’t.

 

[EuroChook]

She has also started to not eat food either. She’s trying, but can’t.

I'm very sorry. Alright. This will be secondary infection, no doubt, which was always a consideration after the big head wound. It happens even when you do everything right. So it needs to be treated. I would like to think that there could be a vet involved, they will also be able to draw fluid from her tissues through syringe aspiration.

Can you get her to a vet? And just explain that she was attacked, scalped, and so far so good, but now it looks like secondary infection.

She will need in my estimation tramadol and meloxicam. And amoxicillin.

I'm sorry for my delay. I'm going to be back and forth for the next two hours. So I will be slow. I hope someone else can jump on-board her? Anyone? But I am not leaving entirely.

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

I'm very sorry. Alright. This will be secondary infection, no doubt, which was always a consideration after the big head wound. It happens even when you do everything right. So it needs to be treated. I would like to think that there could be a vet involved, they will also be able to draw fluid from her tissues through syringe aspiration.

Can you get her to a vet? And just explain that she was attacked, scalped, and so far so good, but now it looks like secondary infection.

She will need in my estimation tramadol and meloxicam. And amoxicillin.

I'm sorry for my delay. I'm going to be back and forth for the next two hours. So I will be slow. I hope someone else can jump on-board her? Anyone? But I am not leaving entirely.

I don’t have the money to take another animal to the vet it cost me nearly $300 last week to take my rabbit with an ulcer in his eye to the vet, here is a photo of the only anti biotic I have. It is left over from my duck when she had an eye infection. Take your time am thankful for any and all help

 

[EuroChook]

Field expedient Meds for chickens and dosages:

Ibuprofen can be given at
2.3--4.5mg/lb of her bodyweight
(https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/ibuprofen)

Fishmox can be purchased from aquarium stores--if you can get no other form of penicillin for your little chicky. This is Amoxicillin for fish, but it will do just fine, BUT make sure you give at following doses:
Amoxicillin/clavulanate - 57-114 mg/lb bodyweight PO q8-12h or 500 mg/L drinking water (B Speer).

Amoxicillin trihydrate - 25-90 mg/lb bodyweight PO, SC, IM, IV q4-12 h or 200-1500 mg/L drinking water (B Speer).
(https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/amoxicillin)

Notes:

PO means "by mouth", orally, ("per os").

Ibuprofen should also have an analgesic effect. If not, it will need to be amped up with a narcotic pain relief--such as Tramadol (only a vet can prescribe).

Do not co-admimnister ibuprofen with aspirin.

 

[EuroChook]

I don’t have the money to take another animal to the vet it cost me nearly $300 last week to take my rabbit with an ulcer in his eye to the vet, here is a photo of the only anti biotic I have. It is left over from my duck when she had an eye infection. Take your time am thankful for any and all help

I can understand that. Good, you have trimethoprim. This is a broad spectrum anti-bacterial. This should be okay, but monitor.

Okay, for your chicky, it will be a---

dosage of 14 mg per pound of her bodyweight.

And you're welcome. And we won't let anything terrible happen to this little cutie, okay? We'll do all we can.