Desperate Help Needed

[louisechickens]

Hello, I've joined this forum specifically because I need help with one of our chickens.
We have four, and they all live in a hutch and run, and get let out into a bigger fenced off area each morning, and then locked back in each night.

This morning, we went to let them out as usual. They all ran out, but one chicken (Storm) was acting a bit off.
We thought maybe it was just cause they were let out a bit later than normal. However we went and checked on her later on, and noticed she was sort of wheezing.
When she breathed out she was making a clucking noise, but then had to open her mouth to get a breath back in.
She was also just sitting still.

We went and checked about an hour and a half later, and she seemed a bit worse. she'd moved slightly, but was now moving her head forward to get her breath in.
She also did what I'm assuming was a cough, but it sounded like when a cat is trying to get a hairball if that helps.

I went and checked on her about an hour after that, and she seemed a bit better. she was still panting breathing, but no longer doing the head thing. At this point she was still sitting down, and I noticed she was like moving her tail up and down.

I went back a little bit after that, and she was standing up. she did another cough/sneeze thing, and then started pecking at the ground, trying to eat the bugs. She stayed standing and then did another cough thing.

We then went back again, about another half hour later. Storm had moved, and walked a short distance. where she was standing, her tail was facing down, and sort of like pumping up and down if that makes sense? It looked like she pooped, and then she did another cough thing. She then walked back down to where she was originally sitting. When she was walking, her tail was up, and she looked like almost normal. When she went back she sneezed.

We originally thought she had some respiratory disease, but then when we saw her tail moving, we thought she may be egg bound. However when we heard her cough again we are now not sure. We are hoping someone on here will be able to shed some light!!
We fully intend on taking her to the vet tomorrow, however it is Australia day today, and so most vets are closed.

tl;dr Chicken was sitting and gagging, thought she had respiratory disease, then she got up and was pumping her tail, so thought she was egg bound. She coughed again and now we dont know

 

[AmyJane725]

Hi. I'm sorry your girl is sick. I'm not an expert, but I'll try to help until they come.

Did you check to see if there was an egg stuck?

Are her nostrils clear? Any kind of discharge?

If you open her mouth and look inside can you see any kind of foreign body or anything abnormal?

Have you seen her poop?

Are you able to bring her inside where you can observe her more closely?

@aart
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@azygous

 

[louisechickens]

Hi. I'm sorry your girl is sick. I'm not an expert, but I'll try to help until they come.

Did you check to see if there was an egg stuck?

Are her nostrils clear? Any kind of discharge?

If you open her mouth and look inside can you see any kind of foreign body or anything abnormal?

Have you seen her poop?

Are you able to bring her inside where you can observe her more closely?

Hello, thank you so much for responding so quickly,

I cant see any egg that is stuck, but all the feathers that would ordinarily stand up that are below her vent are angled down

Nostrils look totally clear to me, and I couldnt see any kind of discharge.

We cant see anything inside her mouth when we are near, but she not really letting us get close enough to properly look. The only thing id say is that her tongue doesnt look as pink as id think it would, but I cant confidently say that its different to normal

We only saw her poop once, and looked liquidy, and like a semi transparent white.

We can't unfortunately bring her inside, as we have a cat, so it would likely cause her more harm than good

 

[AmyJane725]

Happy to help/at least respond. It feels really scary to post and have nobody come. I feel so much better having someone else to talk to, even if they don't know anything, lol.

Can you catch her to do a proper physical inspection? You're not going to be able to see the important stuff from a distance. You need to handle her. I know some people use fishing nets to catch birds that won't let you approach them.

If you have coconut oil around, lubricate your finger and gently insert it into the vent and see if you feel an egg.

To open her beak, secure her head and stick your thumbnail between her upper and lower beak. You'll kind of have to pry it open, so be gentle but firm. She'll likely fight you, but don't get scared and let go and she should calm down after a minute.

Do you have any kind of a crate you could put her in where she'd be safe from the cat? Or could you put the cat in a closed room? (I treat all my chickens indoors, so it's hard for me to imagine being able to care for a sick one that is still outside. (Sorry if I'm being stubborn about this. Not trying to be bossy/judgmental). Some members here will put the chicken in a secluded bathroom where it won't be bothered.

 

[louisechickens]

Happy to help/at least respond. It feels really scary to post and have nobody come. I feel so much better having someone else to talk to, even if they don't know anything, lol.

Can you catch her to do a proper physical inspection? You're not going to be able to see the important stuff from a distance. You need to handle her. I know some people use fishing nets to catch birds that won't let you approach them.

If you have coconut oil around, lubricate your finger and gently insert it into the vent and see if you feel an egg.

To open her beak, secure her head and stick your thumbnail between her upper and lower beak. You'll kind of have to pry it open, so be gentle but firm. She'll likely fight you, but don't get scared and let go and she should calm down after a minute.

Do you have any kind of a crate you could put her in where she'd be safe from the cat? Or could you put the cat in a closed room? (I treat all my chickens indoors, so it's hard for me to imagine being able to care for a sick one that is still outside. (Sorry if I'm being stubborn about this. Not trying to be bossy/judgmental). Some members here will put the chicken in a secluded bathroom where it won't be bothered.

I could try and catch her but she has hidden herself at the moment right in the bush. I do worry though that it will cause her more harm than good, as shes not used to handling.

Her mouth is open at every breath in at the moment, and its looking kind of grey. It almost looks like her tongue keeps falling back into her throat.

You're not bossy or judgemental at all, I completely understand!!
We only have one crate, but my bunny lives in it at the moment. Bunnies are ordinarily my thing. I am a member of the bunny forum, which is actually how I knew to come looking to see if there was a chicken one!
I am hesitant also to bring Storm inside for that reason too, as I'm nervous that she could possibly pass something on to my bunny

 

[AmyJane725]

Her mouth is open at every breath in at the moment, and its looking kind of grey. It almost looks like her tongue keeps falling back into her throat.

That doesn't sound good. How's the color in her comb/wattles?

Understandable. I wouldn't want your bunny to get sick too.

Ok, do you at least have a plastic tote or something where you could isolate her in a secure location outside? If you can't even handle her enough to treat her the chances aren't great...and it'll be very difficult to catch her multiple times a day to give meds if that ends up being what she needs.

 

[louisechickens]

That doesn't sound good. How's the color in her comb/wattles?

Understandable. I wouldn't want your bunny to get sick too.

Ok, do you at least have a plastic tote or something where you could isolate her in a secure location outside? If you can't even handle her enough to treat her the chances aren't great...and it'll be very difficult to catch her multiple times a day to give meds if that ends up being what she needs.

Her comb still looks okay, and its still standing up.

We have like a plastic tub that we could isolate her in. I could really grab her and catch her if I had to do something like medication, it's more just that I'm anxious i would infect myself or one of our other animals with something now, as we dont know what it is.

Shes moved again, so shes now in a different position again. She will be going to the vet first thing tomorrow morning, its just whether she'll get through the night

 

[AfiafiAfi]

I would very much think she is breathing abnormally,if u need to isolate her,touch her wearing surgical gloves and a mask,u can isolate her in any house hold items like a basket but if u have a dog cage u can use that instead.

 

[AmyJane725]

If it's any comfort, a lot of chicken diseases aren't transmissible to humans. If you have a good mask (N95) you could wear that, and just practice basic hygiene. Wash your hands. Take a shower if you feel like you need it.

But anyway, if she's still mobile enough to avoid capture she'll probably make it until morning/there's probably not a lot you can do for her in one night anyway. *hugs* Stay strong.

It might be easier to catch her tonight though so you're not rushing to do it before the vet visit. Very stressful to try and catch a chicken that doesn't want to be caught when you're trying to be punctual, lol.

 

[AfiafiAfi]

Aggressive hens with sharp toe nails can rip ur skin if u try to fight them while grabbing them.Be careful and gently carry the sick chicken so that it can’t harm itself or u.