Dying chicken, please help! :'(

[horsekrazy74]

Yesterday my rhode island red hen starting acting very very very sick. She stood in the corner of the yard fluffed up all day. Her poop was completely liquid. I brought her inside this morning when I found her shoved into the corner of a nesting box, and I feel like she has only gotten worse. She can no longer stand. I set her up on her feet and she just drops one side of her wings and falls over and just closes her eyes. I have tried to put electrolytes in her but she wont take any. She wont eat or drink. She has laid in the cage all day fluffed up with her eyes closed, and just looks dead.

I thought she could be egg bound so I soaked her in warm water for 20 minutes and she just kind of laid their with her eyes shut.

She just seems lopsided and just cant keep herself straight.

Does anyone know of what this could be? I have had her for 3 three years and its killing me that she may be dying. I have already had one of my dogs put down this week, I dont want to lose another baby

If anyone has any idea of what this could be, please let me know! I will do anything to save her except take her to the vet.

Please help!!

-Katherine

 

[tomhoogstra]

Yesterday my rhode island red hen starting acting very very very sick. She stood in the corner of the yard fluffed up all day. Her poop was completely liquid. I brought her inside this morning when I found her shoved into the corner of a nesting box, and I feel like she has only gotten worse. She can no longer stand. I set her up on her feet and she just drops one side of her wings and falls over and just closes her eyes. I have tried to put electrolytes in her but she wont take any. She wont eat or drink. She has laid in the cage all day fluffed up with her eyes closed, and just looks dead.

I thought she could be egg bound so I soaked her in warm water for 20 minutes and she just kind of laid their with her eyes shut.

She just seems lopsided and just cant keep herself straight.

Does anyone know of what this could be? I have had her for 3 three years and its killing me that she may be dying. I have already had one of my dogs put down this week, I dont want to lose another baby

If anyone has any idea of what this could be, please let me know! I will do anything to save her except take her to the vet.

Please help!!

-Katherine

I have been in the exact same position as you.
One of my original hens we first got, was about 2 1/2 years old started showing these symptoms.
I tried checking if she had an impacted crop, if she was egg bound, if she had lice.
There was so much more I could check for.

Try inspecting for worms, mites, lice, sour crop, injuries.
Try feeding her plain yogurt, if she doesn't eat it, make her eat it.
And if she gets better please post what you did.

Edit: Did she recently Molt?

 

[serama hen]

oh poor dear hope she get better keep us in on the road to health

 

[horsekrazy74]

I honestly dont know if she will live or not through the night I feel like I have done all I could. I made her comfortable in one of our old guinea pig cages in the kitchen. I am going to try one more time tonight to get something into her, but I dont know if she will respond. Its awful not knowing what is wrong.

 

[tomhoogstra]

I honestly dont know if she will live or not through the night I feel like I have done all I could. I made her comfortable in one of our old guinea pig cages in the kitchen. I am going to try one more time tonight to get something into her, but I dont know if she will respond. Its awful not knowing what is wrong.

If she doesn't make the night, do yourself a favour and send her to the vet for a necropsy, they generally arent expensive from what I've heard.
They will tell you how she died.

If it makes you feel any better, my hen didn't die in pain.

 

[horsekrazy74]

I go and pet her and she just looks at me. Its breaking my heart that I dont know how to help her.

 

[tomhoogstra]

I go and pet her and she just looks at me. Its breaking my heart that I dont know how to help her.

Best of luck.

 

[casportpony]

I go and pet her and she just looks at me. Its breaking my heart that I dont know how to help her.

I assuming that she's inside. Does she have a heating pad or other heat source? I really feel for you.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I honestly dont know if she will live or not through the night I feel like I have done all I could. I made her comfortable in one of our old guinea pig cages in the kitchen. I am going to try one more time tonight to get something into her, but I dont know if she will respond. Its awful not knowing what is wrong.

You gotta remember that she doesn't know what's best for her, and that she needs you to do what you must (even if it seems mean).

She needs water, and she needs it now -- she's most probably will not make the night w/o it. You can put it in w/ an eyedropper, but I often just gently trickle it into the lower beak, and hold their heads to prevent 'em from shakin' it out (guess you could call it my 'drink or drown' approach). Infusing the water w/ vitamins/electrolytes would be most helpful, but -- she will dehydrate and die w/o water.

Also, clean up between workin' w/ her and the rest of your flock, just in case she's got somethin' they weren't infected with, and watch closely for any changes in them as well.

There's links at the bottom of this post that will help you first identify the potential cause(s) by the symptoms, and then you can search the other links for the proper treatment/response.

 

[tomhoogstra]

You gotta remember that she doesn't know what's best for her, and that she needs you to do what you must (even if it seems mean).

She needs water, and she needs it now -- she's most probably will not make the night w/o it. You can put it in w/ an eyedropper, but I often just gently trickle it into the lower beak, and hold their heads to prevent 'em from shakin' it out (guess you could call it my 'drink or drown' approach). Infusing the water w/ vitamins/electrolytes would be most helpful, but -- she will dehydrate and die w/o water.

Also, clean up between workin' w/ her and the rest of your flock, just in case she's got somethin' they weren't infected with, and watch closely for any changes in them as well.

There's links at the bottom of this post that will help you first identify the potential cause(s) by the symptoms, and then you can search the other links for the proper treatment/response.

Couldn't say anything better than this.