Dying chicken.

[Dorte]

I have a 3 year old buff orphington who is on her last leg. Her eyes and comb are dull looking and she walks with difficulty. I see no other clear signs of disease, I think her symptoms are mainly of dehydration. It is HOT here at the moment, she wont last long without drinking.

I realize that I have been missing signs lately that she was not well. She is the foster mommy of 2 chicks from May 8th, so my focus has been a bit too much on the little ones. She has been less interested in food for a while, but I thought she was just making sure the little ones got enough. About 5 days ago I noticed that the three of them suddenly went back to sleeping in the nest instead of roosting. Again I worried if the chicks has problems... Poor mommy chicken, she has been not feeling well for a while here!

I am not sure there is much I can do for her, unfortunately. I should probably give her water in a syringe or something, but I can't figure out how to do it. I feel like I am just torturing her on her last day (I am afraid that is what this is). If anyone have a link to a video (that uses something simple like a syringe) I'd give it another try. Any other recommendations appreciated too.

I am sad to loose her, but at this point my main concern is that I had another chicken that died last winter with the same symptoms (or lack thereof). She stopped laying eggs, lost interest in food, then stopped going to the coop at night and then she died. Three year old chickens shouldn't die off like this, right? I am concerned for the rest of my little flock.


These are my first chickens, so please forgive me my ignorance

 

[FandangoRanch]

I am new to chickens as well but in the last 2 months I have learned a lot due to illnesses with my chicks. If you have a small syringe, 3cc or 5cc or an eye dropper, mix some room temp water and add Apple Cider Vinegar if you have it, something like a teaspoon to a litre/quart, draw it up into the syringe (no needle of course). Wrap your bird in a towel to keep struggling at a minimum, hold her under your left arm fi you are right handed and then put the syringe up to the side of her beak, push the plunger a bit and she will likely open her beak for the water.
Have you been worming them? If not, I would suggest doing that as well. Good luck!

 

[Dorte]

Thank you, I will try that. I think with the heat today I will also see if I can set up a misting system for them, 107 for a sick chicken is a bit brutal.

Any other advice, ideas what it could be?

 

[Dorte]

While watering her the diagnosis became clear: Sour crop.

I massaged her upside down yesterday. A little did seem to happen, but she swallowed whatever came up. I gave her water (with apple vinegar) and dilute yogurt. During the heat she was laying under a sprinkler where a bit of water would regularly hit her beak. I was pretty happy with this way to keep her hydrated as she only seemed to drink the drops at the side of her beak, and I couldn't stay with her all the time.

Today I massaged her crop her again, and a lot of yellow disgusting liquid came out. I could probably have gotten more out, but I was concerned as I read here that you should do it little by little to avoid breathing problems. After the initial flow of liquid I could not get more to come out, and she started fighting me. Before that she was quite happily eating yogurt from the syringe, but after she seemed a little done. I am giving her a bit of a rest now, then I will offer more. Unfortunately we are out of town for most of the day, so hopefully she will be OK in the ridiculous heat under the sprinkler all by herself today