- Thread starter
- #21
diamondsilkies
Songster
Thank you all. Sorry that I haven't been on lately, had some issues with WiFi. Anyways, here's the update:
She's been pooping about once or twice a day, very runny and large for her small size, with chunks of undigested food in it. I've only found it dry, but in the past two days it looks as if it may have had some blood in it.
Last night, I noticed that she was making this motion, as if she was drinking air, tipping her head up with her beak open. So I held the water dish up to her beak and tipped some in her mouth, thinking she might be thirsty. She drank a lot of water and electrolytes, but did not stop making the motion. It appeared that she was breathing through her mouth?
This morning, I let the chickens out and decided to take Lola out for some fresh air so she could see/hear her friends from a safe distance, as in the past I had a chicken who was sick but hearing her friends gave her some energy, and she recovered within the day. Anyways, I put Lola down in the garden. She picked at some little clovers and seemed quite alert. At one point, while I went to collect eggs, her favorite hen (Athena) came over and sat with her, grooming Lola's back feathers and picking gently at her face as they like to do. It seemed to cheer Lola up a bit, although I ended up moving Athena away because I didn't want her to catch whatever Lola has. After this, Lola made a considerable effort to stand for the first time in days! It didn't work out too well, but she began pushing herself long with her feet. I lifted her up front the front and helped her "walk" around. After a minute or two she sat down, obviously tired. She also pooped, which was her first normal-ish looking poop since I brought her inside a couple days ago. It was a little dark but otherwise looked fine.
After some examination, I've managed to narrow down her symptoms. She seems to be breathing in through her beak. Maybe her nasal passage is clogged? She does it for every breath. Also it seems that only her right leg has issues with standing. She can stand on her left leg, but doesn't like to, as her balance is very very off and she always ends up falling. I propped her up between two large stones this morning outside, and she was able to stand on her left leg, although the effort leaves her very tired. She also will randomly start trembling. I don't think it's from the cold, as she will do it even when it is very warm in the room, and doesn't really stop even if I train the heater on her.
So. Only one leg works, she breathes through her mouth, doesn't lay (understandably), and trembles. Do these point out anything? What is wrong with her? Could it be Marek's? How can I help her?
Also, to answer @WVduckchick 's question, her pupils do seem larger, but only inside, so it might just be the lighting. Outside, they are normal. I just weighed her and she weighs 13.5 ounces. Normally she weighs about 14-15 ounces, so she hasn't lost too much body weight. However, she does seem a might heavier and better nourished today, and much more alert. And as I said earlier, her last poop was relatively normal. Hopefully this means she is on the road to recovery.
She's been pooping about once or twice a day, very runny and large for her small size, with chunks of undigested food in it. I've only found it dry, but in the past two days it looks as if it may have had some blood in it.
Last night, I noticed that she was making this motion, as if she was drinking air, tipping her head up with her beak open. So I held the water dish up to her beak and tipped some in her mouth, thinking she might be thirsty. She drank a lot of water and electrolytes, but did not stop making the motion. It appeared that she was breathing through her mouth?
This morning, I let the chickens out and decided to take Lola out for some fresh air so she could see/hear her friends from a safe distance, as in the past I had a chicken who was sick but hearing her friends gave her some energy, and she recovered within the day. Anyways, I put Lola down in the garden. She picked at some little clovers and seemed quite alert. At one point, while I went to collect eggs, her favorite hen (Athena) came over and sat with her, grooming Lola's back feathers and picking gently at her face as they like to do. It seemed to cheer Lola up a bit, although I ended up moving Athena away because I didn't want her to catch whatever Lola has. After this, Lola made a considerable effort to stand for the first time in days! It didn't work out too well, but she began pushing herself long with her feet. I lifted her up front the front and helped her "walk" around. After a minute or two she sat down, obviously tired. She also pooped, which was her first normal-ish looking poop since I brought her inside a couple days ago. It was a little dark but otherwise looked fine.
After some examination, I've managed to narrow down her symptoms. She seems to be breathing in through her beak. Maybe her nasal passage is clogged? She does it for every breath. Also it seems that only her right leg has issues with standing. She can stand on her left leg, but doesn't like to, as her balance is very very off and she always ends up falling. I propped her up between two large stones this morning outside, and she was able to stand on her left leg, although the effort leaves her very tired. She also will randomly start trembling. I don't think it's from the cold, as she will do it even when it is very warm in the room, and doesn't really stop even if I train the heater on her.
So. Only one leg works, she breathes through her mouth, doesn't lay (understandably), and trembles. Do these point out anything? What is wrong with her? Could it be Marek's? How can I help her?
Also, to answer @WVduckchick 's question, her pupils do seem larger, but only inside, so it might just be the lighting. Outside, they are normal. I just weighed her and she weighs 13.5 ounces. Normally she weighs about 14-15 ounces, so she hasn't lost too much body weight. However, she does seem a might heavier and better nourished today, and much more alert. And as I said earlier, her last poop was relatively normal. Hopefully this means she is on the road to recovery.
