emergencies and diseases, plus chat and game thread!

[Chickensfan]

Hello, I am new to backyardchickens.com, and here is my first thread.
MY WHITE CRESTED BLACK POLISH CHICKEN HAS A WHITE TONGUE!!! it's true! this morning, I came to check on the chickens, and saw Hattie, my 12 week old white crested polish hen keeping her beak open. She was/is breathing just fine, and when i looked in her throat to check for Gapeworms, I saw her tongue! it was white and thin. I let them out of the coop, and she looked happy, but continued to keep her beak open, her tongue going up and then down and back again. She is continuing to refuse to drink water, even after I put vitamins in it. I have been dipping her beak every so often so she won't get dehydrated.(trust me, this was not a easy thing to do.) I have noticed that her tail feathers look a little ripped, but other that that and her tongue, she looks completely fine. Later, I checked on her again. It was hard to catch her with her beak open since she was already doing it a little less. Her tongue had a couple little brownish spots on it and it that looked a bit like a fungus. Her breath smelled awful and her tongue was even thinner. It was a pretty hot day, but her wings weren't out so i know she wasn't overheated. She has been doing it for about a week and only today i noticed her tongue. None of the other chickens seem to have caught what she has. I have been researching chicken illnesses like crazy but nothing will come up. I even looked here, on backyard chickens. So i decided to make my own account/thread.
PLEASE HELP ME!!! I CAN'T LOSE HATTIE WHILE SHE IS SO YOUNG!!!

 

[Chickensfan]

Hattie hasn't eaten all day. I just fed Hats some wet soft food. She went crazy for it and ate like she has never eaten before.

After, I dipped her beak again in the vitamin filled water. She put up a huge fight yet again.(seriously. I have giant scratches all down my arm from Hattie's fit not to drink water.) After, I filled a pit in the ground with water. All of the chickens (including my Hattie of course) ran to it to cool their little taloned feet in it. It was adorable.

 

[Chickensfan]

now Hattie refuses to open her beak. Today I laid her spread eagled on my lap. I lifted her wings and fanned her body underneath them. She seemed very happy with me after that. And I continued to dip her beak every so often in the vitamin filled water. Now I can't tell if she is better or not because she will not open her beak. But now I am pretty sure this is not fatal. (p.s, my chickens are 3 months old, should i start building nesting boxes?) I will accept any advice I can get. Thanks,
~Chickensfan

 

[Chickensfan]

today is the next day. Hattie drank normal water all by herself. otherwise, she still didn't like the vita-water. I am still continuing to dip her beak. Her tongue seems to get worse at daytime, and better at night time. (as in her tongue looks pink during night and when she just woke up. )
PLEASE HELP!

 

[Cynthia12]

If she is drinking and eating on her own, she just may be panting..even if the others aren't panting, she may not do as well with the heat. Interesting that her tongue changes colors, day and night. I'll look around too to see if I can find anything..wondering about the bad smell in her mouth. Sounds vaguely familiar.

 

[Chickensfan]

yeah I thought so too

 

[Cynthia12]

Check out this thread..does her breath smell sour? Anyway, look at post 17. Maybe add some vinegar to the water instead of giving her more electrolytes. I really don't think she needs any more of that. Good luck!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1095565/someone-has-got-to-know-why-my-chick-smells-sour

 

[Chickensfan]

thanks! i needed that! I will still take any more help i can get though!

 

[Cynthia12]

Here is another thread, if it smells like .. cheese.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/825213/chicken-with-bad-breath

 

[Chickensfan]

thanks for all the info!