!!Emergency!! Is my chicken dead, dying, what?

[LPOHHomestead]

We have a little RIR that appears to be a runt. It got rather cold overnight - down to 35. She was in the bottom of the coop, appearing to be gasping. Her eyes were closed. They've been closed all day. I brought her inside to warm her up thinking it might help. She's just laying there, but is breathing. She hasn't opened her eyes, that I've seen. We were just going to bury her and she started moving more. She's still breathing. She actually shook a little like she shivered. Does she have a chance? Should we put her out of her misery? I don't want to euthanize her if she has a chance. Please help!

Thank you!

 

[Jloeffler]

Do you have a heat lamp you could put her under? You didn't say how old she is.

 

[LPOHHomestead]

She's 13 weeks old. We might have a heat lamp. We'll try that. Thank you.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

You need to warm her up - her body has dropped to a point where she cannot heat herself.


You can use a hair dryer - keeping your hand on the chick so you can monitor heat and don't over heat or burn her.

 

[speckledhen]

At 13 weeks, she should handle those temps just fine. Something else is wrong, but hard to say just what. Just bring her inside and keep her warm and give her water and maybe some warm scrambled eggs and observe her.

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
What about electrolyte water? Would that be better, or do you think just droppersful of regular water?

 

[LPOHHomestead]

She's responding to the hair dryer. She's opened her eyes a few times and has shifted around. Fingers crossed!

Thank you guys and gals!

 

[drumstick diva]

get her some polyvisol infant vitamins(NO IRON) Walmart sells it etc. It will give her a little boost.

 

[jjthink]

JJ

 

[LPOHHomestead]

Ok, here's an update...do you think she will improve? Should we keep the heat on her?

She's awake. She will take water when we either give her drops or put her beak in it. She's wobbly. She keeps trying to stand, but can't. She doesn't seem to have much control over her movements, but is sitting up.

What do you guys/gals think?

Thank you so much for your input so far. She's made it this far because of you! We're new at this so we greatly appreciate the guidance.