My wife thought one of our chickens was deathly ill today, but it turned out that it just had it's eyes closed (those yellow eyelids are creepy looking)
I rushed home today at lunchtime preparing myself to put an end to it's misery, I was so relieved to find out that it was OK.
I have read so many sad stories on BYC about sick chickens getting culled.
Turned out our sleepy chicken did have a small wound on it's head that we treated with hydrogen peroxide and then ointment.
Pictures are a bit gross to look at while eating lunch...
--Hugh
I read that people shouldn't disturb the chickens during the heat of the day, correct?
Just in case:
1) What type of bird , age and weight. - Dominique, 16 weeks, (I have to weigh her tomorrow).
2) What is the behavior, exactly. - Sleepy at midday with eyes closed, less active than the other three chickens of same age (only today). Tonight, she looked very normal.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. - small bloody sore on head.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. - temperatures in the low 90's, recently spotted mice in the run at night (traps outside of run, no poison)
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. What kind of feed? - Grower crumbles, red grapes, water
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. - medium brown piles, moist
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? - Hydrogen peroxide and then antibiotic ointment on head sore.
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? - Treat ourselves, my wife is RN.
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. - very small wound, less than dime size.
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use, size, etc. How many chickens in this area? Coop 4'x7', attached run 4'x8', 4 chickens 14-16 weeks old, wood shavings into coop, dirt in run.
I rushed home today at lunchtime preparing myself to put an end to it's misery, I was so relieved to find out that it was OK.
Turned out our sleepy chicken did have a small wound on it's head that we treated with hydrogen peroxide and then ointment.
Pictures are a bit gross to look at while eating lunch...
--Hugh
I read that people shouldn't disturb the chickens during the heat of the day, correct?
Just in case:
1) What type of bird , age and weight. - Dominique, 16 weeks, (I have to weigh her tomorrow).
2) What is the behavior, exactly. - Sleepy at midday with eyes closed, less active than the other three chickens of same age (only today). Tonight, she looked very normal.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. - small bloody sore on head.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. - temperatures in the low 90's, recently spotted mice in the run at night (traps outside of run, no poison)
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. What kind of feed? - Grower crumbles, red grapes, water
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. - medium brown piles, moist
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? - Hydrogen peroxide and then antibiotic ointment on head sore.
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? - Treat ourselves, my wife is RN.
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. - very small wound, less than dime size.
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use, size, etc. How many chickens in this area? Coop 4'x7', attached run 4'x8', 4 chickens 14-16 weeks old, wood shavings into coop, dirt in run.
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