HELP! Chicken-sitting possibly sick chickens! - long

[adalau]

Also, I find it fascinating that you all do the same first line treatments for chickens that I use for my family! Raw ACV, garlic & honey cure all sorts of ailments!

 

[Farmer Viola]

Happy to help! Diagnosing chickens is a hard thing to do.. their symptoms often overlap with multiple conditions, and sometimes we don't know what it was until it's too late. Wish I could help more.

If she does not drink voluntarily, I use a syringe to squirt it right into their beak. I do a little squirt, then let them swallow, take a short break, then squirt a little more. Also, if you wrap them up in a hand towel they are easier to control. I usually wrap a towel around her, tucking her legs backwards so she's a football shape. Then I hold her on her side, cupping her head/beak between 2 fingers, and squirt it in her beak. If she has not eaten, she may be too weak to struggle very much.

And yes! Garlic, OACV and honey are awesome health tonics in general, even for humans! I should go have some vinegar right now... Recently I have been getting more into learning about medicinal herbs, too. I don't know if you have access to any fresh herbs, but if you do, I could look them up and see what ailments you might be able to treat with your herbs. I know you said you already have rosemary. Rosemary is a potent heart tonic which is also an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, etc, so you are sort of covering a few bases by administering that with the honey water.

Keep us posted!


edit:
2 more ailments symptoms for you to check/observe -

Crop bound symptoms: Area of the crop is very hard and protruding. The hen shows disinclination to eat and there is often a staggering gait. (crop is located below their neck, on their chest. crop bound means the crop is full of food and it is improperly unable to move to their stomach)

Egg bound: The abdomen becomes very blown-looking (large/swollen). The hen often adopts a peculiar squatting posture with the vent upon the ground. Treatment = EVOO in their vent, warmth

 

[adalau]

Oh, I'm in Southern CA. It's hot but not too hot, only 82 today, not humid. Her coop is well ventilated.

I'm going to go let the other two girls out & hose down the run now. The owners said that's how they clean it.

 

[adalau]

She's up! I let the other two out to free range in the yard & opened up the coop & she came running out. She came & ate some BOSS & feed then went & drank a bunch of ACV water from their water bucket. She's walking around the run & looking annoyed that her sisters got to go out to play without her. Phew. Her wings aren't droopy anymore, but her comb is just a bit "faded" looking.

I assume I should still keep her isolated. How do I separate them overnight? Can I put her in a cat carrier & put the other two in the coop? Or should I try to keep them out of the coop since the sick bird has been in it all day? Or clean the coop first then put them in?

Thanks again. SO GLAD she is looking so much better already!

 

[adalau]

And I *think* her crop & vent look ok/not any different than usual. She does have some white poop on her butt though.

 

[Farmer Viola]

She's up! I let the other two out to free range in the yard & opened up the coop & she came running out. She came & ate some BOSS & feed then went & drank a bunch of ACV water from their water bucket. She's walking around the run & looking annoyed that her sisters got to go out to play without her. Phew. Her wings aren't droopy anymore, but her comb is just a bit "faded" looking.

I assume I should still keep her isolated. How do I separate them overnight? Can I put her in a cat carrier & put the other two in the coop? Or should I try to keep them out of the coop since the sick bird has been in it all day? Or clean the coop first then put them in?

Thanks again. SO GLAD she is looking so much better already!

Hooray! So happy she is eating and drinking and running around! On the faded comb -- can be typical of a hen who is not laying. If both comb and wattle were pale, it could also be a sign of poor circulation? does she feel cold/hot compared to the others (under her wings)? Perhaps her not-laying is a symptom of something else entirely. This is still the same chicken that had the discharge from her ears? Does she still have it/have more today? Ear infection..?

This chicken's story sounds the same as yours: http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=75937.0 there's no good conclusion, except that maybe she's just not happy. If so, a clean run might make a difference!

Some poop on their butts is normal as long as it's not excessive. If there were a lot of white I would be worried.

As for isolation, I don't know how much you can do. Isolation to me, means I bring them indoors in a plastic crate. If it is contagious, even being around the other hens could have spread it by now (not that symptoms would show immediately). It could just be general unhappiness due to cleanliness/conditions/owners being away. Isolating with one small cage inside of the main cage is good for new introductions, or to prevent fighting, but for infectious diseases it won't do much.

I think you have done everything you can do for her situation, and now she just needs to make it until her owners come home. And since she's up and about, eating & drinking, things are looking good

Is the EE standing up straight now, or still looking puffed and irritated?

 

[adalau]

Yes, the EE is standing up straight. I was trying to decide if she still looked puffy or not. She's "fluffier" than the other two normally, but she does look like she may be ruffling her feathers a bit still. I caught her pecking at the sick one this morning when I went to feed them, which is strange because I think the EE is typically bottom of the pecking order & the sick one is usually at the top. Guess the EE is getting her revenge!

 

[adalau]

The white stuff on the ears is still there but definitely doesn't look any worse.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Yes, the EE is standing up straight. I was trying to decide if she still looked puffy or not. She's "fluffier" than the other two normally, but she does look like she may be ruffling her feathers a bit still. I caught her pecking at the sick one this morning when I went to feed them, which is strange because I think the EE is typically bottom of the pecking order & the sick one is usually at the top. Guess the EE is getting her revenge!

I have a theory that they can tell when one is weak, and will use that opportunity to get ahead/above them. A little chicken psychology from someone who spends too much time with hens XD

Quote: Maybe someone else will be able to help with the ear discharge... I am at a bit of a loss. Usually ear infections come with balance problems. Ear mites?

Is it on both ears? Could a bird have pooped on her head on one side? (lol)

 

[adalau]

The white stuff is on both sides or I would totally buy the bird poop theory. The sparrows love to come try to steal the chicken feed.

I do think the EE was maybe just trying to move up a notch on the pecking order. I wondered if maybe she was trying to look/act bigger than she really is by puffing her feathers up. She is the smallest of the three.

Those silly girls are all acting fine this morning. They all came running when I showed up with their food & the RIR that wasn't sick yesterday was laying an egg. I am continuing the ACV & garlic treatment for the rest of the time I am feeding them.

Thank you SO MUCH for your help! I will update again if there's any new information.