HELP! Found chicken from truck, seems very ill

[Gaige22]

Hey everyone,

My girlfriend works at a vet and 2 days ago someone brought in a chicken that had called off a chicken transport truck. The vets were going to euthanize it and my girlfriend took it(we used to have chickens so we had all the materials/experience). It is staying at our house right now. It is very sleepy all the time. I understand the chickens are transported at a young age, but I don’t remember my past chickens being so sleepy. We brought it out yesterday and it picked the ground a little bit, but it isn’t eating very much, and I haven’t seen it drink. I am going to inspect it’s crop when I get home. Does anyone have any other ideas? I feel really bad for it and I would hate to see it die.
Thank you,
-Gaige

 

[Abriana]

Maybe get her a hen friend to perk her up?

 

[oregonkat]

Chances are quite good that she was given something to de stress her for the terrible journey you have rescued her from. Yes get her a friend if you can, they are flock animals and get very, very lonely. Get her some nutri drench in her water and some warm mash from crumbles, some scrambled egg with a little plain yogurt also would be good. Good luck with her and hopefully she and her friend will develop into great hens for you.

 

[PirateGirl]

You can add a little molasses or honey or maple syrup to the water. The sugar water may help perk it up a little and encourage it to drink a little bit more.

 

[bobbi-j]

The reality is, the chickens that are on those trucks are not bred to live a long, happy life. They grow so fast that they often have leg problems, or die of heart attacks because they get so big. The chicken you found could be in shock, or have internal injuries suffered from the fall. I wouldn't put another chicken in with it while it's in this condition. Chickens can be ruthless, picking on the sick or injured one, sometimes to death. With the suggestions above for Nutri-Drench, electrolytes, etc. it may perk up and start eating. If it goes more than a few days in the condition it's in, I'd put it down if it were mine. But you are the only one who can decide what to do with it .

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greeting Gaige22,

That poor chicken, she is recovering from shock.

First she fell off a truck, then was tossed into a cage near noisy barking dogs and crying cats, then, she's off to yet, another location.

Transportation of chickens is a huge stressor for them. She's done it three times in the last 48 hours.

A chickens survival instinct will prompt her to close her eyes, thus closing out the world.
If she has no physical injuries, or symptoms of illness, she has a good chance of survival with your help.

What to do?

• Keep her in a warm, quiet place, use soft quiet voices.
• An oral dose of full strength electrolytes. One time.
• Hydration, offer water carefully, drop by drop, juicy fruits like diced grapes.
• An oral dose of poultry vitamins, like NutriDrench.
• Wet mash, scrambled egg, diced meat protein, cooked mixed vegies, etc.
• Monitor the emptying of her crop, as it may slow, causing gassy build up, belching. Treat, if this happens.
• Time, TLC, kindness, don't rush her.

Remember, she probably was in the company of hundreds of other chickens, maybe in cages. Keep in mind if you put her with other chickens before she is strong enough, she may not survive the process of integration.

You are so very kind to take her in; and today she has a chance for life that she didn't have two days ago! Do your best for her, she's been through a lot.

God's Blessings to you and your new hen.

 

[Gaige22]

Thank you all for your help. We got the save-a-chick brand probiotic and electro lite powder and mixed it in her water. She sparked up after that! Since then she has been eating and drinking well. Her crop gets nice and full, and empties as it should. She also is opening her eyes more, but still likes to keep them shut mostly. Especially outside. She loves pecking for worms and bugs we give her. She is also walking more. She has trouble getting the worm. She pecks and pecks but doesn’t seem to have very good beak to eye coordination. I assume it’s because she hasn’t dealt with that often. Once again thanks to everyone who helped!

 

[bobbi-j]

Glad to hear she's perking up. Given the type of bird she is, you will want to be careful about letting her eat too much so she doesn't develop leg or cardiac problems. I can't say how much, because we haven't raised meat birds for years, and when we did, we butchered them before problems developed.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

She is in good hands now.