Help! Just rescued my chicken out of frozen Koi Pond!

[btpeters]

I looked out the back window and saw my standard white cochin Snow White half in and half out of the middle of our small koi pond. I ran out there and pulled her out and the 1/2 inch frozen top was frozen around her so she must have been in there awhile. She has one eye closed and one eye half open, but can't tell if she is alive or not. Her body is rigid. It is northern Ohio so it is about 32 degrees out there today. I ran a warm bath and put her in up to her neck for about 10 minutes and then wrapped her up in towels and have her laying in a box in my kitchen her next to me. She appears dead, but I'm hoping she'll revive once she warms up. Is there anything else I should do? Please advise---any comments welcome! Thanks!

 

[BeardedChick]

I'm sorry about your bird!

Warm her up slowly. The interior of the body needs to warm up first so it can send blood to the heart and brain and THEN to the outer parts.

If she starts to revive, I'd consider giving her a few drops of sugar water dropped on her beak.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

OMG! You need to get her dry quickly, blow dryer on warm works good. Then put her under a light in a warm quiet place with water available. :FL

 

[BeardedChick]

I agree about getting her dry.

 

[btpeters]

OK- I'll try the hair dryer thing---I was just afraid to warm her up too quickly like someone just mentioned. I'll also try the sugar water thing too---she looks so pathetic lying here rigid that I'm afraid she dead! Thanks for your comments!

 

[fushalilly]

Woah, flashback. One of my cornishX did the same thing in our small fish pond. We live in RI and it was mid-winter. There was ice in parts of the water so it wsa cold. We took her out and she layed alive, but lifeless on our garage floor with a heat lamp over her and warm water being fed to her. She died after day 3. I suspect she was in the pond for 2 days, so that could be why. I hope yours turns out better.

Good luck with her, and just keep her warm, its all you can do.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Oh jeeze...please keep us updated.

 

[btpeters]

She's dried off, and wrapped up nice and snug now--but still no sign of life, other than the heart beat I "think" I felt. Will plan to put the heat lamp on her in a bit. Any more suggestions still welcome Thanks.

 

[BeardedChick]

Poor chicken, and poor you.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

So sorry about your hen. Poor baby.

Everyone please consider the screen type covers for your ponds or a floating de icer for the smaller ones. One spring I pulled someones dead cat out of my pond. The net type covers for leaves aren't safe for critters. Use the screen type.