Help Please! pics UPDATE: she died =o(

[ovaunda]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I did add feed to the oatmeal and egg. She went crazy for it.

I noticed late last night that she was breathing with her mouth open and kind of heavily - she is in the house in an open dog crate with the A/C set at 71. Should I still be hand feeding her water? She has been eating and drinking on her own since yesterday although it does not seem like she is drinking much water. I marked the water line yesterday morning and she has drank less than 1/2 a quart in the last 24 hours. I'm not sure what normal is though since I change the water daily in the coop.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
be sure to mix that oatmeal in with the feed (just enough to make it clump together)...
...ALWAYS give oyster shell free choice and do not mix in with the feed (too much calcium is just as bad as too little)

When ya'll say oatmeal , is this cooked oatmeal or raw ?

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
IF she is breathing heavy with her mouth open , she is to hot . Maybe move her into a regular cage instead of a dog crate . You can get a wired med size dog kennel like at walmart , like 2ft. x 2ft. or 4 x4 that is totally open on all sides . If she is drinking by herself , no need to hand feed her .

 

[ovaunda]

It is not a dog crate sorry - it is a kennel. It is open on all sides, black wire frame. Will they breath heavy if they feel tense? I noticed she keeps looking to the mirror in my daughters room and seeing herself. Could she feel threatened? I had read somewhere that they like mirrors so they don't feel lonely. Funny girl - most LIKE seeing themselves in the mirror. ;o)

As for the oatmeal, it is the Quaker Oats. I cook it, add some cool water to cool it off and mix in the feed and egg. It is clumpy in texture.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I really believe if she is breathing heavy , either she is HOT or she may have a respitory problem . Chickens get respitory problems really easy , thats why ventilation in a coop is very important . BUT beng she is in the house , she should NOT be hot esp. with A/C , so might be respitory .

 

[ovaunda]

I wish we had a vet that would treat chickens. This is so frustrating.

 

[cajunlizz]

I agree . You would think if we have vets for all kinds of other animals , should have at least ONE for chickens . They get sick too .

 

[ovaunda]

Update on Miss Ray Ray

She is not really improving but not getting any worse either.

We went on vacation for a week and moved her to an area separate in the coop. It was very hard to leave her. When we got home she was caked in poo from not being able to get around and I brought her back inside in the kennel. I bathed her in warm water and got her cleaned up and have resumed the Polyvisol drops, egg, oatmeal and feed.

She's still very alert, eats and drinks fine and seems content but it breaks my heart to see her try to get around. She uses her wings to push herself where she wants to go.

I haven't given up and neither has she so we're still working on it. I have read and read everything I can to try to figure this out with no luck.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Hello Ovaunda - i have read through your post, wondering myself what the problem might be. i did a search on "hen unable to walk" and came upon this thread on Mareks:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=78332&p=1

With the picture you posted of your hen with the left leg back, leg paralysis, and other symptoms, it sounds very similar. Please read through that thread, and maybe do a search on Mareks. It sounds like it doesn't have to be fatal.

Please let us know how your hen progresses. i hope she gets better.

Colleen

 

[ovaunda]

I have done a lot of reading and although it does sound similar to Marek's, all of the symptoms are not there and I hope that's not it. =o(

Only 1 leg is effected right now. She uses her right leg (although minimally), the left leg seems to stick out to the side. When she was younger she seemed to be bowlegged and it progressed from there. She was getting picked on when I realized that she had little or no strength in her leg. She would try to get to the feeder and just give up. The others would walk right over and and she'd just lay there. That's when I separated her and started trying to find a solution.

My DH had to put one down this weekend due to the others pecking her to pieces and I don't want to put her down so I'll do what I can for the time being. I don't want her to suffer or have poor quality of life so I'll just keep trying until that time comes.