HELP! Rehabilitate a sick chicken/ Legs and Balance

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC! Sorry to hear about your sick pullet. Hope for the best.

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[rebrascora]

Corn is not going to put flesh on her bones. It doesn't contain enough protein. It is mostly carbohydrates and it is not easily digested. Chick crumbs soaked in warm water to an oatmeal consistency with a bit of scrambled egg mixed in will give her a much better chance. The vitamins are good though. Is it Nutri Drench as that has added essential amino acids which can give them a real boost?

 

[urban chicken mom]

I see... thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Do you think she will continue to mature or will this have destroyed her ability to grow?

 

[rebrascora]

She needs protein to grow and you are not feeding her enough of it with her current diet. She will always remain petite but she should still develop and possibly lay eggs if she can beat this outbreak.

 

[urban chicken mom]

Thank you for all of your input!

 

[rebrascora]

How is she doing?

 

[urban chicken mom]

Thanks for asking! It's super strange, she is getting worse. Her eyes are closed most of the time and she is having difficulty holding her head up again. I am back to hand feeding/watering her again. She constantly shakes her head from side to side while trying to eat on her own. This makes it difficult as her fine motor skill are poor. The suggestion of giving her eggs was great. She really seems to love them!

 

[rebrascora]

Oh, I'm so sorry she has deteriorated but there is hope of a recovery as long as she is still eating. So pleased she is enjoying the egg. They provide good nutrition for sick birds. Are you also using a vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell or at least a human vitamin B complex supplement. If not, I would recommend doing so. Nutri Drench has added essential amino acids I believe which can give them a boost. Rooster Booster Poultry Cell has Riboflavin where Nutri Drench does not, so there can be some benefit to using that one over Nutri Drops for neurological problems like this. Using both and alternating them day in day out would probably be the best of both worlds.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just for curiosity...is her tongue as pale as her face or is is a normal pinkish. Compare her to others.
Also what does the underside of her wings look like? Any scabbing there?

 

[urban chicken mom]

Hi Wyorp Rock,
Her tongue was pink but the tip looked brown. She didn't have scabbing under her wings. She just pass a few minutes ago. She had slow difficult breathing and then died. I'm sad but at least she is no longer suffering. It was so strange she seem to be getting better and then it was all down hill from there. I will miss her. She was precious to me.