Help! Sick for five (now 7) days. What should I do?

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

I have a buff orp that suddenly was not looking good five days ago. I thought she was egg bound and pretty much expected to have a dead chicken that day. I've had my chickens for about three years and have lost two in that time frame quickly and unexpectantly. But this is different... Symptoms have been the same through out the week. She is all puffed up, swollen abdomin, lethargic, not eating or drinking, wanting to close her eyes. Aware of her surroundings but not able to participate. The first day I felt for an egg thinking she was egg bound, no luck and she's still here so I'm assuming that's not it. She is getting thinner by the day. The first couple of days she would just stand around all puffed up. When she tried to get to the roost with trouble, I put her in the nest box were she stayed for two more days. But today she hopped down and is sitting in the pen. I've never wormed or treated for parasites or culled. I don't see signs of worms, but not sure what to look for or if these symptoms fit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[NHchicks]

Might she have sour crop? Does her breath smell? Is her crop soft & squishy?

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

Crop feels empty. The swelling in more between the legs/ vent area. She feels all bone in the crop area.

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

I just talked to the feed stores. One recommended deworming with piprazine and possibly treating water with sulmet solution for various other things. The other feed store recommended penicillin injections assuming she has an infection. What to do?

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

My girl is still hanging on. She hasn't eaten or drank in a week. She's in the nest box and just doing runny poops right in the box. I keep expecting her to be gone every time I check on her, but she keeps hanging on. I don't know what to do at this point. Not knowing the correct course of action has left me doing nothing. She doesn't seem to be suffering, but she most certainly must be starving to death. How long can she hang on with out nourishment?

 

[klmclain1]

I'd say she IS suffering. Starving to death is terrible. At least try a wormer on her right away. It can't hurt...and she's dying! Please don't delay any more....

Check out posts by dawg53 with key words worming or wormer. He's very knowledgeable.

 

[DancingHen]

Is she housed with other chickens? If so, I would seperate her just in case she has something contagious. Keep her in a pet carrier or other warm, safe box away from your other birds.

I would also recommend wormer her. You may as well try. Plus, you should try to drip water in her beak with a dropper or even just off the tip of your finger. Gently open her beak and drip water in her mouth (use unflavored pedialyte to help restore her electrolytes and help with dehydration). Just drip it slowly so she does't aspirate it....if it comes out her nostrils it's too much. Maybe get some soft watery mash or some plain yogurt and gently place it in her mouth with a dropper or your finger as well. If you don't feed and water her she will definately die.

Is there a vet you can call?

Maybe a county extension agent?

Just to go over symptoms. Get suggestions.

Oh, I would also try mixing poly-vi-sol vitamin drops with her food/water and get some in her. You can get them at the grocery or drug store. Just get the one WITHOUT IRON. Try to get a few drops in her each day. Anything to support her system while she tries to kick this thing.

Hope that helps.

Wish I could offer you more.

Good Luck.

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

Thank you. I have dripped water in her break, but she would only take a few drops and then just let it run. I have a sick dog as well, and while i was at my dog appt I asked the vet if she could check her droppings for worms. She hasn't gotten back to me yet. I read thread after thread and talked to the feed stores. Too much info left me in a pickle of confusion and stumped as to what to do. I'll pick up the wormer and keep trying with the water. I've tried yogurt as well with little success. She is with the other chickens but in a nest box away from the others, but not separated. I really didn't expect her to survive long, since my others two I lost so fast.

 

[cocosandy]

Give her the wormer...piperzine or wazine....and give her some sulmet. Just get started with that and make her some scrambled eggs to see if she will eat that...
dont just do nothing because there is too much info. What the the feed store guy said is right, so worm her right away. dont overdo because it might kill her. drip water with wazine or drip some piperdine into her mouth and see what happens...offer her high protein hard boiled or scrambled eggs...see if she can eat any of that.
put some sulmet in her water.
I would worm your whole flock first with wazine and then with the stronger piperdine or with eprinex drip on or the piperzine...dont eat the eggs for 2 weeks after youve done the final worming. If one chicken has worms, they all do. after that, worm regularly...it really sounds like either an egg problem or worms...and its not gonna hurt to worm! Just do wazine one week and then wait a week and do the next wider one to cover worms that the wazine missed.
Good luck...