Hen emergency - not moving, eyes closed

[VlkStinu]

I recently rescued hens from industrial poultry house and they were kept in cages there, so they lost almost all of their feathers - some were totally naked. Now the temperatures rapidly dropped over the weekend and it's rainy on top of it. I found one of the hens lying on the ground, eyes closed and shaking her legs - it was the one with almost no feathers. I am afraid it's the cold and so I took her inside the coop and turned on an infrared lamp with 150W bulb on her - she seems a bit more lively now, but her eyes are still closed, she barely moves and can't stand... Is there anything more I can do for her apart from this to help her recover?

 

[LaFleche]

Keep those hens inside and warm at least for the first 2-3 weeks after rescuing them. Letting them run outside in the cold and rain with the actual low temperatures will most likely kill them.

They need a reliable constant source of heat, so leave the heat lamps on night and day.

As I already stated in one of your other threads regarding the same issue, brew them the recommended tea and add the recommended vitamins. Serve lukewarm.

 

[VlkStinu]

I was wondering if I shouldn't take her inside the house... The lamp is helping I am sure, but maybe being in a more sheltered and overall warmer place would help even more.

 

[VlkStinu]

Keep those hens inside and warm at least for the first 2-3 weeks after rescuing them. Letting them run outside in the cold and rain with the actual low temperatures will most likely kill them.

They need a reliable constant source of heat, so leave the heat lamps on night and day.

As I already stated in one of your other threads regarding the same issue, brew them the recommended tea and add the recommended vitamins. Serve lukewarm.

Oh no, I didn't let them run outside, I was aware that it would make them cold. They are sheltered in the coop which has a roof. And the lamp was on in the night, with hourly intervals (and hourly pauses).

Which tea was that again, please?

 

[LaFleche]

I was wondering if I shouldn't take her inside the house... The lamp is helping I am sure, but maybe being in a more sheltered and overall warmer place would help even more.

Yes, take her inside dry her with a towel and install her on fresh towels tucking a heating pad or hot water bottle under the towels for her to sit on. Be careful not to burn her naked skin!.

 

[VlkStinu]

Yes, take her inside dry her with a towel and install her on fresh towels tucking a heating pad or hot water bottle under the towels for her to sit on. Be careful not to burn her naked skin!.

Ok, I will do that now, thank you. Should I move the rest of the chickens inside the coop as well? Some of them decided to stay outside (but under the roof) and not go where the roosting space is (that's where the lamp is kept)...

 

[LaFleche]

You can brew some tea for your chickens which will help to alleviate the symptoms and speed up the recovery process: oregano, thyme, sage and some aniseed. Let the tea steep for at least 3-4 hours before serving instead of water. You may add some poultry vitamins to it as well.

Edit to add link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...ry-nutrition/01D8DC8F03A296709438E07F6B2AB4E9

" O. vulgare as a poultry feed supplement has had an antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, immunomodulatory and antiparasitic effect. "

Ok, I will do that now, thank you. Should I move the rest of the chickens inside the coop as well? Some of them decided to stay outside (but under the roof) and not go where the roosting space is (that's where the lamp is kept)...

I think this would depend on your set up and amount of space in the coop in relation to the number of hens/chickens.

Let us see a picture to get a better idea of your actual situation.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes, take her inside dry her with a towel and install her on fresh towels tucking a heating pad or hot water bottle under the towels for her to sit on. Be careful not to burn her naked skin!.

She should not be heated up too quickly as this might result fatal for her circulatory system.

Slowly and carefully will help.

 

[VlkStinu]

She should not be heated up too quickly as this might result fatal for her circulatory system.

Slowly and carefully will help.

I just came back from the coop - she got back on her feet and is moving about! I am so relieved. The lamp saved her. I will keep it turned on for now - two hens joined her there as well and I will keep an eye out on the two that are outside. They have more feathers than the rest, so they are more resistant. They also keep feeding unlike the rest, who are more in a standby resting mode for now.

 

[LaFleche]

That's good news!