Hen Lying on her Side

[ten chicks]

Her vent is contracting, but I didn't feel any egg. She had very runny poop after that and dripped liquid from her mouth or nostrils, I couldn't tell as I was looking at the opposite end. On the plus side, it did get her up and moving for a short time.

Thanks for all the help, guys. Anything else I should check or do?

No issues with her crop,impact or sour crop? Any odor coming from her mouth? Is she walking funny,penguin walk is characteristic with egg binding. Does she just stand(you mentioned in a previous post that she would just standing).

 

[Em Ty]

No issues with her crop,impact or sour crop? Any odor coming from her mouth? Is she walking funny,penguin walk is characteristic with egg binding. Does she just stand(you mentioned in a previous post that she would just standing).

I'm very new at having chickens and I don't know how to tell if there are any issues with her crop. I've also got the flu, so I can't smell anything, but I'll ask my daughter to check her mouth.

She doesn't walk, just lays there, but she was standing occasionally yesterday. Today she is making a whistling sound as she breathes in and out, which I didn't hear yesterday. She doesn't seem to be eating or drinking any more.

 

[ten chicks]

Crop will be full at night(from eating all day)empty in the morning(before eating). If her crop if full and you know she has not been eating,she may have an impacted crop. If her crop feels squishy and there may/may not(usually is) be a odor coming from mouth,she may have sour crop.

You might want to consider tube feeding her,she needs fluids/food,chickens become dehydrated very fast. Tube feeding is very easy to do.

The whistling sound has me concerned that she may have a respiratory issue,are you able to purchase medications at any feed stores in your area? Unfortunately all i can purchase without a vet is Tetracycline. Is taking her to a vet a possibility?

 

[Em Ty]

Her crop is empty now and she doesn't show any signs of wanting to eat or drink and she's alarmingly light. I'll look up tube feeding.

I went to 3 feed stores yesterday and two didn't have anything at all. The third had some sort of antibiotic, but it wasn't what I'd been looking for and I had two more stores to visit, so I stupidly didn't pick it up just in case. They're all closed today, as is the vet. I know things have changed a lot in the last 25 years, but when I worked at a feed store we sold everything farmers needed to treat their animals, with very few exceptions. Colour me frustrated.

I'll be honest, money's an issue for me right now, so I'm not sure about the vet. I'm going to call their after-hours service to see if I can talk to the vet and see what I'd be looking at cost-wise, but the big driver for that for me is the rest of my flock.

What medications should I be looking at, if I can get them?

Thanks

 

[ten chicks]

Her crop is empty now and she doesn't show any signs of wanting to eat or drink and she's alarmingly light. I'll look up tube feeding.

I went to 3 feed stores yesterday and two didn't have anything at all. The third had some sort of antibiotic, but it wasn't what I'd been looking for and I had two more stores to visit, so I stupidly didn't pick it up just in case. They're all closed today, as is the vet. I know things have changed a lot in the last 25 years, but when I worked at a feed store we sold everything farmers needed to treat their animals, with very few exceptions. Colour me frustrated.

I'll be honest, money's an issue for me right now, so I'm not sure about the vet. I'm going to call their after-hours service to see if I can talk to the vet and see what I'd be looking at cost-wise, but the big driver for that for me is the rest of my flock.

What medications should I be looking at, if I can get them?

Thanks

PM Casportpony(Kathy)she will give detailed instructions on tube feeding with photos. I use aquarium tubing for tube feeding,it is very easy to do. Yes,in Canada there are basically no drugs that we can purchase without a vet. If you can find Tetracycline Hydrochloride(powdered,comes in a bag)purchase some,i paid $9.00 for 400 g.

If you ever need Amprol(treatment for Coccidiosis)purchase from a vet,but tell them you do not need the entire jug,only a small amount(i purchase 500 ml,cost is $14.00). Tetracycline and Amprol are two drugs i keep on hand,just in case.

 

[Em Ty]

Thanks to everyone for their help. Unfortunately, she just died. I know I wasn't properly prepared for this, but you have all shown me what I need to keep on hand. I mistakenly thought I'd be able to get whatever I needed when I needed it, but had a rude awakening yesterday when I found out that the feed stores don't carry anywhere near as much as they used to.

I can't tell you how surprised I was to see how small the store area at feed stores has become. When I was a kid and worked at the feed store in town we had thousands of products and the store area was at least 50% of the size of the warehouse, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

Looking back now, I think I should have suspected something was up with her. The rest of the flock is very active, regardless of how friendly or shy the girls are, but this one was always pretty sedentary and seemed a little "off" compared to the rest of the flock. I can't believe how upset I am about losing her.

So, where do I go from here? I'm thinking of trying to get a necropsy done, but I'm not sure how readily available that option is to me, or at what cost. Does anyone know where to go for one around Kitchener/Waterloo in Ontario? I was thinking of calling the vet school in Guelph to see if they'll do one. What do I need to do with her in order to keep that option open?

Thanks again for all the help.

Mark

 

[ten chicks]

Heartbreaking when a pet dies. My condolences. My girls/boys are pets,so i know how devastated you feel. I unfortunately have no idea where you would send her for a necropsy,i would think a vet would be able to provide this information. I do know you have to keep her cold,NOT frozen. Wrap her and place in fridge.

Again my condolences,it is very difficult in dealing with issues in poultry,there is not enough knowledgeable vets and we all do the best we can with limited resources. We feel that we are alone,but thanks to forums like this,we support,help and console each other in times like this,you are not alone,most of us have been there and understand how you feel.

~Mia

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I also just lost an EE today. She seemed fine, then I found her on her side on the floor of the coop. I picked her up and she revived for a few hours, then expired.

It is such a sad, helpless feeling when one of these beautiful little creatures dies.

In my case, I am wondering if it might have been internal laying. She was laying in October after her molt and then stopped. We thought maybe it was due to colder weather but nw I wonder...

Very sorry for your loss.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry to hear that you lost your EE hen. It's always tought to lose one, and difficult not to know why.