Hen lying on side, flexing legs (intestinal blockage?)

[azygous]

If you've mistaken Japanese beetles for fig beetles, then your hen could have been poisoned. It pays to identify what is lying about that your chickens may be tempted to eat. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43356

Last year, two eight-week old chicks of mine were poisoned by a buck moth caterpillar that had been dropped from a tree by a wild bird that dropped it when it stung its mouth. Both chicks suffered paralysis before dying.

 

[KaseySnow]

Have you noticed any yellowish fluid coming out of her vent? How is her demeanor? Is she lethargic with eyes closed while she lays there, or does she try to get up in any way? You said she passed an egg and some poop the other day, so that's good at least.

I wonder if she could have eaten something poisonous, like azygous suggested. No rat poison or insecticides or anything like that she could've gotten into? There are some foods that are toxic to chickens too, though I don't have a comprehensive list handy. I know nightshade plants, citrus, and apple seeds are on the list. Might be worth checking if you haven't already.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

If you've mistaken Japanese beetles for fig beetles, then your hen could have been poisoned. It pays to identify what is lying about that your chickens may be tempted to eat. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43356

Last year, two eight-week old chicks of mine were poisoned by a buck moth caterpillar that had been dropped from a tree by a wild bird that dropped it when it stung its mouth. Both chicks suffered paralysis before dying.

Oh no - so sorry to hear about your chicks! Japanese beetles are very uncommon in California and we typically have a lot of figeater beetles, so I'm thinking (hoping!) it was likely the figeater beetle grub. You bring up a good point though in keeping a close eye on everything that they are eating.

 

[KaseySnow]

You said the grubs were eaten two weeks ago though, right? Surely she would've been sick much earlier if they were the cause.

It might be worth looking into seeing if there are any plants or bugs native to your area that are toxic to chickens. Maybe there are some in your yard.

Here's an old thread with some tips on how to do a system flush if you suspect poison:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-cure-a-poisoned-chicken.830084/

Definitely replenish electrolytes afterward as azygous suggested if you do a flush.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

Paralysis can be caused by any number of things. Moldy food, moldy compost, poisonous insects, avian disease. Marek's isn't the only one out there that can do this to a chicken. Only a necropsy on a dead chicken can identify such a virus.

Shock and starvation also can produce these symptoms. It's always wise to begin with that by giving the chicken some warm sugar water with a pinch of salt and baking soda to elevate glucose and restore electrolytes. Mix a teaspoon of sugar into a cup of warm water with the salt and baking soda and try to get her to drink it.

Offer her boiled egg if she won't eat. Try vitamin E and B-complex in case of a vitamin deficiency which may be contributing to her symptoms.

Thank you so much for this advice! I've been giving her nutri-drench, so she's been getting Vitamin E and other vitamins through that. I'll make the sugar/salt/baking soda mixture you mentioned and see if that helps. I don't think that she has consumed any moldy food or compost. Our other 5 chickens are OK, so I would think that more of them would have had a reaction if it was something they ate. Maybe not though? I'm hoping something helps her through this!

 

[azygous]

Nutri-drench is good stuff but worthless treating a neurological issue. Use one E 400iu capsule given intact right into the beak once a day. Chickens can get into trouble eating from a compost pile, and not all of them will encounter the same evil substance. Insects contaminated with the botulism bacteria can selectively sicken and kill one chicken out of many. It will depend at which bottom of a chicken dug hole the insects lie.

If you have an oral antibiotic lying around, it wouldn't hurt to try that along with the other things.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

Nutri-drench is good stuff but worthless treating a neurological issue. Use one E 400iu capsule given intact right into the beak once a day. Chickens can get into trouble eating from a compost pile, and not all of them will encounter the same evil substance. Insects contaminated with the botulism bacteria can selectively sicken and kill one chicken out of many. It will depend at which bottom of a chicken dug hole the insects lie.

If you have an oral antibiotic lying around, it wouldn't hurt to try that along with the other things.

Thanks for the advice! Do you know if the Vitamin E 400IU capsule the same type of Vitamin E that humans would consume? Or is there a special version for chickens? Just thinking about how to quickly get some since ordering online will take too long.

You also mention keeping it intact - so I shouldn't break it up at all?

What type of oral antibiotic should I try to find? Is it something that it unique for chickens? I've never used antibiotics on the chickens, so I want to be sure to do the right thing.

Thanks again for all of your time and feedback!

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, you may use the same human vitamin E softgels for a chicken. You can puncture them and feed the liquid or put the whole thing in the chicken’s beak and throat to swallow whole.

 

[azygous]

Same as vitamins are the same regardless of the animal you give them to, antibiotics are also the same. I use leftover people prescriptions other people have given me for my chickens. Or I get fish antibiotics or pigeon antibiotics. You can order fish amoxicillin online or ask around at pet stores.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

Oh no - so sorry to hear about your chicks! Japanese beetles are very uncommon in California and we typically have a lot of figeater beetles, so I'm thinking (hoping!) it was likely the figeater beetle grub. You bring up a good point though in keeping a close eye on everything that they are eating.

If you've mistaken Japanese beetles for fig beetles, then your hen could have been poisoned. It pays to identify what is lying about that your chickens may be tempted to eat. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43356

Last year, two eight-week old chicks of mine were poisoned by a buck moth caterpillar that had been dropped from a tree by a wild bird that dropped it when it stung its mouth. Both chicks suffered paralysis before dying.

I found another beetle grub in the same flower pot that the other ones came from. I snapped some pics to research and see if it was the Japanese beetle you mentioned. Luckily I’m pretty sure it’s the figeater beetle grub. Or at least I think so based on the pics.