Lifewithchicks
Songster
Hello, all! Our most beloved hen fell ill Thursday. She was suddenly lethargic and very puffed up, not eating or drinking. Tail tucked. Her comb didn’t look good and she had diarrhea. I gave her a warm bath and some acv water but she wasn’t perking up so I decided to take her to the vet. Her fecal test came back clean and they didn’t feel an egg. No mites or lice. Empty crop. Prescribed a wormer and antibiotic. She only weighed 4 lbs (buff orpington), she is so fluffy so it’s hard to tell, but skinny underneath all those feathers!
The only thing I can think of it Thursday am when I let them out she ran and immediately found a baby snake. Another hen came and grabbed it from her, and I saw that hen eat the whole thing. Could this tiny snake have bitten her and made her sick?
She has been sleeping inside with heat every night. During the day I let her out some but she doesn’t try to keep up with the others. She just isn’t her perky self. It’s like she tries but then gets exhausted. She is eating little bits here and there and drinking. Her comb is red again and her poops are more normal. I just want my happy girl back. I have to be away from home tomorrow and don’t know if I should leave her in her sick box all day or try her back in the coop.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Buff Orpington, almost 3 years old, she is definitely lighter than the others- she only weighed 4 lbs at the vet.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Not perky. No running around. No scratching. She seems easily exhausted.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? 4 days. She has definitely improved since the first day, but I’ve never had a chicken be down this long. They’ve always bounced back within a day.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No, the others are totally fine.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. She did pick up a baby snake right before I noticed she wasn’t acting herself.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Water with acv. Wet cat food, scrambled eggs,yogurt, mealworms, some feed.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. It was very watery but is pretty normal now.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Epsom salt, charcoal, acv and probiotics. The vet prescribed wormer and antibiotic. I have given the wormer but been leery about the antibiotic and she only had one dose.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? She is stable but not enough to go back to the coop. I would like to get her back to 100%.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. She is normally in a large coop and run with 3 other hens. During the sickness she’s been inside the house in what was the brooder with heat.
The only thing I can think of it Thursday am when I let them out she ran and immediately found a baby snake. Another hen came and grabbed it from her, and I saw that hen eat the whole thing. Could this tiny snake have bitten her and made her sick?
She has been sleeping inside with heat every night. During the day I let her out some but she doesn’t try to keep up with the others. She just isn’t her perky self. It’s like she tries but then gets exhausted. She is eating little bits here and there and drinking. Her comb is red again and her poops are more normal. I just want my happy girl back. I have to be away from home tomorrow and don’t know if I should leave her in her sick box all day or try her back in the coop.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Buff Orpington, almost 3 years old, she is definitely lighter than the others- she only weighed 4 lbs at the vet.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Not perky. No running around. No scratching. She seems easily exhausted.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? 4 days. She has definitely improved since the first day, but I’ve never had a chicken be down this long. They’ve always bounced back within a day.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No, the others are totally fine.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. She did pick up a baby snake right before I noticed she wasn’t acting herself.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Water with acv. Wet cat food, scrambled eggs,yogurt, mealworms, some feed.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. It was very watery but is pretty normal now.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Epsom salt, charcoal, acv and probiotics. The vet prescribed wormer and antibiotic. I have given the wormer but been leery about the antibiotic and she only had one dose.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? She is stable but not enough to go back to the coop. I would like to get her back to 100%.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. She is normally in a large coop and run with 3 other hens. During the sickness she’s been inside the house in what was the brooder with heat.
