Hen too weak to jump on roost? Pale comb, stands around all day

[3chickenfriends]

Hello, last week I noticed my speckled Sussex beep beep acting odd since she was sleeping in the corner on the ground where our hens usually would lay an egg. I didn't know what to think of that since that had never happened before to her but only to my deceased hen who became paralyzed. Beep Beeps comb was very pale and I had seen pale combs with her but it would usually change back to a light red not long after. I went away and came back and discovered that she wasn't eating much and she wasn't pooping brown it was mostly white liquid. I immediately knew we had to get more food into her. I dampened some food for her and she wouldn't eat it. She's not herself, I picked her out of the cornor of the run she was standing in which she does most of the day and tries feeding her. She isolates herself from my other hen during the day and barely moves.

My mom went out to the coop last night and somehow got Beep Beep to eat and drink. Beep Beep then struggled to jump up on the roosting stick and slept up there for the night for the first time in maybe a week. That made me happy, my mom explained she had to separate our two hens to give Beep Beep alone time and she thinks that since our other hen steals worms from her and eats everything that she causes Beep Beep to not eat. I don't know if this is true or if there's another underlying cause.

Today I went out to the coop and Beep Beep was inside the coop during the daylight standing in the corner she usually sleeps in. I don't know why she just stands around and it bothers me that today she was inside instead of out. Her comb look not dangerously pale like it had but she was still inanimate and lethargic? I noticed a small brown poop near her, the best I had seen in days but it's not enough to make me believe she's feeling good.

I think she may have some sort of anemia especially if she wasn't eating much while we were away and she's weak so she can't jump on the roost in one shot. Her poop doesn't indicate any sort of illness but I don't know if a parasite does or doesn't effect poop. I can't get a fecal float sample since we don't have a go to vet and we're also located in a place where chickens are extremely uncommon and odd. We gave Beep some spinach beside her regular food and water I do have Wazine 17 but that's all. I've read controversial things saying not to give it to a weak chicken but I also read to do it to kill potential parasites. I'm pretty lost right now, can she recover from this by just eating more or is there a bigger issue? I'd appreciate any feedback I'm so worried for her.

Thanks,
3ChickenFriends

P.S. There is a hard bump above her crop and below her head I don't know what that is if it's normal and I've never noticed or if it's something I have to fix if possible. If you have any idea I'd appreciate it a lot thanks again.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hello, last week I noticed my speckled Sussex beep beep acting odd since she was sleeping in the corner on the ground where our hens usually would lay an egg. I didn't know what to think of that since that had never happened before to her but only to my deceased hen who became paralyzed. Beep Beeps comb was very pale and I had seen pale combs with her but it would usually change back to a light red not long after. I went away and came back and discovered that she wasn't eating much and she wasn't pooping brown it was mostly white liquid. I immediately knew we had to get more food into her. I dampened some food for her and she wouldn't eat it. She's not herself, I picked her out of the cornor of the run she was standing in which she does most of the day and tries feeding her. She isolates herself from my other hen during the day and barely moves.

My mom went out to the coop last night and somehow got Beep Beep to eat and drink. Beep Beep then struggled to jump up on the roosting stick and slept up there for the night for the first time in maybe a week. That made me happy, my mom explained she had to separate our two hens to give Beep Beep alone time and she thinks that since our other hen steals worms from her and eats everything that she causes Beep Beep to not eat. I don't know if this is true or if there's another underlying cause.

Today I went out to the coop and Beep Beep was inside the coop during the daylight standing in the corner she usually sleeps in. I don't know why she just stands around and it bothers me that today she was inside instead of out. Her comb look not dangerously pale like it had but she was still inanimate and lethargic? I noticed a small brown poop near her, the best I had seen in days but it's not enough to make me believe she's feeling good.

I think she may have some sort of anemia especially if she wasn't eating much while we were away and she's weak so she can't jump on the roost in one shot. Her poop doesn't indicate any sort of illness but I don't know if a parasite does or doesn't effect poop. I can't get a fecal float sample since we don't have a go to vet and we're also located in a place where chickens are extremely uncommon and odd. We gave Beep some spinach beside her regular food and water I do have Wazine 17 but that's all. I've read controversial things saying not to give it to a weak chicken but I also read to do it to kill potential parasites. I'm pretty lost right now, can she recover from this by just eating more or is there a bigger issue? I'd appreciate any feedback I'm so worried for her.

Thanks,
3ChickenFriends

P.S. There is a hard bump above her crop and below her head I don't know what that is if it's normal and I've never noticed or if it's something I have to fix if possible. If you have any idea I'd appreciate it a lot thanks again.

Your hen sounds very sick. How does her breast bone feel----All Bone? I would remove her from the flock and put her in "sick bay". I would make gravy from a good factory feed if I had to buy a small bag. I would put this warm gravy in a syringe and squeeze it into the back corner of her mouth. I would give her 1ml of tylan50 twice a day---feeding her some warm gravy several times a day. Usually they will start eating the warm mixed water/feed in a couple days so keep trying that. Most of the time if she has not been eating----her body temp will be down so I use a older heating pad(one that will stay on all the time) on low with a towel over the heating pad---all this inside a some what narrow tote or box where she can support her self on the side. I use the heating pad turned on only when I feel its needed---cool nights etc. If she seems to be doing better I will take her out to a wire cage where she can lay in the sun is she wants but also have shade she can get under---then back in the tote at night on heat if needed. If she is all bones and seems to be doing a little better in a couple days I use a touch or wormer---I use fenbendazole because it will also get tape worms(wazine want) which are bad in my area. I have brought back several from near death doing this. Good Luck

 

[3chickenfriends]

Your hen sounds very sick. How does her breast bone feel----All Bone? I would remove her from the flock and put her in "sick bay". I would make gravy from a good factory feed if I had to buy a small bag. I would put this warm gravy in a syringe and squeeze it into the back corner of her mouth. I would give her 1ml of tylan50 twice a day---feeding her some warm gravy several times a day. Usually they will start eating the warm mixed water/feed in a couple days so keep trying that. Most of the time if she has not been eating----her body temp will be down so I use a older heating pad(one that will stay on all the time) on low with a towel over the heating pad---all this inside a some what narrow tote or box where she can support her self on the side. I use the heating pad turned on only when I feel its needed---cool nights etc. If she seems to be doing better I will take her out to a wire cage where she can lay in the sun is she wants but also have shade she can get under---then back in the tote at night on heat if needed. If she is all bones and seems to be doing a little better in a couple days I use a touch or wormer---I use fenbendazole because it will also get tape worms(wazine want) which are bad in my area. I have brought back several from near death doing this. Good Luck

Thank you so much for responding it really means a lot! I don't think it's her breast bone it's too high up. I do feel the bone on the bottom of her quite well. What do you mean by gravy? I'm interested in getting her to eat a lot and regaining any potentially lost weight. I don't have a heating pad and I also don't have fenbendazole. If I notice she's eating more should I gives her some Wazine in the next few days? What do you think would help if she doesnt have any sort of parasite?

Thanks,
3ChickenFriends

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you so much for responding it really means a lot!

I don't think it's her breast bone it's too high up. I do feel the bone on the bottom of her quite well. What do you mean by gravy? I'm interested in getting her to eat a lot and regaining any potentially lost weight. I don't have a heating pad and I also don't have fenbendazole. If I notice she's eating more should I gives her some Wazine in the next few days? What do you think would help if she doesnt have any sort of parasite?

Thanks,
3ChickenFriends

Gravy, mixing a little water into factory feed to soften it to a thick liquid so you can put it into a syringe(using no needle) to ease it into the back of her mouth. You said she would not eat---you said mom got her to eat. If you get sick and go to the hospital and want/can't eat they feed you through your vein. Our body has to have "food" to survive. If this hen is not eating hardly anything she will die----you need to force feed her so she gets food in her body----laying it in front of her will do no good if she want eat it.

Fenbendazole is whats in Safeguard "goat wormer". It will kill the worms including tape worms. She might not have tape worms---then she might----if she gets them bad she will die and Wazine will not kill them. Breast bone is in the chest---when you feel her chest do you feel the hard breast bone in the middle----does it have good meat on each side of this bone----between the breast bone and her ribs or does it feel just like bones only or close??? Does she feel real light for her size or average or heavy??

 

[3chickenfriends]

Gravy, mixing a little water into factory feed to soften it to a thick liquid so you can put it into a syringe(using no needle) to ease it into the back of her mouth. You said she would not eat---you said mom got her to eat. If you get sick and go to the hospital and want/can't eat they feed you through your vein. Our body has to have "food" to survive. If this hen is not eating hardly anything she will die----you need to force feed her so she gets food in her body----laying it in front of her will do no good if she want eat it.

Fenbendazole is whats in Safeguard "goat wormer". It will kill the worms including tape worms. She might not have tape worms---then she might----if she gets them bad she will die and Wazine will not kill them. Breast bone is in the chest---when you feel her chest do you feel the hard breast bone in the middle----does it have good meat on each side of this bone----between the breast bone and her ribs or does it feel just like bones only or close??? Does she feel real light for her size or average or heavy??

Hello again. Yesterday I checked on Beep Beep when I came home who was standing in the corner of the run rather than inside the coop yesterday when I checked. I picked her up and that bump I had felt previously that could've potentially had been her breast bone was less protruding than it had yesterday. I noticed her crop was signifantly more filled than it had been in the past 2 days. The bone underneath her I can feel. I definitely cannot feel any of her ribs. Today's my mom plans on giving her some water with ACV in it. We weren't sure if pedialyte would be the best option because I read some controversy on it and ACV has more benefits anyway. I took some pictures of Beep yesterday for reference.

 

[3chickenfriends]

I'm having difficulty posting the pictures. I'm sorry I'll try to upload then later on.

 

[3chickenfriends]

Beep Beep was doing well for about 3 days. But today she is barely walking and was standing in the corner of the run. She wouldn't come out for a while then she finally went into the outside pen where she took a few steps then laid down in the corner. I don't know what happened I don't understand why she relapsed. Will update later.

-3ChickenFriends

 

[NatalieDLT]

Hey there!
My hen is going through what seems to be the exact same thing. Did you ever figure out what was wrong?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hey there!
My hen is going through what seems to be the exact same thing. Did you ever figure out what was wrong?

Hi @NatalieDLT Welcome To BYC

Posting some photos and giving some details of the symptoms you are seeing with your hen would be a good idea - everyone's situation is a little unique.

How old is she?
What does her poop look like?
When was the last time she laid an egg are her egg normal?
Has she ever had any other illness (respiratory, worms, coccidiosis, etc.)?
What do you feed?
Do you have vet care?

Check her over for any for any injury, lice and mites. Feel her crop to see if it's emptying overnight, look to see if there is any swelling/bloat or feeling of fluid in the abdomen.

It's hard to know what's going on without more information. If she is lethargic, do your best to get her hydrated first - offer poultry vitamins in her water. Once she is drinking, then offer her some food - sometimes chopped egg or tuna will be more accepted than normal food.

Keep us posted.

 

[LynneSCZ]

I have a 4 year old Silkie showing similar behavior. I first noticed she seemed to be limping. Thorough inspection of her feet & legs show no issues. Now she has stopped hopping onto the roost to sleep. She free ranges in our secure yard during day but mostly just sits in shade. Eating less, hasn't laid an egg in months. Today I noticed her left wing is a bit droopy. She limps on left leg. Could she have had a stroke?