I think my chicken is dying. what can I do for her?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

**I think I might be losing my first chicken. I got my inaugural flock of 7 hens (mixed flock) 2.5 years ago. I never realized how much I'd fall for each of them. And how devastating it would be when confronting the inevitable: my first chicken death. I've had some close calls, but I managed to keep everyone going strong, till now--and I'm devastated at thought of potentially losing a hen at the young age of 2 1/2**

I posted earlier in the week about my 2.5 y/o barred rock hen, "Cordy." I had suspected she was internally laying for a while, but then spotted a membrane hanging from her vent that I was unable to fully remove. I took her to the vet yesterday for that, and for the hard swelling around her vent, and he suspected she has an internal infection (likely EYP). he said he didn't believe she was currently laying (so no hormonal implant option), and did not want to drain her at all because 1) it would only be a band-aid, and 2) might be more stress on her/more risk of an infection/issue. So, he gave me antibiotics (augmentin) and metacam, and home we went.

I gave Cordy her first dose of metacam last night, on a piece of bread, and she happily ate it all up. While she wasn't eating her feed much, yesterday evening she still had plenty of energy to run around the yard scratching for bugs and gusto for treats. Last night she also ate a small amount of beef cat food that had her first dose of augmentin mixed in. I was feeling hopeful.

This morning, she was up and walking around her hospital pen, though I noticed lots of sickly poop--cooked looking whitish substance with bright green and yellow interspersed. While she ate plenty of cooked corn, she did not want the bread with her augmentin dose, so we had to force feed her (chicken burrito style). This seemed to push her over the edge, sending her into downward spiral. When we finished and I put her down she was unsteady on her legs, and then just stood there looking poorly. Now she won't even walk around outside and is just standing and closing her eyes off and on. She's alert to noises, will drink and take an occasional treat, but clearly does not want to move around. Her whole body is quaking with her breathing, though she's not panting. I'm only 2 does of her antibiotics and 1 dose of metacam deep, so I don't want to give up on her, but I worry she's suffering. Moreover, I'm worried I put her there through the stress of giving her meds. I really feel like I pushed her over the edge and I don't know what to do. I feel terrible.

Should I try to keep forcing the meds to give them at least a day or two to kick in? Or euthanize? What can I do for her to make her feel most comfortable and not alone? I put her out with her hens (she's the queen and they love her), though she just went into the coop to nap. She's still drinking, and will take some treats but her appetite seems to be dwindling--though she had a big breakfast. I think she's having trouble getting food digested.

Sorry for the rambling. This will potentially be my first chicken loss, and of course, this is the hen I've been most attached to. I love her so much and want to do everything I can for her.

 

[azygous]

Cordy appears to have plenty of life left in her, but that "wolf" seems to be unimpressed by it. It's much too soon to have to decide about euthanizing her, but Cordy will give you signs when it's time.

It was likely a delayed reaction to the stress of going to the vet and not your forcing meds down her that appeared to send her into decline. The meds need a chance to work, so supportive care will be your main job.

Keeping her hydrated and eating so she doesn't get too weak to fight her illness is your goal. If you see her getting too weak to drink, put a little sugar in her water. Buy some Poultry Nutri-drench from the feed store. It has a formula especially for sick chickens that by-passes the liver so it goes to work immediately.

Giving her favorite foods is perfectly all right. Crumbled tofu, boiled or scrambled egg, applesauce, even Vienna sausage will keep her interested in food and keep her strength up. Be sure she drinks at least one cup of water a day in some form. Dehydration is the biggest enemy and can send a sick hen downhill faster than anything. You should ask your vet for a tube feeding kit (about $3-$5) so you can get water and food into her if she quits eating. Your vet can show you how or I can instruct you.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Cordy appears to have plenty of life left in her, but that "wolf" seems to be unimpressed by it. It's much too soon to have to decide about euthanizing her, but Cordy will give you signs when it's time.

It was likely a delayed reaction to the stress of going to the vet and not your forcing meds down her that appeared to send her into decline. The meds need a chance to work, so supportive care will be your main job.

Keeping her hydrated and eating so she doesn't get too weak to fight her illness is your goal. If you see her getting too weak to drink, put a little sugar in her water. Buy some Poultry Nutri-drench from the feed store. It has a formula especially for sick chickens that by-passes the liver so it goes to work immediately.

Giving her favorite foods is perfectly all right. Crumbled tofu, boiled or scrambled egg, applesauce, even Vienna sausage will keep her interested in food and keep her strength up. Be sure she drinks at least one cup of water a day in some form. Dehydration is the biggest enemy and can send a sick hen downhill faster than anything. You should ask your vet for a tube feeding kit (about $3-$5) so you can get water and food into her if she quits eating. Your vet can show you how or I can instruct you.

Thank you for this valuable info! She seems to be drinking a good bit on her own, but I'll monitor her tomorrow to make sure I don't need to supplement. I have nutri-drench--I'll have to check the dosage and add it to her daily rations (i.e. the daily circus of me pulling out all the stops to find something she'll eat... having chickens is humbling).

I agree it's too early. I panicked when I wrote this because she really seemed on death's door after her first forced feeding of meds/food this morning (I mix her meds with a small amount of food and force feed it to her--this ensures she's getting something in her stomach along with it). But later she bounced back and was happily munching on a watermelon I had brought out--and keeping all the other hens away from it with her evil eye. Her poop still looks horrendous, though. And her crop is slow.

After her afternoon dosage/feeding, she bounced back a lot quicker (though there was still a "I might die" vibe she gave off during/right after). She even foraged with the girls this evening and was scratching around/preening. During tonight's dosage I was happy to see her nab a giant basement spider like the ninja chicken she is.

Great ideas about food--haven't tried the tofu or sausage but will add that to the list. She's still keen on watermelon, grapes, cooked corn, oats, and canned tuna or beef cat food, though she has no interest in feed. I think I may need to get probiotics into her with all the antibiotics + slow crop. I know the odds aren't in her favor but I am staying cautiously hopeful.

Thanks again for always sharing your immense knowledge. I've learned a lot from you in my panic posts--and I've gone on to share that same knowledge with others.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@azygous @Weeg @Buffy Brahma Mama @Flash2021

Thank you all for your help getting through this! I thought I'd post an update on Cordy for posterity lol... and just to let you know I'm glad for your advice and I think it's helping.

I'm SO thankful I didn't take her to be euthanized yesterday, even though it seemed like her worst day yet. She had been really sleepy and uninterested in walking around outside/scratching about (would just stand there spacing out near her flock). Yet, I could tell she was still savoring being around her flock and always chose to be near them. She also used her little energy to ask for belly scratches. So I kept her around another day.

This morning she seemed perkier. After her first dosing/force-feeding i put her out in the yard with her flock. She ate a good deal of grass/clover and then sunbathed for a long time. While she was lying in the sun, each of my birds came up to her to sunbathe next to her, or stand by her, one after another. I thought they were maybe saying goodbye (though she's clearly not ready to go yet--she scratched around with them a good bit after). Below are some photos of her enjoying her flock today. It warms me to know she's still making good memories with her family each day, even if she's hurting.

I think maybe Cordy would prefer to fade out with her sisters around--she'd always been their center. The first night I had to take her in, they all stayed up past their normal roosting time, walking around the run with agitation, singing an egg song together--it was HAUNTING and something I'd never heard them do at that time of the evening before. I thought maybe it's because they felt confused with out their big boss kicking them off the best roost and telling them where they're allowed to go lol. Even when she's at her worst, she doesn't hide--she sidles up next to one of her buddies for a nap (and sometimes even pecks them just to show she's still in charge).

 

[azygous]

More often than not, when I think a sick chicken is at death's door, a little nourishment and water with sugar is all it takes to revive them and effect a "miraculous" recovery.

Chickens can behave as if they are going to be dead within an hour when it's just dehydration or low glucose. Correcting those can have a dramatic result.

 

[azygous]

The antibiotic can be causing this diarrhea. And it can be aggravated by giving her fruits and veggies to eat.

Try withholding all high fiber foods except her regular feed, and also give her a probiotic tablet each day. Avoid yogurt or keifer because the milk in them can aggravate diarrhea.

See if doing those things stops the runs.

 

[azygous]

You can, of course, euthanize at any point in a chicken's illness, even if it's early when symptoms begin to show. Many people choose not to wait to see if the illness is contagious or terminal or even try to diagnose, not wishing to spend time on treatments and supportive care. It's an individual flock management decision, neither right or wrong.

Those of us who are attached to the individuals in our flocks tend to be stubborn and willing to try to diagnose and treat and to render supportive care until a bird shows no further signs of improvement.

The way I decide when to euthanize is when I've tried every treatment for what I think may be making the chicken sick. As treatment progresses, I watch for daily signs of improvement or decline. I have a sense which way my patient is going. If the patient is on an antibiotic, I know that if it's going to work, it will show signs of working in the first 48 hours. After than, I look for signs of daily improvement. If there is no improvement but the patient is staying stable, I continue.

I watch for signs of weakness from dehydration and poor appetite and I begin tube feeding. If that doesn't cause immediate improvement, I stop it. If it improves the patient, I then try to offer foods that will interest her. I look for a trend of improvement.

If there is no improvement, but a steady decline, I euthanize at the point where the chicken is not eating or drinking or moving about and is overall depressed and uninterested in her surroundings.

When a chicken sits with her eyes shut, not moving, not eating, or if she's on her side with eyes shut, death is imminent. I will then euthanize at that point.

 

[Weeg]

All this to say, how do you know you're making the best decision? How can you throw in the towel without feeling like you gave up on or failed your chicken? And, is it best to let her fade peacefully with her flock around (she's the queen, so they don't bother her), or to have her euthanized? If only I could know what she would want.

I'm sorry your having to deal with this, questionable euthanasia is is the worst feeling, your always concerned you'll make the "wrong" decision.
Jsut remember that its never the wrong decision. Your the only person who is actually there with Cordy, and who can actually tell what is going on exactly. You will make a correct decision. I'm one to hold one until the end, until they give up or I know they can't recover, just encase I get even the tiniest reason not to give up.
If she were mine, I may hold on a bit longer. I agree with what @azygous said, try every possible treatment and look for just a sliver of improvement.
Try giving her a direct dose of Nutri Drench if you haven't already, and I don't want to say stop the antibiotics since they're the only thing thats helping fight the infection, but they are also taking a major toll on her immune system since the largest part is the gut.

Overall, you will make the right decision in the end. Can you get a tube feeding kit? Getting some real food in her may help her improve. You'll be able to give probiotics as well.
I'm sending wishes your way and crossing my fingers for your dear Cordy.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

You can, of course, euthanize at any point in a chicken's illness, even if it's early when symptoms begin to show. Many people choose not to wait to see if the illness is contagious or terminal or even try to diagnose, not wishing to spend time on treatments and supportive care. It's an individual flock management decision, neither right or wrong.

Those of us who are attached to the individuals in our flocks tend to be stubborn and willing to try to diagnose and treat and to render supportive care until a bird shows no further signs of improvement.

The way I decide when to euthanize is when I've tried every treatment for what I think may be making the chicken sick. As treatment progresses, I watch for daily signs of improvement or decline. I have a sense which way my patient is going. If the patient is on an antibiotic, I know that if it's going to work, it will show signs of working in the first 48 hours. After than, I look for signs of daily improvement. If there is no improvement but the patient is staying stable, I continue.

I watch for signs of weakness from dehydration and poor appetite and I begin tube feeding. If that doesn't cause immediate improvement, I stop it. If it improves the patient, I then try to offer foods that will interest her. I look for a trend of improvement.

If there is no improvement, but a steady decline, I euthanize at the point where the chicken is not eating or drinking or moving about and is overall depressed and uninterested in her surroundings.

When a chicken sits with her eyes shut, not moving, not eating, or if she's on her side with eyes shut, death is imminent. I will then euthanize at that point.

I fall in the "stubborn and willing to try" camp--for better or worse. It's been tough because she goes from plateauing, to declining, to getting a bit better from one day to the next. And never quite appears to have given up. I'm glad for your message, and that I held off another day, because she is still clearly enjoying her days, even if she's sleepy some of the time. I'm sure the medications take a toll on her, too, even if they are fighting her infection. I'll post an update for all the kind folks commenting. Thank you.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Yay! What a good report! I'm so glad she's improving!
If it were me, I wouldn't want to give her the wormer because of the antibiotics she's already on. But, yet again thats the only thing thats going to fight the worms, so not really sure what path to take there.
I know that fermented vegetables are a great immune booster, contain some strains of pro, pre, and postbiotics which will be beneficial to her. Plus there supposed to help get rid of worms, so feeding fermented veggies may be helpful. Sauerkraut or Kimchee is a good option. You can also make your own, but that will take a few days to ferment, and your gonna want to get it in her as soon as possible. Immune boosting right now will be very beneficial to her, as it will help her fight the infection. Rose hips, garlic, ginger, mushrooms powders especially Turkey tail, Echinacea, and canned pumpkin are all great ways to boost her immune system as well. Keep up the amazing work!

As we speak she is stuffing her face with clover which she hasn't done in a while. I'm remaining cautiously optimistic--I know sometimes with animals and humans alike one can seem to get better right before a turn for the worse. In any case I am savoring these moments.