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

[Weeg]

would soil-based be the contents of a human probiotic capsule? I also have bene-bac probiotic powder for birds/cats/dogs.

I'm sure both would work perfectly. A human probiotic capsule should be fine, I may just cut the does in half since she's a bird. I don't think you can overdose that stuff though.
Yes, soil based probiotics are best, since they form a protective shell and are mostly likely to make it to the gut. Other strains like Bifodo, etc, are very fragile, and if they do make it to the gut they don't live very long.
I might give both, as long as its nothing synthetic, thats not gonna do her any good.
Your on the right track, keep up the good work!

 

[Weeg]

Thank you for your kind and helpful words. I have been giving her nutri-drench, but mixed into her force feeding. Maybe I will try direct dose next. The probiotics I've added to her treatment has seemed to help her a bit--I'm sure like you said it's all taking a toll on her.

I may look into a feeding kit--it intimidates me, though I've seen vets do it successfully and I know it looks harder than it is on them. Right now we've been feeding her "mash torpedos" (lol this is what my husband calls them). They are moistened globs of chicken crumbles with a little bit of peanut butter, molded into the shape of little torpedos. We open her beak, place one in, close it, and she swallows it. She's drinking on her own and tolerating the force feedings well. They seem to have perked her up.

Thanks again for the warm message

Thats great! At least you can get some food into her that way, wonderful job!
Tube feeding can be a life saver, its definitly intimidating, but there are lots of great members on here who can safely guide you through it. If done correctly, you bypass the whole aspirating fear, and you can get her water as well if she stops drinking.
You may want to get a kit just in case. Even if you don't use it for her, you can use it for other birds in the future.
Your doing a spectacular job, Cordy knows she is very loved.

 

[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).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Thats great! At least you can get some food into her that way, wonderful job!
Tube feeding can be a life saver, its definitly intimidating, but there are lots of great members on here who can safely guide you through it. If done correctly, you bypass the whole aspirating fear, and you can get her water as well if she stops drinking.
You may want to get a kit just in case. Even if you don't use it for her, you can use it for other birds in the future.
Your doing a spectacular job, Cordy knows she is very loved.

Thank you for this (and your help in other threads). Your thoughtful words/advice are so appreciated each and every time.

 

[Weeg]

Thank you for this (and your help in other threads). Your thoughtful words/advice are so appreciated each and every time.

Thank you! I'm so glad I can help. Your really doing an incredible job, keep up the good work!

 

[Weeg]

@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).

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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!

 

[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!

Great recommendations! I'm a huge fan of garlic (in my food and chicken's food lol... needless to say we don't get many vampires over here). I will try the others and see what I can pick up at the store today. I have echinachea te--do you recommend a tincture?

I didn't know about fermented veggies! I'll see if I can find Kimchee in town, too.

 

[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.

 

[Weeg]

Great recommendations! I'm a huge fan of garlic (in my food and chicken's food lol... needless to say we don't get many vampires over here). I will try the others and see what I can pick up at the store today. I have echinachea te--do you recommend a tincture?

I didn't know about fermented veggies! I'll see if I can find Kimchee in town, too.

Yes, you can use either a tincture or at the dread herb. I believe the incur is stronger though. Below is an article including most of the items I listed above.
It is about dogs and kennel cough haha, but it suggests boosting the immune system towards the end of the article to help dogs get through kennel cough. It has a lot of good information towards the end.
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordetella-does-your-dog-really-need-the-kennel-cough-vaccine/

 

[Weeg]

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.View attachment 2846258
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This is true, but hopefully her medications are finally doing the trick, and she's going to push through. Thats the best we can hope for.
I'm so glad she's doing better! She looks like she's feeling good.