I think my sweet chicken is dying!

[tofumama]

I have a 3yo cochin who is not doing well. She has seemed a bit 'pale' to me latey, and her comb has been pale, but she has been acting ok, eating, etc. This morning when I wen out, she was 'talking' inside the hen house and was a little bit off. I tried to get her to eat/drink check out the morning treats but she was having none of it. I got her situated in the run(they normally free range) and went in to to a couple things, hoping she would perk up in the sun as it warmed up. Well, I went out to check on her about 2hrs later and she was on her side in the run! I thought she was dead, but she is still alive. She is VERY weak, not even trying to move other than to arch her head back. She is not gasping for air or anything like that, and did seem to respond to my talking to her...my kids are watching her now, we have her wrapped in warm towels in a little bin on the porch in the sun...I don't know what to do! Her butt was a bit poopy, which I have never seen on her before today. What would do this to her so quick? Do I need to worry about the rest of my flock? Please help, this is very traumatic for my kids(and their mom!)

 

[Judy]

Worms, mites/lice, and an egg laying problem are what come to mind first. Since you can fix the first two, this is what I would consider first. If you do not routinely use a commerical wormer (Valbazen etc.) on your birds then I would do so. Check for mites/lice at night, or just treat with 5% Sevin dust.

Let us know.

 

[tofumama]

I started thinking worms too...but I am in MA and it has been SO cold here...They have been dust bathing and I did check her for mites and I don't see any evidence...I wouldn't know how to check for an egg laying issue. She is barely alive right now so I do not think there is any saving her

It was SO fast though! She was out and about yesterday and today....

I have never wormed my chickens, but do use ACV in their water. Should I worm the rest of them just incase? Their droppings seem fine...but now I am concerned for the rest of them!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Here are my recommendations to get her stabilized. If these don't work, it might just be too late for her...

Put her in a storage tub or something else with a heating pad underneath her and wrapped in towels. Make sure they're not too tight so she can breathe.

Once her body feels warm to the touch (her body itself, not just the feathers touching the heating pad), take some warm (not hot) water in a dropper or small syringe, and drip it on the side or tip of her beak. Do not force it into her mouth or squirt it in her mouth. Do this periodically for a while, until she passes poop. Once she passes poop, it is safe to feed her again. It sounds to me like she might be in shock. You can also massage her body and/or use a hair dryer to try and get her blood flowing again.

Good luck. Once you get her stabilized, you have to try and diagnose the problem and treat that, but right now shock is the biggest thing and it might kill her. I hope she pulls through!

 

[tofumama]

dawn and Silver thank you fr yur repies this afternoon...sadly, it was too late to do anything

She died shorty after I posted last. I have no idea what was wrong, or why it was so quick but she was as comfortabe as she could be when she died, as she was with us...