Is it just a matter of time?

howipinchapenny

In the Brooder
10 Years
Apr 19, 2009
18
5
22
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This is my RIR (I think)
she is 14 weeks (born right before easter)
3 days ago I found her next to the door to the coop. She was laying on her side and acting sleepy. She was allowing the other chickens to step all over her. She showed no motivation to get up. I opened the people door ( on the opposite side of where she was) and all the chickens came scurrying in. She sort of flopped in.

The next day I went out and thought I should check if her vent was clogged causing her to feel poorly. There was all sorts of poop in her back feathers. I swished her in a bucket of water (just her underside) and let her dry in the shade of a tree. She had NO motivation to get up an run.

I put her back in the coop near the food and water hoping she would be able to get some.

I went back out this evening ( day 3) to check on her. She was in the SAME position and spot I left her in the night before. poor thing. I picked her up and brought her in the house to clean her butt and give her some tlc.
As you can see from the pics she has some 'bed sores' from laying on the coop floor. I am concerned she does not want to bare any weight on her legs. I pick her up and try to help her and she just curls them up.

Any suggestions? Is she eventually going to wither away? Is there anything else I can do for her?
 
Good Looking Girl. Sorry she isn't doing well. Is there any other symptoms that you can give us? Can she walk at all? How long has she been like this? Poo color and form? Any blood in poo? Is she eating and drinking at all? Does she have any signs of being injured?
Keep her isolated from the other chicks. From her look and from what you have described, it doesn't look good for her. I would try to get her to eat and drink. Try some sugar water and maybe some rice or yogurt. You could give her a dose of Poly-Vi-Sol if you have it on hand.
Any number of ailments could put her in this position so it is hard to say what to do without more information.
 
she is not bearing any weight. Poo is poo colored!
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no blood or green or funky colors.
I wish I had more information. I just walked out to the coop/run and found her like this on Friday. The only other possibility is that she might have gotten caught is the chicken door. I found the door pull string broken. I didn't see it happen and I can't confirm that she got caught. If her legs got caught/banged...I wonder if this is a possibility.

does anyone think pedi a lite would work?
 
You need to nourish and rehydrate this bird immediately. SHe's been unable to feed herself for three days and will die otherwise.

Dribble some water into the side of her beak. Before you do, mix it with honey, or a little karo or gatorade or pedialyte, maybe some of her pellets crushed in the blender and mixed into the water to make it a thin nutrient soup. But whatever you do, please have mercy and do it quickly. Three days is just too long.

If you have yogurt - any at this point, but a little of that in the water.

From what I can see, she's emaciated. You'll have to care for her - separate from the girls, inside where she can reach food and water without moving. I suspect she won't eat on her own for two days - you must feed her.. Make a gruel out of pellets, an egg yolk (boiled/mashed, freeze what you don't use) a dab of yogurt, water, karo or pedialyte or gatorade.) You'll have to put a tiny bit in the front of her beak, so don't make it drippy. Mostly she'll be getting more fuel from the water mixture - she's too weak to even feed herself.

Then you need to know why she's doing this. Parasites? First egg binding? Worms? Illness? Check her thoroughly, and then answer the post at the top of the forums about more information. We need more information please.

Time is of the essence. She's dying.. That's what her feet are telling you. She could still make it, but you're responsible for her life, and you MUST take action.
 
And by the way, prop her up. Clean her vent. Check there for parasites as you do. Keep her warm. Show her some mercy, please. If she dies, at least she'll have that. Thank you.
 
Also, get her away from your other birds ASAP! It could spread if it's something like that!

Poor girl~ get some poly vit in her ASAP! She needs to eat and drink 3 days is cruel~ She is dyhydrated and dying that's what the feet tell me! Could be wrong for i am NOT a vet

Please keep us posted~ I will pray for her and send healing vibes her way~~

Listen to the post above me!! ASAP ASAP ASAP
 
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Is it just me, or is she TINY for 14 weeks? Is she a bantam? Are your other chickens the same age and size? Maybe the pics is deceiving, or maybe she hasn't been eating well for a while...

I hope she is feeling better very soon...with your help...i think threehorses gave great advice for making some kind of nourishing "soup" for her. Poly-vi-sol vitamins (infant vitamins) help a lot too...you can get them at any drug store or grocery store.
 
She appears to havve not been getting much food in her. May be bullying, could be parasites (mites even), or anything.

Hope we get some more info. The hen certainly has my prayers tonight.
 
Thank you so much for all of your advise and concern. I have her inside, in a box with fresh shavings and food and water all to herself. She was so happy to have food and water. I am wondering if she was being bullied and I wasn't noticing it. I have noticed improvement over the las 12 hours. She tried to get up and move and she peeps at me when I touch her. Neither of these things she had done before. i keep checking her vent and so far it is clean. There is just poop under her tail feathers where she can't move away from it. I keep her clean and keep propping her up on fresh shavings. I will welcome any other advise. this is our first go round with back yard chickens. It has been fun thus far. If we can just get over this sick chick!
 

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