Is it too late? Frostbite, lethargy

[Thaderiver]

It has been snowing the past few days, getting down to 16F at night. I just noticed one chicken very lethargic and with some frostbite on her comb. I have brought her inside the house now. She won’t eat or drink. Just lays and sleeps.
Is it too late? Anything else I can try?

 

[Sally PB]

How long has she been like this?

You can try tube feeding her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/videos-on-how-to-tube-feed-chickens.78678/

If you don't have the tubing, you can try giving her drops of sugar water via an eye dropper. Put a drop of water at the side of her beak; she might take it. She needs some water and calories asap.

Do not touch the frostbite on her comb, just leave it alone.

 

[Thaderiver]

How long has she been like this?

You can try tube feeding her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/videos-on-how-to-tube-feed-chickens.78678/

If you don't have the tubing, you can try giving her drops of sugar water via an eye dropper. Put a drop of water at the side of her beak; she might take it. She needs some water and calories asap.

Do not touch the frostbite on her comb, just leave it alone.

I only noticed her a few hours ago and brought her inside right away.

I gave her an epson salt bath and that’s when I noticed her feathers looking very strange underneath.

 

[Sally PB]

@azygous, can you offer some advice please?

 

[Thaderiver]

If the whole body is infected I do not know.

I don’t think it’s an infection. I think the feathers still have a sheath on them so the chicken wasn’t able to keep warm when the snow storm hit.

 

[Thaderiver]

Sorry not infection but where is the frostbite around the body? How bad?

Just on the comb. I’ve attached a photo.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I only noticed her a few hours ago and brought her inside right away.

I gave her an epson salt bath and that’s when I noticed her feathers looking very strange underneath.

Did she perk up with the warm water? Has she drank as anything sugar water Pedialyte anything?
@Eggcessive what do you think.

 

[Thaderiver]

Did she perk up with the warm water? Has she drank as anything sugar water Pedialyte anything?
@Eggcessive what do you think.

She has not drank anything. I tried to give her a few drops with a syringe but she wasn’t swallowing and I got scared I could make it worse.
I don’t have the tubing to tube feed.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I only noticed her a few hours ago and brought her inside right away.

I gave her an epson salt bath and that’s when I noticed her feathers looking very strange underneath.

How old is she? It looks like she is still growing feathers in from molting.

Molting often makes them act oddly. It's uncomfortable and yes they sometimes refuse food.

Your gal being very lethargic is a definite cause for concern.
Any success yet getting her to try to eat anything?

That comb is going to take a long time to heal up. Please resist the urge to touch the damaged area. The skin can be broken open, fall off and cause profuse bleeding. Just monitor that for signs of infection and post updates if you need advice on handling that.

 

[Thaderiver]

How old is she? It looks like she is still growing feathers in from molting.

Molting often makes them act oddly. It's uncomfortable and yes they sometimes refuse food.

Your gal being very lethargic is a definite cause for concern.
Any success yet getting her to try to eat anything?

That comb is going to take a long time to heal up. Please resist the urge to touch the damaged area. The skin can be broken open, fall off and cause profuse bleeding. Just monitor that for signs of infection and post updates if you need advice on handling that.

She is about 2 years old.
She hasn’t eaten or drank anything yet today.