Lathargic Hen- UPDATE, I think she's having seizures

[CarriBrown]

My 13 month old Silkie, Daisy, has been acting very strange. She is lethargic and hardly moving.
She hasn't appeared to lost any weight, but I do not know how much she's been eating or drinking. This started a couple of days ago. Her neck appeared crooked and she was walking in circles, so I've been giving her Poli-vi-sol (four drops a day). There hasn't been much of an improvement, although she's not any worse.
Her breathing is fine, she is not egg bound, she is not weezing, no snotty nose, no cuts or blood. The last poop I saw from her was normal. I have her inside now where it is warm.
Anyone have any ideas what I can do for my girl?

 

[wildflower]

I had similar symptoms with a couple of mine a few months ago. I fed them a soultion of mashed cooked egg yolks, thinned with an electrolite solution I made with water, a bit of Celtic sea salt (minerals) and a bit of organic sugar. I dripped into beaks and they slowly got better. I decided that I had been feeding them onions scraps and perhaps was slowly poisening them. With help from those on this web site, I am no longer feeding them their daily poisen. It took almost a week to get them back to normal, I had them in the house in a laundry basket and fed them the brew about every 20 minutes. I fed them good yoghurt as well, they like that. Good luck!

 

[dlhunicorn]

Hi Carrie... she may have been pecked...try giving her a human tab of vitE/selenium (this is available at agway and walmart)...just prick open tab and give in beak... once a day for three days then every other day three times... see if that helps...
I would also suggest you get AviaCharge 2000 and give that to all your birds. (order online from McMurray or Strombergs)

ETA: you must check and make sure that the selenium content per tab does NOT exceed 50 MICROgrams (not milligrams)

 

[CarriBrown]

Should I also continue with the vitamins? And do you think I should hand feed and water?

 

[dlhunicorn]

yes...would separate to temp stable place (preferably in house?) and that way you can monitor... give electrolytes if you suspect she has not been drinking sufficiently and if she is having trouble drinking herself then you will need to help her by dribbling water alongside beak or admin in dropper and letting her suck it out (whatever you do do not suirt in beak as it might choke her or get into lungs...she must be able to swallow water on own). If she is unable to eat sufficiently then you can get some handfeeding formula for parrots and mix it in with some (unmedicated) starter (half -half) ... again it is imperative that she swallow on own.

 

[CarriBrown]

OK Perfect. I put the vitamins in water to dissolve and gave them to her with a dropper. It almost looks like she's trying to bend over to eat and drink but can't. Her neck is crooked, just like Buddy's was.

 

[CarriBrown]

I think she's having seizures now... Please keep her in your thoughts!

 

[dlhunicorn]

you will need to handfeed...if you suspect a peck and it is so bad she has no control then it might be best to start on the pred as advised in Alans article for head injury... see here:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

 

[jeaucamom]

Oh Carrie, my heart is breaking for you. Wish I had some good advice, but I'm too new to know what to do. But I can pray!!! And that I will do. Please keep us posted. Suz

 

[dlhunicorn]

just remember also that the bird needs to "settle " before you try to feed and water or give anything...what I do is to sit on the floor (and do not be nervous as your bird will sense this) and place the bird on my lap and let it settle (have all med/vitamins/feed or water within reach) ...once your bird has settled then you can administer the feed or water or such... when they are unable to control their neck muscles you will need one hand to "cup" the neck to support it... no need to be restricted but just as a support to keep your bird keep it in a suitable postion for swallowing ...it might take a while the first time or two but your bird will becom used to it and soon be comfortable in your lap without being stressed.