Lifeless chicken. HELP

[ClintDowns]

Hello all. Not sure if I can do anything or it may be to late but I just went out to water all the birds and I seen one of my hens laying in the dirt covered with ants. I grabbed her and sprayed her off with water to clean her up and her legs and wings are lifeless. She just lays there. If I kind of spray her with a little water she will perk her head up but then put it right back to the ground and close her eyes. It's almost like she wants to die.

Not sure what's wrong with her.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Don't know where you're located, so don't know if it could be heat exhaustion or not. If the heat is a possibility, then cooling her down may help. If you don't think it's heat exhaustion, then my advice would be to put her out of her misery. I had a hen go down like that (and really thought it was heat realted at first), but once she'd had a chance to cool down and there was no change, I should have gone ahead and killed her. She hung on for a couple weeks (in my bathroom) but never really got better, then died anyway. If it's heat related then quick intervention should fix it... but I suspect since you've hosed her down and there's no good response, there's nothing you can do for her but end her misery.

 

[chickenarmy]

The ants probably hurt her, and she may be seriously worn out. I don't know why she didn't just eat the ants.

Look for any injuries or any places where the ants may have been eating at her. Try getting her nice and warm and keep her comfortable. Try making her perk with some food or water. It may be a good idea to take her inside. Keep me posted

 

[NovaAman]

poultry drench...

 

[chickenarmy]

Well, us posted. Yes she may be hot. I do agree with ChickChickChicky.

 

[dawg53]

If they were fire ants, the bird is as good as dead. It would be better off to cull her.

 

[ClintDowns]

Ok. I went back out there and took a water hose and fan it over her really slow for several minutes to try and cool her off. It was about 107 degrees here today. It it's been like that for last several weeks. Not sure. Anyways after running a lot of water over her and holding her mouth open and trickling water in her mouth for a bit she was swallowing it fine. I put her in a smaller cage and stuck her in my shed outside. It has an air conditioner as that's wher I keep my quail.ater this evening I just walked out to check on her and she was still laid out, but her feet was up under her now and she was holding her head up.

We shall see if she pulls through it.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

The second post on the following thread has a recipe for homemade electrolyte solution. That may be of some help.

WOW on the 107 degrees. My girls get stressed when it's high 90's several days in a row and we've had a few 100+ days that had me worried. There are several threads on here about dealing with the heat, maybe you'll find some useful info.

Recipe here > https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/83028/help-urgent-need-electrolite-recipe-updated

 

[ClintDowns]

Well guys and gals. Thanks for all of the great information that you always are so eager to give. I tried all I could last night and I woke up this morning and she was tired of living here I guess. She went on to chicken heaven.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Oh, so sorry to hear that. =(

Hope that the rest of your gang continues to do well, especially in your heat.