Lifeless chicken opening it's mouth in a rhythmic pattern...

[Natural Mastery]

I have a polish pullet that I've raised from a chick. My flock are free rangers and she was fine yesterday running around the yard. This morning she was lifeless in the nesting box, which is where she sleeps. I didn't let them out of the yard until later in the morning when I found her so I'm not sure if she ever made it out of the box earlier today. Possibly egg bound? Poisoned by something in the yard although we are an organic farm? Dehydrated? I started giving her some water and electrolytes and she started to open her mouth to receive it but has since been opening her mouth in a convulsive pattern for the last half hour. She did aspirate some of the water out of her nose but just a wee bit. I have her wrapped in a warm towel, on my lap and need advice asap!!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Sorry about your girl. Have you checked her abdomen if you can feel anything odd so far as egg binding etc goes? How is her overall body condition now that you have a hold of her? I would wonder about heart problems with the gasping breathing.

 

[BigECarter]

I think www.hencam.com might have some suggestions for treating poisons.

 

[Eggcessive]

She sounds as if she won't make it. Can you insert a gloved finger into the vent and feel for an egg while using the other hand to feel the lower abdomen for anything unusual? She may have had a heart attack. Check her crop for being full and hard or squishy.

 

[Natural Mastery]

She's definitely lifeless but does open her eyes when I talk to her and perks up just a smidge when I give her the water dropper every once in a while. She's a polish pullet and already really small so I can't feel anything blocking her abdomen. Her vent is free of any obstructions and her stool is loose but not too off in color. It's the opening her mouth so rhythmically that has me puzzled. It's not heat stroke, it's only 55 degrees and she was fine yesterday.

I've never had to put one of my chickens down myself and I don't want to!!! Thanks for replying and thanks in advance to anyone else who can help too!


!

 

[Eggcessive]

I do think she is in the process of dying. Her respirations are dying breaths. Get some electrolytes into her if you can dip her beak. Choking is very easy to do with giving chickens water. If you have any aquarium tubing and a syringe, you can fashion a tube feeding device.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Is the rest of the flock still looking OK? Even though her color looks good, I wonder about her heart with that breathing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a link to how to tube feed. I'm hoping your chicken makes it.

 

[Natural Mastery]

Everyone else is OK and tearing up my yard. She just died

. Any ideas on what might have caused this and what to look out for in the others. I've had 2 chicks out of 12 die in the last 2 weeks. One silkie and one maran but they were still in the brooder and separated from the hens.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Darn, sorry about your girl. Glad the others seem fine. I would wonder if it was something congenital with her if she was really small. Would you and your vet consider doing a necropsy on the polish or is their a state lab near you? The other two chicks were a lot younger, symptoms?