Listless chicken. Looking for diagnosis

[Tina Stephenson]

I have a chicken who suddenly became listless and not walking, standing. Was somewhat ok this morning, but some how managed to get into the horse water barrel this morning and has been sitting all day sense I got her out. I put her in fresh hay in a nesting box. Found later that she had not moved. Islated her. She's not eating, doesn't seem to care where she is. She's just sleeping. I have checked her over. No injury. She seems to not have been eating for some time. She's doesn't weight over a pound. Breast is very thin. Mussel mass gone. She recently molted. Fully feathers and look's beautiful, but she's clearly sick. No respetory issues. Craw is full of fluid. Help!

 

[Rickba]

Soak the feed before you give it to her. Make it the consistency of oatmeal. It will make it easier to eat and digest. She will get fluids at the same time. If you have vitamins add them to the feed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like she may have had a near drowning incident. I would keep her warm, about 75-80 degrees F, and have food and water within reach. Place her in a basket or dog crate inside to watch her. She may be sick from something else. How old is she? Has she recently been laying eggs? Does she have runny poops?

 

[Tina Stephenson]

Soak the feed before you give it to her. Make it the consistency of oatmeal. It will make it easier to eat and digest. She will get fluids at the same time. If you have vitamins add them to the feed.

I have done that and gave her yogurt. She's not eating at all. Her craw is full of water and when I massage it the water comes out her mouth. I can also hear it going into her stomach and hear bubble's. I just checked on her and she was sleeping with her head up, almost like she was trying to keep the fluid in. I even put some yogurt on her beak and she didn't try to eat it. As a matter of fact some is still on her beak. I don't know what to do for her but wait and see if she digest the fluid. If she's still alive n the morning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

who suddenly became listless and not walking, standing. Was somewhat ok this morning, but some how managed to get into the horse water barrel this morning and has been sitting all day sense I got her out.

She seems to not have been eating for some time. She's doesn't weight over a pound. Breast is very thin. Mussel mass gone.

Craw is full of fluid.

Her craw is full of water and when I massage it the water comes out her mouth.

Hi @Tina Stephenson Welcome To BYC
Can you post some photos of her?
Can you take her to a vet?
How old is she?
If she is of laying age - when was the last time she laid an egg?
Is she pooping - what does that look like?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

Having a crop full of water - is she pooping at all, any sour smell to her breath? I would not try to make her eat anything until you get the crop cleared - it's dangerous to vomit her, but if water is coming up every time you massage the crop, your risking aspiration anyway. Crop issues can be symptom of an underlying cause like worms, coccidiosis, internal laying/reproductive disorders and infection. Here's a good article on crop issues http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[Tina Stephenson]

Hi @Tina Stephenson Welcome To BYC
Can you post some photos of her?
Can you take her to a vet?
How old is she?
If she is of laying age - when was the last time she laid an egg?
Is she pooping - what does that look like?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

Having a crop full of water - is she pooping at all, any sour smell to her breath? I would not try to make her eat anything until you get the crop cleared - it's dangerous to vomit her, but if water is coming up every time you massage the crop, your risking aspiration anyway. Crop issues can be symptom of an underlying cause like worms, coccidiosis, internal laying/reproductive disorders and infection. Here's a good article on crop issues http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

She died that night and I had another one die this evening of the same issues.




Well I lost another hen just a little while ago. Same situation. Noticed yesterday she was all puffed up and inactive. I have had a very busy week and didn't have time yesterday to get to her. She was on the roost last night somewhere in the flock, but had to leave so closed them up and left. This morning she came out all puffed up again so I took her in and isolated her and put heat lamp on her. She clearly hasn't been eating or drinking just like the other on. She walked very slowly...like took her an hour to go 4'. Her abdomen was no swollen, but very hard on both sides and had list alot of weight just like the one last week. When I finished working around 2 I started working on her. Started with warm water bath and massageing her hard abdomen. She passed some gas. Did this for about 10 minutes or longer. Wrapped her up in towels and put her int a smaller cage in a bathroom in the barn with heat lamp and heater while I got her some baby food and water with probiotics. Wrapped her back up and feed her with a syringe and water with eye dropper. She ate the whole container of baby prune's and drank a little water. Seemed to perk up a bit. She stood in the cage in front of the heater until she finally sat down around 6:30. Tried to feed her a little more, but she didn't want to swallow to much so I didn't force it. Packed up all my equipment and bundled her up again and headed for the house in a warm car mind u. Pulled into the garage she started struggling and gasping for air and began to die. Im sure at that point she was choking. Some of the food she had eaten was coming up and her poo released.
I did watch her yesterday the 2 times I was in the chicken area. These r free range chicken's BTW and houses r kept clean with plenty of fresh bedding at all times. The only poo she released yesterday and this morning was the white with very little urine. This hen was 3. An australope. Has always weighed around 7-8 pounds. I called UK diagnosis lab at 4:45 but they had already left for the day to find out where to send her if she died. Left a message for her to call me tomorrow. I have to find out what is going on with my bird's. I have 70 and really don't want to have to kill them if there is a big problem. Have 20 new ones I have not introduced yet. Just moved them into one of the houses last weekend. Cleaned and disinfected first. Hopefully I can get a handle on this. Have not noticed any others showing any problems. Checked them all tonight.

Any ideas??

Thanks. Tina

Tina Stephenson
Show quoted text

 

[Tina Stephenson]

Well I lost another hen just a little while ago. Same situation. Noticed yesterday she was all puffed up and inactive. I have had a very busy week and didn't have time yesterday to get to her. She was on the roost last night somewhere in the flock, but had to leave so closed them up and left. This morning she came out all puffed up again so I took her in and isolated her and put heat lamp on her. She clearly hasn't been eating or drinking just like the other on. She walked very slowly...like took her an hour to go 4'. Her abdomen was no swollen, but very hard on both sides and had list alot of weight just like the one last week. When I finished working around 2 I started working on her. Started with warm water bath and massageing her hard abdomen. She passed some gas. Did this for about 10 minutes or longer. Wrapped her up in towels and put her int a smaller cage in a bathroom in the barn with heat lamp and heater while I got her some baby food and water with probiotics. Wrapped her back up and feed her with a syringe and water with eye dropper. She ate the whole container of baby prune's and drank a little water. Seemed to perk up a bit. She stood in the cage in front of the heater until she finally sat down around 6:30. Tried to feed her a little more, but she didn't want to swallow to much so I didn't force it. Packed up all my equipment and bundled her up again and headed for the house in a warm car mind u. Pulled into the garage she started struggling and gasping for air and began to die. Im sure at that point she was choking. Some of the food she had eaten was coming up and her poo released.
I did watch her yesterday the 2 times I was in the chicken area. These r free range chicken's BTW and houses r kept clean with plenty of fresh bedding at all times. The only poo she released yesterday and this morning was the white with very little urine. This hen was 3. An australope. Has always weighed around 7-8 pounds. I called UK diagnosis lab at 4:45 but they had already left for the day to find out where to send her if she died. Left a message for her to call me tomorrow. I have to find out what is going on with my bird's. I have 70 and really don't want to have to kill them if there is a big problem. Have 20 new ones I have not introduced yet. Just moved them into one of the houses last weekend. Cleaned and disinfected first. Hopefully I can get a handle on this. Have not noticed any others showing any problems. Checked them all tonight.

Any ideas??

Thanks. Tina

Tina Stephenson
Show quoted text

The next last week die that night.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

It's good that you have the UK diagnosis lab, if you haven't done so, refrigerate (don't freeze) her body, this will help preserve her until you can get to them when they open.

Without testing/necropsy there is no way to know for sure what's happening, but just a guess from your description, the first thing that comes to mind is an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Salpingitis, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer or tumors.
If you find anything out, please let us know.