Listless, dying hen

[srcarucci]

I have a 6 month old ee hen who has been sick for five days now. Found her Thursday am in the coop in the roost bars but not moving much. I thought maybe she was getting ready to lay her first egg but she got worse so I brought her in as it's very cold out. She's not eating or drinking. I've been hand feeding her water and a tiny bit of soaked feed. I tried Corid but there has been no blood in the droppings. Her droppings are white, with some yellow and green. No worms that I can see. She's getting worse so I decided to try Tylan oral today. Got her to drink some out of a blunt syringe. She's not showing any signs of a respiratory problem. Just quietly fading away. I've had chickens for many years and this is a new one for me. Don't know if I should give the rest of the flock Tylan, just in case. Please help. Trying to figure out what to do for Red (she's separated) and for the rest of the flock. Thank you!

 

[azygous]

This could be anything. So what we do here is to try to rule out the most common and likely causes. I begin with crop disorders. You need to check her crop and judge what it feels like - full, squishy, lumpy, how about an odor of sauerkraut coming from her head?

To confirm a crop disorder, you need to feel the crop first thing in the morning before she eats or drinks or you put anything into her. A full crop in the morning, chicken keeper take warning. (I couldn't resist that, sorry!)

Then we get to the possibilities of toxins. Has she been free ranging where there are machinery leaking fluids onto the soil? Have there been any insecticides used in the vicinity of the chickens? Feed dampened by moisture and started to mold? Compost pile where spoiled food has been tossed?

As far as treatment, only chickens showing symptoms of illness should get antibiotics. But if this is a neurotoxin reaction, it's going to be a tough one.

 

[srcarucci]

Her crop seems fine but I have been soaking feed and did get some mold. I threw it out but maybe she got some of that. Any treatment if that's the case? thanks so much for replying.

 

[azygous]

I would do a molasses flush. Do you know how to tube a sick chicken? That's the best way to get it into the crop. Use one teaspoon of molasses to a fourth cup of warm water.

I would continue the Tylan, too.

 

[srcarucci]

Thank you. I don't know how to tube her, but I do have a blunt syringe I've been using to get water and medicine into her. She's pretty far gone today, but I am trying what I can to at least keep her comfortable for now.

 

[azygous]

If you can get the syringe targeted to her right side of her throat, you will miss the airway which is at the center of the throat. With a tube to fit the syringe, it's easy to slide the tube down the esophagus and you would then be able to administer food water and meds in a very efficient manner. It's very easy once you learn.

 

[srcarucci]

Thank you so much for your help. She didn't make it. We have a local livestock mobile vet and I had her out (I usually treat things myself) Red passed away mid exam but they're sending her to UC Davis to find out exactly what was wrong. Vet thought an infection too.

 

[azygous]

That's so sad you lost her so quickly. Please let us know what the necropsy reveals. It's how we all learn about chicken diseases and are better able to make sick chickens well having a bit more information than we did before.

 

[HeyHo]

So sorry to hear about Red....

 

[micstrachan]

Awww... I’m so sorry. Please share the necropsy results with us.