Looking after sick chicken for family

[norn93]

I'm hopeful for some advice with a sick chicken. Dad just dropped it off for the weekend, and I'm not sure what it needs.
1) She's a 3 year old Isa Brown, she's maybe feeling a bit lighter than she usually does.
2) One eye is sometimes open, the other is closed. I haven't tried to open it. Pretty bad scales on the legs, including a little blood. Head scans left or right, or rolls, or up or down, kind of like the inner ear is messing with her balance.
3) Symptoms for a few days. Apparently she's in slightly better condition than she was yesterday, in terms of responsiveness and overall health.
4) She and other birds have had scaley feet in the past, historically treated with antiseptic cream and petrol, but I don't know of any other chickens having problems at the moment.
5) Some blood visible near a small wound on her leg, probably connected to the scaley feet.
6) No idea what has happened to cause any of this. She was dropped off a couple hour ago.
7) She has been drinking today and yesterday, with help. I haven't seen her eat in the 2 hours she's been here.
8) Runny poop, last pooped yesterday as far as I know.
9) In terms of treatment, so far, her legs have been dipped in coconut oil every day. She has been isolated from the rest in a cardboard box, which is in my house now (other birds are back at my folks place, being looked after by neighbours)
10 ) Intention is to either treat the bird myself, or take to a vet if recommended. Not sure exactly what to do, so I'm seeking advice.
11) 2 photos attached of closed eye and legs. Oil is matting her feathers in the legs photo.
12) Currently on straw/hay in a cardboard box with the top open, and some food and water in bowls in front of her.

 

[norn93]

Little update: the white of the closed eye is more of a pink, so she definitely has her eye closed for a reason. Her overall condition is the same after the first 24 hours.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

@casportpony

 

[Nyhillbillies]

@Tookie

 

[Nyhillbillies]

@Wyorp Rock

 

[Tookie]

Do you know when the last time she laid an egg was?
Check her crop early in the morning before she eats or drinks anything and see if its empty.
Any bloating in the abdomen? (Abdomen is located underneath the vent in between the legs)
She does have scaly leg mites, for treatment you can just smother her legs in vaseline. Here's an article about SLM.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/treating-scaly-leg-mites-slm-what-you-need-to-know.77376/
About her head movement, could you get a video, upload it to youtube, and post the link here?

 

[norn93]

I don't know when she last laid an egg, no. She certainly didn't lay one in the last 48 hours.

OK. I will do that tomorrow, but I think it's fair to assume that it is empty. I haven't seen evidence of her eating anything in the last 36 hours or so.

Couldn't detect any bloating in the abdomen, feeling around where you described.

I've been dunking/lathering in coconut oil, is this a fair substitute?

Here's a video of the head movement, being hosted on PeerTube: 2022-10-29: Unwell chicken. It's relatively mild in this video, but sometimes causes her head to roll, or pitch, rather than yaw as illustrated.

EDIT: The water on the cardboard in the video was tipped out from her bowl by accident.

 

[Tookie]

I don't know when she last laid an egg, no. She certainly didn't lay one in the last 48 hours.

OK. I will do that tomorrow, but I think it's fair to assume that it is empty. I haven't seen evidence of her eating anything in the last 36 hours or so.

Couldn't detect any bloating in the abdomen, feeling around where you described.

I've been dunking/lathering in coconut oil, is this a fair substitute?

Here's a video of the head movement, being hosted on PeerTube: 2022-10-29: Unwell chicken. It's relatively mild in this video, but sometimes causes her head to roll, or pitch, rather than yaw as illustrated.

EDIT: The water on the cardboard in the video was tipped out from her bowl by accident.

The coconut oil should work, although vaseline smothers more.
The head movement might be normal, but It could be neurological.
Since she's not eating and drinking you'll need to tube feed her or use a syringe.
Do you have any Nutri-Drench or some sort of energy drink?
Do you have any chicken feed?
If you have any Nutri-Drench I would give it to her directly in her mouth. If you have some sort of energy drink I would give her some. For chicken feed mix with water until you can suck it up in the syringe.
I'm going to assume you don't have anything for tube feeding, so you'll have to use a syringe, which hopefully you'll have.
When syringing food or water in the mouth put the syringe on the right side of her mouth. If you don't she could aspirate, which would not be good.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

3 year old Isa Brown

Pretty bad scales on the legs, including a little blood. Head scans left or right, or rolls, or up or down, kind of like the inner ear

Little update: the white of the closed eye is more of a pink, so she definitely has her eye closed for a reason. Her overall condition is the same after the first 24 hours.

Poor thing!

Her crop looks very full. Check to make sure it's emptying overnight. If it's not, then I would address that symptom by following this article. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If you think something is wrong with her eye, then it would be wise to rinse with a bit of saline, then try to open it and look for pus/debris, but to me she has both eyes closed and looks to be very ill. Most hens that are very unwell will keep their eyes closed.

Work on hydration, taking care she doesn't aspirate. Here's how to syringe or tube fluids. If her crop is not emptying and it is fluid filled, then take extra care. Try to get her to drink on her own by holding a shallow cup to her beak.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/

Encourage her to eat if possible. A wet soupy feed or some egg.
You are probably in the UK? Nettex Nutri Drops can be found at some pet shops, these are vitamins that can be given for a boost - they may help.

Do look in her ears for any infection, mites or pus. The head movement does look like a neurological tick, but it could be she's just really ill too.

Scaly Leg Mites, continue to treat those and do check her body for lice/mites as well - look around the vent, under the wings, etc.

She's a production hen, so sometimes reproductive disorders can be common. But it would be good to get a stool sample to take to your vet to make sure that worms are not contributing to her decline as well.

 

[norn93]

Firstly, thank you both very much for all the help that you have provided so far. I really appreciate it. This community is so giving and knowledgeable.

We have been syringing a milk/flour mix into her beak, on the right hand side as described, probably gave her around 20cc total today. We tried with the chicken feed after soaking and mashing, but we couldn't get it into the syringe. Hoping that there's enough water and food in there to keep her stable. Let me know if this is the wrong thing to be doing. Will try adding some egg tomorrow also otherwise.

The crop feels totally empty. My wife has some experience with crops, and she says that it is empty. I worry that maybe she hasn't been eating for quite a long time, she is feeling very frail.

She opens her left eye when we are feeding her and I have seen her also open her right today when she was feeling a bit uncomfortable with the handling etc. Haven't seen any pus/debris in either. Will rinse her right with saline tomorrow. She definitely prefers to keep them closed, and has some trouble standing sometimes. I'd be keeping my eyes closed too, if I were her.

We will also try getting her to drink/eat a bit on her own tomorrow. She has shown little interest so far, but will sometimes have a little sip if her beak is dipped.

The head movement has probably lessened. I will check her ears more closely tomorrow, but I haven't seen anything obvious so far.

Have continued to use coconut oil on her legs, their condition seems to be improving. My wife also spotted a small amount of mites in/around her feathers also, but not bad at all. Will dust her later on, depending on how her condition goes.

OK, will try to get a stool sample tomorrow also, she will probably drop at least something tomorrow after that milk and flour.

I am in Western Australia, actually. A little town called Albany.