My black australorp hasn't moved in days :(

[Napa Valley Chick]

Hi! My 5 year old black australorp is very ill, and I can't figure out what is wrong with her. She had been lethargic on Tuesday, but was still moving around. As the week has gone on, she has gotten progressively worse - and the last two nights she won't even go into the coop at night. I don't think she is drinking water, and definitely isn't eating.

She is just laying down in a little burrow she made for herself and sleeping most of the day. She shakes her head a lot, but that's about it. I'm not sure if there is anything we can do for her. Any ideas?

 

[chicknmania]

Yes. Have you ever dewormed her or the flock? She needs to be in a warm place, preferably something like a rabbit cage or a dog or cat crate or carrier with shavings or towels and a heater panel or warm room, or a small pen with shavings or sawdust, where she can be warm and have some privacy but still can hear and see her friends. They do need to be warm. Get someone to help you and have one person hold her while the other one can gently pry her beak open so you can look in her mouth and down her throat with a flashlight. Look for whitish or yellow lesions in her mouth and throat. If she has bad breath that's another clue. Check her crop to see if it is empty or full, I would assume it's probably empty, but possibly not. Check her ears to see if you see any crusty matter or anything unusual. Does she have diarrhea or any kind of discharge?

She could have: Worms, ear infection, Canker, crop issues, lice or mites, or a respiratory infection, (to name a few things) for starters. Once she is showing symptoms like you describe, she is very ill and requires emergency care on your part. Don't delay. Chickens hide symptoms until they are very ill. Once you have her settled in a hospital pen, give her some time and then see if you can coax her to eat or drink. Applesauce is tempting for sick chickens, I mix it with their crumbles But anything they will eat, especially stuff like bread crumbs soaked in buttermilk or water, minced frui or tomato, chopped grapes (another favorite), oatmeal, yogurt, scrambled egg.

If you can get a fecal sample from her, see if your vet will do a fecal float for you, which will help you narrow down whether or not if could be worms or coccidiosis. It's not an expensive test. If you can't do that, write back with what you see after examining her.

If she won't eat, you can try carefully sipnoning in some water or apple juice, or apple sauce, into the side of her beak being very careful. You can also tube feed them, but I prefer not to do this, as I feel it is stressful for the bird. Still, sometimes it is necessary. See if she will eat on her own first. But she won't when she's out with the flock, she's cold and stressed and sick.

Keep us posted!

 

[azygous]

Have you picked her up and tried to examine her? That would be a start. But I need to warn you that by letting her go this long without trying to do something, her chances of recovering from whatever ails her is greatly reduced.

I do a top to bottom exam, starting with ears, eyes (discharge or bubbles), pry open mouth and examine throat (gummy lesions?), tongue, and look at beak holes for discharge.

Move down to the crop (pouch on chest slightly to her right side) Is it full in spite of her not eating? If so, does it feel full of liquid? Or full of hard lumps? Check it again first thing in the morning before she drinks or eats.

Check between her legs for swelling. Is there a soft bulge just behind her legs? Or a hard lump? What does her vent look like? Is there a discharge? Watery? Poopy? What color?

When was the last time she laid an egg? Was it normal? Shell-less?
Thin shell? Any weird shape to it? Wrinkling of the shell?

Feet and legs. Any swelling? How about the condition of her scales? Lifting up or smooth and close to the leg? Any injuries to the feet that look infected?

Have you had any mysterious deaths in your flock in the past few years? What has you weather been? Warm and moist?

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she is dying. You may find lice or mites on ner if she has not been dust bathing from lack of energy. Lice eggs form clumps at the base of feathers, and you will see tiny bugs. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty, full, doughy, hard, or puffy. What are her droppings like? I would bring her inside in a basket, and examine her. Offer electrolyte water, NutriDrench, or sugar water if you have it. I discovered a hen of mine in the same condition 2 days ago and she is dying. I am going to put her down in the morning so that she doesn’t suffer.

 

[micstrachan]

It sounds like she is dying. You may find lice or mites on ner if she has not been dust bathing from lack of energy. Lice eggs form clumps at the base of feathers, and you will see tiny bugs. Feel of her crop to see if it is empty, full, doughy, hard, or puffy. What are her droppings like? I would bring her inside in a basket, and examine her. Offer electrolyte water, NutriDrench, or sugar water if you have it. I discovered a hen of mine in the same condition 2 days ago and she is dying. I am going to put her down in the morning so that she doesn’t suffer.

I’m sorry.

 

[micstrachan]

@Napa Valley Chick is this hen still with us? First and foremost, I would get her warm. After letting her warm up, I would offer her water followed by warm, wet feed. If she won’t drink water on her own, you can put drips of water, one at a time, on her beak and see if she will swallow them. This is just a start. Please let us know how she is. I saved a hen who was starving herself by bringing her inside, warming her up, and offering warm, soupy baby bird formula, which she gobbled up.

 

[Napa Valley Chick]

She is still with us - but barely. If she makes it through the night we will put her down in the morning. Poor sweet thing.

 

[That_australian_lad]

pics

 

[micstrachan]

She is still with us - but barely. If she makes it through the night we will put her down in the morning. Poor sweet thing.

I’m so sorry. Is she inside where it’s warm?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I am so sorry about your hen. It doesn’t sound like there’s much you can do, but maybe move her to a warm place so she can be comfortable in her last few hours.