my chicken cannot keep her head up

[iluvchiks]

i let the chickens out to run around and noticed one very weak. She cannot keep her head up which means she cannot eat or drink. She also cannot stand. I gave her water with an eye dropper and she would eat watermelon but nothing else. She is a 7 mth old leghorn and layed an egg today. The other 5 hens are fine. i seperated her from the others. She looks terrible and i hate to see her suffer. Help.

 

[ldutch123]

Try feeding her some scrambled eggs. See if she will eat. How was she acting earlier?

 

[ldutch123]

I ask because I have a hen who suffered from severe dehydration and couldn't walk but she would lay down and eat and drink what I gave her.let me see if I can find my post about it and see if you think the information matches what you are having happen

 

[leadwolf1]

How hot has it been where you are? I agree that it could be heat related. Can you get some poly vi sol vitamins into her.....5mls and some electrolytes? Bring her in where it is cool?

 

[iluvchiks]

This morning they all looked good.

 

[leadwolf1]

It doesn't take long for heat to take a toll on them.

 

[iluvchiks]

it did get over 100 today. They are in the shade and water was available. They are drinking almost 2 gallons a day or so it seems. What can i give her that i may have readily available at home. I am very new at this. THanks for all the input.

 

[ldutch123]

Last night I found one of my 6 month old ee's laying on the nest box with her head propped up on roost.
A little history is these 4 girls were slowly introduced over the last month to my laying girls and they are sharing the coop with them. I noticed that they never leave the coop so each evening I would bring them outside to the grass and range where they have access to but won't go. They are so scared of everything.
Temps have been in the 90's all week.
I assumed they wouldn't let themselves stArve to death so I let myself not be so controlling and said ok they will find a time to eat and drink. But now I'm worried they just won't.
Last night I took her out of the coop and brought her inside in a dog carrier. She drank a ton of water and soon after that wanted to eat BUT SHE CAN'T walk. He feet grip my finger but she can't hold herself up.
Today she seems a little more alert and tries to pull herself up but still having trouble.
Is this dehydration and how long before she is better?
Treatments so far is sav a chick in the water. She has been eating a lot of wetted food and grit and oyster shell. She is making normal noises and seems very alert. She remains inside because the heat isn't budging. I also went ahead and moved the other 3 girls back to the bantam tophat coop they were raised as chicks in. There are less birds in there and no traffic at the food and water.
?? Advice would be helpful. Anyone have experience with dehydration

If this seems the same I brought her inside and gave her electrolytes and eggs and so on. It has been 3 weeks and she has lost some function in her legs maybe for good I'm not sure.

 

[iluvchiks]

She's been in the house for the last 6 hrs and hasn't gotten any better. I inspected her body and didn't find anything unusual.

 

[iluvchiks]

I'm going to try an egg but her head stays flopped to one side like she is too weak to keep it up. She might let me feed her, I will certainly give it a try.