My chicken is ill, please help?!

[Katonah]

Hi,

We have five chickens and lately one of them (she looks like a leghorn, but i wasnt with my dad when he bought her so im not so sure) has become lethargic and isn't eating or drinking. We have checked and covered them all for mites and worms, and have checked her again for them.
She was out in the rain yesterday, and wasn't moving, which is when we noticed she was lethargic. I took her into the chicken coop, and she's not moved since when I put her in there, and all the other chickens are fine and out in the sun/wind.
I moved her into a cat travel basket and she's now in my house, I'm having to force her some water, because I put it there but she just isn't interested.
Her chest bone is REALLY promenant, and she can hardly stand up.. When she does it's like a penguin standing. Her comb is going purple on the ends, and she just will not eat. :/
As I said, I am making her drink water (though I am not sure on how much, so when she finishes this little square, how much should I give her?)
I tried giving her corn, and when she noticed it, she tried to eat it, but couldnt peck at it enough, we don't have any watermelon, or grapes etc. she won't even eat bread.

Can somebody please help me, I love my chicken and I don't know what's wrong or what I can do.

Thank you so much in advance!

Katonah.

 

[marandam5]

I'm going through the same thing with my hen,minus the purple comb.Have you wormed her?What does her poop look like?
How does her crop feel?

 

[Katonah]

My mum said she has diarrohea, and I really have no idea how to check a chickens crop, what would it look like normall, and where is it etc? I know her chest area is boney and she has little feathers on her underbelly, but she usually does have very few there.

Her skin is dry - which is why I thought she was dehydrated. It's so difficult to try and make her eat, do you know what I could try and feed her, and how?
I'm sorry about your chicken, it's so hard when you don't know what's wrong with them.

 

[Gargoyle]

the "chest bone" is the keel, and if that's prominent it means she's skinny, undernourished. The crop is the area under the throat where they store the food they eat, and then slowly digest it- the crop normally gets full as the day goes on and empties overnight. If it's impacted, gently massaging it helps.

Anyway, try feeding her some scrambled eggs or a bit of cooked soft oatmeal, she needs to get some food. Also add electrolytes to the water, and in general it's always good to put a tablespoon or two of unfiltered ACV (apple cider vinegar) per gallon of drinking water.

 

[Katonah]

Oh! Thank you so much.
I'll go and make her some scrambled egg now, and see if she'll eat it. I know it's a really stupid question.. But should I leave it to go cold before she eats it? I'll tell my mum about the ACV, can we buy it from shops or just pet shops?
Thank you again for the hasty reply, I really appreciate it.

 

[Katonah]

She is eating it slowly, thank you! Would it be wise to keep her in the house overnight, or back in the chicken coop with the others?

 

[Gargoyle]

I'd keep her separate, in the house tonight, keep her in a calm, dark place. A lot of people get the Braggs brand of ACV at grocery stores.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

As far as getting the ACV. This is what you want to look for.






It's suggested to use one T. per gallon of water. I hope she gets to feeling better really soon. I'm wondering if you had checked her crop.

Here is a chart of the anatomy of a chicken.