My dakota chick

[AZUR]

I have had my chickens now for about 2 years. I do fairly well treating them when things come up. I have one that was perfectly fine named Dakota but about a week ago she would not go into the coop at night so I made her get in, then in the morning would not come out. So I then examined her, She was pretty sick, I separated her right away and started to try and help her to the best of my ability.

I basically had to give her food and water to keep her for dying, she would not eat or drink and a day later I heard congestion when she was breathing and she was so weak. I started with VET RX which helped but not much then moved to the Antibiotic Injections for 6 days that seemed to do the trick after a week I put her back in with the other chickens she looks healthy and seemed ok but she went straight to the coop and got into a nesting box and that is where she stayed none of the other chickens are picking on her or bulling her so I know it is not that.

I thought maybe it was too soon, so I took her back out for two more days and separated her- she is eating and drinking fine in the hospital cage so again I put her back in the coop today, she went right back into that nest and wont come out to eat or anything I checked she is not egg bound. Any thoughts on what is going on with her or what I might be missing here.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Have you tried locking her out of that area for a short while and observing?

 

[AZUR]

I did not lock her out but I did place her out twice it seems like she is afraid of the other hens anytime they come near her ... The rooster tried to round her up all she wanted to do was get away from him and go back into the coop -- this time she went in to the coop but not to the nesting box just inside and stood there for a while and then started closing her eyes like she was going to sleep almost like she was sick all over again but she was perfectly fine in cage for days ... I am puzzled

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

I did not lock her out but I did place her out twice it seems like she is afraid of the other hens anytime they come near her ... The rooster tried to round her up all she wanted to do was get away from him and go back into the coop -- this time she went in to the coop but not to the nesting box just inside and stood there for a while and then started closing her eyes like she was going to sleep almost like she was sick all over again but she was perfectly fine in cage for days ... I am puzzled

Maybe you should try re-introducing her using the look-don't-touch method tomorrow. Or maybe she will be just fine in the morning, who knows? The nest box just sounds like a hidy-hole to me.

 

[AZUR]

Thank YOU - I will see what happens in the morning and how she reacts when we open up the Coop to let them out

 

[AZUR]

after observing her for this week I noticed that she is defiantly afraid of the other chickens - certain ones and as soon as they come near her he runs straight to the coop I have had to make her get out of the coop and even lock her out -the problem with that is the rest of the flock can not get in either. while I stand guard she eats slightly but she is not eating or drinking properly at all and still is not acting at all like a chicken should -- I don't know if this means she is still sick and the other chickens know it but overall she looks ok and I hear no congestion -- her feet are slightly gray though and they were yellow before the illness took place a few weeks back -- my only concern right at the moment is that she is not getting the nutrition and fluids as she needs and the other chickens know she is weak so the may continue to bully her till it is to late - What else can I do to help her yet still be fair to the rest of the flock?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you place her in a wire kennel inside the run so she feels safer, this may help re-introduce her and give her more confidence when you feel it time to let her back full time with the others.

It sounds like she was bullied away from food/water possibly - but you may need to investigate her health more. How old is she? If she is of laying age, when was the last time she laid an egg - does she have any bloat/swelling or feeling of fluid in the abdomen? Does her crop empty overnight? Any mites/lice? Having a fecal float to rule out worms would be a good idea.

Offer poultry vitamins in her water a couple of times a week, see that she is eating her normal feed and give her a little extra protein like egg, tuna, mackerel or meat daily to see if there is any improvement.
Once she had regained her strength and can defend herself, let her back into the general population. If the bullying continues from one particular offender, then separate the bully for several days - preferable out of site of the flock. When you put her back in with the others, she will be worrying about re-establishing herself (hopefully) and have to take a defensive roll. Sometime this works, but depending on how strong of a personality the bully has - she may just go back to the same bad behavior.
Let us know how she's doing.

 

[AZUR]

she is young she had just started laying for about a month before she got sick --at first when I found her sick and separated her, I checked to see if she was egg bound there was and egg in her vent but she eventually laid it since then I have not seen her lay any eggs and checked her just a couple of times, there was no egg that I could feel -is that normal- also when she first Got sick I treated her for worms and I did check for Mites and lice but did not see any - only cause I could not figure out what the - maybe I should treat the could just in case??? I will have to check her Crop and I will certainly try to giver her some more protein. I have made some progress with her by forcing her out among the others and allowing her to eat she is eating in small amounts , I sort of stand guard as she eats and I have had to feed her water with Minerals in it to get her some type of hydration .. this is the second day now I have tried this and she seems to have a little more energy maybe a few more day of this and she will have enough energy to defend herself I really don't see the others being terribly mean to her but I am not standing the all the time -- I could separate her into the small coop I have but that or the hospital cage are the only options I have to separate her --I dont really have a way to amake a sepereated run for her

 

[AZUR]

to make a separate run for her is what the last part of this should read.

 

[AZUR]

today even though I had to make her get out of the coop she actually drank some water on her own and ate while the other chickens were around her -- one backed up and might have stepped on her slightly so she took off for the coop I went in and pushed her out again - when I came back in to give you guys an update --she was still out and about- we are making head way, I will try to up date you guys again tomorrow hopefully with more good new --as for now everyone's advise seems to really be helping her. I THANK YOU ALL!!! I will try to get her to come in and out of the coop on her own next, cause I could be over thinking this but now I want to make sure I do not make her think she is not ever suppose to go into the coop - LOL crazy thoughts I guess. All my other girls are doing well and seem to be a happy flock of chickens..OH and The Rooster (Speckel) is still leading the way !!