My elderly chicken is acting very poorly :(

[raewhitewolf]

Yeah I'm not sure how old she is, I have no way of knowing, she was rescued, I think she is old because in the last year her eyes have started to look a bit more droopey.

She actually got up and came outside yesterday afternoon and sat in the sun for awhile, she managed to eat some spinach leaves I held for her.
Even though I have checked her for mites a few times and not seen any yesterday when she was sitting in the sun I saw on run across her face, so I'm going to clean out their cage and give everything a good dusting with mite powder as soon as it stops raining.

I will try and give her something with some vitamins in to give her a bit of a boost perhaps, I don't see her drinking though so maube I'll make her some wet mushy food and see if she'll take it.

 

[raewhitewolf]

So yesterday afternoon when I checked her over and tried to get her to eat a little I found her abdomen was quite rigid.
I gave her a warm soaking and massaged her abdomen in case it was egg bind, but she didn't pass anything.

Today I have given her another soak but her abdomen feels like it's full of fluid, I can't feel an egg up there, I guess it could be ascites?
I sure as hell hope not, I love that one legged fool.

Her poop is also very green, she does eat a little, but I can't get her to drink much. She is still alert and in good colour, but doesn't want to walk around, just goes off to a dark corner and lays down.

I think I will give her a dose of oil tomorrow, I don't have castor oil, will olive oil be allright?
if she doesn't manage to pass anything I think I will have to concede and take her to a vet.

 

[raewhitewolf]

My apologies for taking so long to update this, to be honest I was very sad about it for awhile.
And thank you to everyone who took the time to give advice, I am very grateful.


Well I finally managed to track down an avian vet, and took my hoppy in.
He took a sample of the fluid in her abdomen and concluded right away that the prognosis was quite grim, most likely a tumor, and that she had most likely been masking her illness for as long as she could, since being the dominant female she would not want to show illness and lose her standing.

Basically I had to have her put down then and there.
She fought hard even then though, and it took three times the usual dose before she stopped fighting and went to sleep....she always was a fighter.
Ah it still upsets me thinking about it, so I will leave it there.

Thanks again for all your help everyone.