My girl is sick

[hgmcgrath]

I have a 7 month old Easter Egger. Today she presented with lethargy, tail down. She won't eat or drink and is now breathing heavily with her tail down. Anyone have any suggestions. I am a new chicken momma and I am so afraid for her. Help!

 

[hwlondon]

I am new to answering anything on here; however, I thought I would answer you because if it is what I think it is you need to act very quickly. She acts like she is egg bound. Look up egg binding and check it out. You can help her but it needs to be done within about 24 hrs or so.

 

[hgmcgrath]

Thank you. I gave her a warm bath and rubbed her vent but didn't feel anything. I dried her off well then I am leaving her quietly in a box in the bathroom to let her relax. I hope I am doing it all right!!! Thanks so much.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you feel inside her vent about an inch with one finger for a stuck egg? Wear a rubber glove. If you feel something, give her a Tums or calcium tablet, or crush some egg shell very finely and feed it to her. Dehydration, lack of calcium, and laying too large of an egg can leas to egg binding. She also may be sick from something else, so check her crop, feel her chest, belly for weight loss, and look at her droppings. Give her electrolytes and vitamins in her water.

 

[hgmcgrath]

Her droppings were small and firm. Her crop is small and hard. Her breathing is very laborious.

I gave her water and poultry nutra-drench with a syringe. She took some.

I have her in a box in a dark bathroom.

Any other suggestions? Thank you all from the bottom
Of my heart.

 

[Eggcessive]

If her crop is full and hard she may have an impacted crop, which can happen after a large clump of long grasses get twisted up in the crop and get stuck. Other causes are large chunks of food, dehydration, or an illness causing a slow or paralyzed crop. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease, since that is something that can affect the crop? Does she have a runny nose, rattles when she breathes, or cough/sneeze? If an impacted crop is the only problem, water to flush out the crop is very important, followed by crop massage. Colace stool softener or doccusate sodium capsules can be given to help move the crop contents along--give 2 of those squirted into the beak. Can you feel an egg inside of her? Here are some links to read about crop impaction:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[hgmcgrath]

I have checked her for an egg impaction this morning again (did it last night too) and can't feel any egg.

I believe she was vaccinated ( I bought her from a feed store)

I massaged her crop and I am giving her Poultry Drench and water with a syringe. She does seem to have a runny nose. Her tail is down, and she won't eat or drink and REALLY struggles to breathe.

She has only pooped twice in 24 hours and one was very runny.

I will try to post a video so you can see her breathing behavior.