Need assistance with a lethargic ill chicken. Possibly respiratory problems, Wry Neck or something else?

[Persony Person]

I tried to give her some corn in a tub to see if she would eat it on her own. She didn't eat any and ever since she has been like this. Head shaking, resting her head on her body and staring at the ceiling. Becoming less responsive to outside stimuli.

 

[JDChickChat]

I tried to give her some corn in a tub to see if she would eat it on her own. She didn't eat any and ever since she has been like this. Head shaking, resting her head on her body and staring at the ceiling. Becoming less responsive to outside stimuli.

I'm so sorry you're little babe is not feeling well. I can't give any advice but sending love and prayers from NJ!

 

[Persony Person]

I can't possibly be the first person on this site that has had a chicken exhibiting these symptoms and behaviours. All I am doing is speculating what it could be from what I have been reading on other threads and generic online advice that vets have put to the public, but nothing I have read seems to be exactly what she is exhibiting, only bits and pieces.

It would put my mind to rest knowing what she could have and if there is something I can realistically do about it (Other than giving her electrolytes). Despite my long words and complex sentences, my experience in helping sick chickens is very limited. Here are her symptoms and behaviours:

- Lethargy, eyes closing and neck drooping (Not "dropping") to the floor.
- Body shaking, wincing in pain.
- Unpredictable and uncontrollable head shaking, intensified when she is stressed. Recently just resting her head on her body and staring at the ceiling (As shown in the Day 5 of illness video).
- She drinks a lot on her own but does not eat. She sometimes misses the water drinker when attempting to do so, meaning limited self control.
- Loss of balance and difficulty moving, occasionally moving in circles (Dizziness?)
- Green and pale yellow (Banana milkshake colour) foamy poo
- Her symptoms are NOT contagious.
- She is absolutely terrified of us and will not accept being fed when picked up and has to be forced.
- Her responses to outside stimuli such as my presence, lights, other chickens around her is diminishing.

Does ANYBODY have ANY idea what these symptoms could indicate?

 

[aart]

My parents who refused to let her see a vet, who have significantly more experience than I do and are responsible for the care of our chickens, don't seem to care, which only adds to the aggravation.

I don't like to dispute or interfere in a parent /child issue.
But they pay the bills, and it's hard to find a vet who could truly address this situation.
Testing for various disease would be expensive and often are untreatable.

Could it be signs of a sudden neurological condition?

That would be my guess....or she ate something toxic.

When I have a bird that is acting off I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

If you want to try to force water her, read this first:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Here are several threads about tube feeding by @casportpony :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...itle_only]=1&c[users]=casportpony&o=relevance

Not many here really know how to treat such a seriously mysterious ailment.
..and they may all be on holiday vacations.
Personally, I would put bird out of it's misery.

 

[casportpony]

To me, her poop looks like she is dehydrated, which I would expect since all sick chickens are usually at least mildly dehydrated. If she were mine I would place her in a warm house, get her warmed up, then tube feed Pedialyte or Gatorade at the rate of 14 ml per pound if her crop is clear or mostly clear. Wait 60-90 minutes and repeat, then repeat again in 2-4 hours. Doing this should drastically improve the look of her poop. If it doesn't, I would suspect some sort of infection. I would also give her some vitamin b complex for cattle and a vitamin E capsule in case this problem is from a vitamin deficiency.

 

[Persony Person]

I don't like to dispute or interfere in a parent /child issue.
But they pay the bills, and it's hard to find a vet who could truly address this situation.
Testing for various disease would be expensive and often are untreatable.

I totally understand the financial side of it, that was not was I was annoyed about. When they are sitting there drunk out of their minds with the excuses "Chickens die all the time" and "It's her time" without even bothering to even look at her. They didn't even know her name or how old she was, all while claiming to have "25 years of chicken keeping experience",so you can't blame me for making the conclusion that they don't care. It is less relevant now though, since I had to re-educate them, w/e.

When I have a bird that is acting off I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

I have been observing her closely for the past 5 days. When we do pick her up, she very rarely stays still enough for us to examine her, but from what we gathered, her crop is normal and has no internal or external parasites present. No worms in her poo or mites on her body. Her vent is a mess from all the diarrhoea. We didn't check her underside though, so we will try that next.

She is ok for water I think, since she is drinking much more than the other chickens from electrolyte water. That tube feeding looks difficult and dangerous if done incorrectly. Not ideal for someone with unsteady hands and totally inexperienced like me. I will stick with syringe feeding for now.

A crate like that could come in handy in the future though. Thanks for suggesting it.

Personally, I would put bird out of it's misery.

Stupid Head 4 is very important to me. I will not euthanize her unless her condition really is neurological and is unrecoverable. Right now she is still going and there has not been enough time gone to determine if she is beyond healing. It looked bad on days 2 and 3, improved slightly day 4 but starting to worsen again day 5.

 

[Persony Person]

To me, her poop looks like she is dehydrated, which I would expect since all sick chickens are usually at least mildly dehydrated. If she were mine I would place her in a warm house, get her warmed up, then tube feed Pedialyte or Gatorade at the rate of 14 ml per pound if her crop is clear or mostly clear. Wait 60-90 minutes and repeat, then repeat again in 2-4 hours. Doing this should drastically improve the look of her poop. If it doesn't, I would suspect some sort of infection. I would also give her some vitamin b complex for cattle and a vitamin E capsule in case this problem is from a vitamin deficiency.

She has a high temperature already. I am not sure putting her in an even warmer environment will be beneficial for her. Unless there is a good medical reason for doing so?

Apart that and the tube feeding part (She will resist too hard), I will take your suggestion tomorrow and see how it pans out. Thanks.

 

[jolenesdad]

I totally understand the financial side of it, that was not was I was annoyed about. When they are sitting there drunk out of their minds with the excuses "Chickens die all the time" and "It's her time" without even bothering to even look at her. They didn't even know her name or how old she was, all while claiming to have "25 years of chicken keeping experience",so you can't blame me for making the conclusion that they don't care. It is less relevant now though, since I had to re-educate them, w/e.



I have been observing her closely for the past 5 days. When we do pick her up, she very rarely stays still enough for us to examine her, but from what we gathered, her crop is normal and has no internal or external parasites present. No worms in her poo or mites on her body. Her vent is a mess from all the diarrhoea. We didn't check her underside though, so we will try that next.

She is ok for water I think, since she is drinking much more than the other chickens from electrolyte water. That tube feeding looks difficult and dangerous if done incorrectly. Not ideal for someone with unsteady hands and totally inexperienced like me. I will stick with syringe feeding for now.

A crate like that could come in handy in the future though. Thanks for suggesting it.


Stupid Head 4 is very important to me. I will not euthanize her unless her condition really is neurological and is unrecoverable. Right now she is still going and there has not been enough time gone to determine if she is beyond healing. It looked bad on days 2 and 3, improved slightly day 4 but starting to worsen again day 5.

I agree with all the comments that have been shared here, and would also just define you have really three things that could be going on here:

toxicity
Vitamin deficiency
Neurological issues

Neurological issues can be genetic, result of toxicity, infection or parasite related, or injury.

I think @casportpony means a temperature controlled environment, more specifically where she can’t get cold.

I would supplement the vitamins specifically as casportpony mentioned, a direct dose of b vitamins (complex) and e should tell you if it’s related to a deficiency.

it would be rare but it could be a parasite issue, do they free range?

 

[casportpony]

She has a high temperature already.

How do you know?

I am not sure putting her in an even warmer environment will be beneficial for her. Unless there is a good medical reason for doing so?

Most sick birds are hypothermic, especially if they are dehydrated, which she is.

Apart that and the tube feeding part (She will resist too hard), I will take your suggestion tomorrow and see how it pans out. Thanks.

A sick bird needs no less than 5% of its weight in fluids each day. How much does she weigh? That's another thing you should do, weigh daily. None of them like being tube fed, but by not tube feeding I am afraid she is slowly dying of dehydration and starvation.

 

[casportpony]

I think @casportpony means a temperature controlled environment, more specifically where she can’t get cold.

Yes, this. Regardless of her current body temperature, she really does need to be inside.