newbie with a "sick" chicken

[abooot99]

ok guys, I have a silkie mix hen about 8 months old. She had been laying fine up until recently when she stopped and has now become lethargic. She roosts with the others and sort of sticks with the group but its like she stands in one spot and doesn't move. It started early last week. I was hoping she'd snap out of it or something but she continues to just stand there. She eats a little that I know of as I observed her eat some of the snacks I've sprinkled out in the pen but I haven't seen her do anything else. Haven't seen her poop- its hard to when you have so many. I picked her up and tried to feel for a crop but didn't feel a lump where that would be. Tried to look at the vent and didn't see anything unusual. Not sure what to look for if egg bound. you probably want me to seperate her. I thought about bringing her in the house but I was afraid she'd be cold when brought out again. It is low 30's right now. What do I do?

 

[Mahonri]

You are good.

Yup take her in.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I agree. Take her inside so you can observe her and so she can use her energy to get better.

Have you tried to (gently) feel of her abdomen and see if you feel any hardness there?

You're doing good - checking all the right things.

 

[silkymom]

hello,
i would bring her in, its cold here to, 20s at night,. i keep a big rubbermaid tub in just incase, warm and atention will alot of the time do wonders, then if i have to put em out i use a heat light , red , in the coop and slowly decrease the hours to aclimate back to the cold, get her in and hydrated first, then some food and care, good luck,
silkymom

 

[abooot99]

Ok,
I got her in the house and gave her a warm bath. I felt around while she was soaking and cant say I felt any mass in her belly or around her pelvis? Guessing on chicken anatomy... Her vent felt normal for what I think it should be like and she was squeezing it or puckering when I felt around. She drank some warm bath water
I did feel a full crop but I assume thats normal as others have the full crop too. So, I dried her off and placed her in a rubbermaid next to the wood stove. . I fed her some layer crumbles and string cheese and chopped apple. She appears calm and relaxed. I haven't seen her have a BM in the entire period I've had her in. Its been about an hour and a half possibly.
There is no discharge from her mouth, eyes, nose and she is breathing normally. Doesn't appear to be in distress right now and is just laying in the rubbermaid looking around at things. Her comb is red as usual.

What the hell? Does anyone have any idea what I should do next? I tried looking for anything near the skin like mites or something but didn't see any either. I was thinking of bringing her to the vet but being so nonspecific- Signs/symptoms: hasn't laid an egg in a bit or at least today and yesterday and lethergic- ? stool issue ?parasites...

What do you all think? WE need Dr HOUSE

 

[PunkinPeep]

Just to rule out the crop, i think i would withdraw her feed for the night - just until morning - and check her crop in the morning to make sure it is emptying. If it isn't, then you know where your problem probably lies, and you can move on from there.

Also, if she doesn't poop at all before morning, then you can assume there's a problem in that area - possible an egg blocking things. Whitish runny poop and the absence of normal dry bulky poops is also a possible sign that an egg is blocking up the works.

The first step is diagnosis or elimination of diagnosis.

At least that seems to be the way HOUSE does it.

 

[abooot99]

So, I went out for dinner (took around 1.5 hours)- came back and still no poop. I pulled up the food for the night and I will check the crop in the morning. Good idea.

Ok- Ive got an action plan. Anyone else feel free to voice any other ideas.
Thanks folks.

 

[abooot99]

alright here is an update- Last night she did fine.
This morning I went to check on her and she was ok as well. THEN I walked away for a minute while I took the tea pot off the stove as it was whistling. I hear "gerty" start screaching. My dane was standing over her and sniffing her- a little too close for comfort I suspect. As I went to get my dane out of her face, my german shepherd sprang up from his crate and attacked her. He had her in his mouth and she was squacking and freaking out. I was sure it was over. I got him to let go and then she started mouth breathing. I thought my dog punctured an air sac or something.
I brought her to the vet and there was no obvius wounds besides one wing not being held against her body. They did an xray and found no broken bone. They found that her crop was odd shaped and doughy. He finally reported that she has no broken bones and may as well just have slow crop emptying- the makings for an impacted crop but not serious yet. I was then sent home with pain medication, and orders to feed her mash and just that, the consistancy of ketchup and water.

That was it. She walked away from a dog attack with no injury but possibly a bruised air sac and indigestion. That chicken has 9 lives.

Oh and the fecal sample was negative.

$200 later.... and I have a chicken in a dog crate in my house and me sitting there spoon feeding her her mash. She is probably happy to not have to be outside in this cold weather... Lucky bird.

 

[PunkinPeep]

omg!

I'm so glad she's o.k. While i was reading, i was very concerned that story would end in disaster.

Whew!

Some time spent searching the archives and reading here would probably give you some tips to help her keep that crop moving better and prevent its getting impacted.

So glad she's ok!