No idea...

[Ragnar]

Hey all, I have a bird that I noticed the other day was just standing under the coop sleeping, I touched her and startled her like she never even knew I was around, even thought all the other birds were getting treats, which is very abnormal. She appears to be falling asleep and can’t hold her head up or eyes open. She looks like I feel when I have the flu. Her eyelids are very odd looking as well. She only moves around if I make her, which was only one time. I don’t know if she’s eating or drinking, crop feels empty. I don’t see any sort of discharge. Felt her belly, felt ok I guess and she didn’t flinch or tense up at all. Do I start antibiotics? Anything I should look for? She seems to not be able to stay awake or something.

 

[Wezdin]

Hi, sorry to hear about your hen, how old is she? I would give her some nutri drench and inspect her for lice or mites. That eyelid seems a bit weird to me but i don't know if it is a problem or not.

 

[Matzwd]

She looks pretty sick. Is a vet an option? Did you feel between her legs and check her vent? Could be parasites too, anything really. Poor girl. If she's that lethargic, she probably isn't eating. Try isolating her and giving her scrambled eggs.

 

[Ragnar]

She looks pretty sick. Is a vet an option? Did you feel between her legs and check her vent? Could be parasites too, anything really. Poor girl. If she's that lethargic, she probably isn't eating. Try isolating her and giving her scrambled eggs.

She looks pretty sick. Is a vet an option? Did you feel between her legs and check her vent? Could be parasites too, anything really. Poor girl. If she's that lethargic, she probably isn't eating. Try isolating her and giving her scrambled eggs.

A vet isn’t really an option unfortunately. Thanks for the advice, I’ll try this for now and see how she does. I felt around her belly for hard masses or inflammation, seemed ok to me, I didn’t feel anything abnormal.

 

[Ragnar]

Hi, sorry to hear about your hen, how old is she? I would give her some nutri drench and inspect her for lice or mites. That eyelid seems a bit weird to me but i don't know if it is a problem or not.

I don’t know how old she is, she was given to us as an older bird, I don’t think she is laying though. The eye thing was weird to me too, nobody else looks sick. She just looks like she feels like dookie.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I don’t know how old she is, she was given to us as an older bird, I don’t think she is laying though. The eye thing was weird to me too, nobody else looks sick. She just looks like she feels like dookie.

If it's a simple problem nutridrench can really help and is relatively inexpensive (under 15.00). Found in the poultry section of most farm and feed stores. Rooster booster is also good. Both just go in water and a drop right on the beak to get her started.

Try to entice her with some scrambled eggs, no salt or pepper but I cook mine in butter which has a little salt. You might need to encourage her to drink and eat.

Does she like being held?

 

[Ragnar]

Well, she’s still alive, but still sick. No other birds have developed anything so has to be something exclusive to her I guess. Depressing not having any idea what to do. Going to start to give her baths tonight. She doesn’t seem to mind being held. I noticed one other thing, she seems to high step as if she doesn’t know what’s in front of her.

 

[frostic]

Well, she’s still alive, but still sick. No other birds have developed anything so has to be something exclusive to her I guess. Depressing not having any idea what to do. Going to start to give her baths tonight. She doesn’t seem to mind being held. I noticed one other thing, she seems to high step as if she doesn’t know what’s in front of her.

My chicken was acting like this last summer. she would sit in 1 spot and would high step like she was a crane. it looked odd. well someone here told me to cool her off. my chicken was over heating making her act this way because i was giving her corn on the cob as a treat and they said it was not good in high heat to feed her corn... get her chilled down a bit. some chickens can be really stressed in heat. id take her inside your house a few days in colder enviorment and see how she responds. is she responds to it and gets better she can't take the heat, what i do is spray down their coop with water on super hot days then put a sprinkler to keep it wet and cooler.

 

[hugitnotnugget]

A vet isn’t really an option unfortunately. Thanks for the advice, I’ll try this for now and see how she does. I felt around her belly for hard masses or inflammation, seemed ok to me, I didn’t feel anything abnormal.

Oh no! it’s horrible when they get sick and you don’t know what it is. Watch for the color of the poop. Mine was like this with bright green poop. She recovered eventually with antibiotics. I would try the nutri-drench. There is also a hydro hen that would be good to add too. If she isn’t drinking you can put some drops right into her mouth so she gets nutrients. Keep checking for swelling. Sometimes it’s their heart. There isn’t much you can do than but keep them comfortable until they go. I have learned to always expect the unexpected with chickens. I have seen very sick chickens make full recoveries and I have seen very healthy chickens suddenly die. All you can do is stay in the fight for them and hope for the best.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed the other day was just standing under the coop sleeping, I touched her and startled her like she never even knew I was around

appears to be falling asleep and can’t hold her head up or eyes open. She looks like I feel when I have the flu. Her eyelids are very odd looking as well. She only moves around if I make her

I don’t know if she’s eating or drinking, crop feels empty.

Well, she’s still alive, but still sick. No other birds have developed anything so has to be something exclusive to her I guess. Depressing not having any idea what to do. Going to start to give her baths tonight. She doesn’t seem to mind being held. I noticed one other thing, she seems to high step as if she doesn’t know what’s in front of her.

Does she have any mucous from the nostrils or bubbles in the eyes? Do you hear any wheezing, sneezing or coughing?
Have you looked inside the beak for any plaques, lesions or canker?
Any sour or stinky breath?
When is the last time she laid an egg?
Any bloat/swelling or fluid in the abdomen?

Her eyes do look odd, can you get a closer photo of those?
A video of her walking? Upload video to youtube or similar platform, provide us a link.

I would bring her in, observe her, see if she can see or follow a treat in your hand, I wonder if she is having vision problems, eye infection or the high stepping can also be crop issue (is she bumping her crop with her high step? I know that's odd, but it is a thing).
Try to get her hydrated. Electrolytes or vitamins in the water if you have them. Once she's drinking, then offer her a little wet feed, see if she will eat.
While you are examining her, check feet (bottoms too), inside of beak, for lice/mites, etc.
Photos of her poop may be helpful too.

Let us know how she's doing.