Please Help! I think I am about to lose my pullet

[LaurasLorps]

I have an 8 month old barred rock pullet who has taken a turn for the worse. She has always been small for her size and hasn't laid an egg yet, but over the last week she has really started wasting away. She is very lightweight and I can feel her breastbone very distinctly. Her comb is blackish and droopy. She looks alert and seems interested in what is going on around her, but has very little energy to move around. Her poo is mostly runny.

I brought her in yesterday and got her to eat some crumbles that I had moistened with water. She also drank a TON of water. I have noticed that in the past week she has been doing a lot more drinking than eating. That seemed to perk her up a little. Then, this morning, she seemed weaker than ever. Again, she is drinking plenty of water, but today isn't interested in eating the moist crumbles or scrambled egg.

Last night, she "vomited" a tiny bit of liquid. I felt her crop and it was very big and squishy, so I thought she might have sour crop (she doesn't smell though). I decided to feel her crop again this morning before I took action. This morning, her crop was small again and seems to have emptied normally. I just checked her crop again, and it is still very small. I can hardly feel it at all.

I have never wormed her. Should I try that next?

Also, last week, a dog got into my yard and killed several of my chickens. The pullet that is now sick was scared, but physically unharmed. Is it possible that the stress of the dog has caused her to stop eating?

Is there anything that I should try and feed her to give her some energy/weight? Is it bad that she is drinking so much water? I'd love to hear any suggestions you have because I have tried everything I can think of!

 

[Karhog]

Hi- I aso have an unwell chook that I am struggling to get to eat.
I would just say try and tempt her with anything at this stage. Scrambled egg, maggots (live ones are especially good if there may be a problem with her crop and as many as you can get her to eat) warm mash- soak her pellets in hot water to reduce to a mush- they usually love that.
Sugar water will keep her energy levels up and encorage her to eat-If mine are really under the weather add poultry spice to the water or a drop of a childs vitamin (without the Iron)
The fact that she is so thirsty indicates she may be running a temperature- If she is not right in the next day or so a visit to the vet for some Anti Biotics as she may have some sort of infection.

 

[LaurasLorps]

will the vitamins or some electrolytes in the water help break her fever? Thanks for your help!

 

[Karhog]

I would say it depend on whats causing her fever- If she has an infection she will probably need Anti biotics . Hope she is better soon