On Wednesday, we brought our bantam "Cubby" (7 months old) to the house because the fluff below her vent was caked up in poop to the point that the eggs were gross and we cleaned her off. She was completely dry when we put her back in the coop Wednesday night. At that point she was laying, acting fine, no problems whatsoever. Yesterday, Cubby layed in a nesting box for about 3 hours but didn't lay a thing. She's not an everyday layer (just about) but always when she's in the box she lays an egg. So we thought this was a little out of the blue for her but we weren't too concerned. We believe she was eating and drinking normally, and that night she slept with her other girls like usual. This morning, she didn't leave the coop. Every morning we open the door to the run and they all come running out. She's acting lethargic, and it's like she's napping and will wake up every few minutes and then go back to napping again. It's been pretty cold here this past week and upon touch she's freezing but she wasn't shaking. We found her this morning sitting by the waterer (where she was doing her constant nap/awake behavior) and when she'd wake she'd drink. It wasn't until a little later we realized that the water was actually frozen and my first concern was that maybe she's dehydrated because we aren't sure how long that water has been frozen. I watched her drink three times and now I realize she couldn't but was trying to. We immediately got the ice out and we were able to encourage her to drink. Not a ton though. Also, her crop is full already this morning and when you touch it you can actually feel the food crumbles (Purina Layena- haven't changed food). It feels soft and not fluid-like or a bubble at all. I've read about sour crop, impacted crop, egg bound, broody, and I just don't know. She's not broody for sure. We really don't think it's sour or impacted crop. She hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary. She entusiastically ate a hardboiled egg Wednesday night. Is it possible to give them too much scratch and that could be the reason? Would they still lay if they had an impacted crop? Is it possible that maybe she's dehydrated and that's why she's acting this way and was attempting to drink so much this morning? Does anyone have experience with eggbound and had these similar symptoms? I feel like napping every few minutes should be a big symptom of whatever she has! We literally would put her down and she wouldn't move but go right to "sleep." Please, please help. (I'm sorry this was so long I'm just so concerned for her. Of course she's our favorite). I'm afraid to treat her for something she doesn't have and possibly traumatize her even more if it's something simple that she could solve on her own.
I hope someone jumps in here who can help you. For a start you can bring her in and put a heat lamp on her. Is she eating and drinking on her own? Maybe give her some water with electrolytes, too. Keep us posted, and again, I hope someone else jumps in here for you!
I'm probably not going to be much help, but I am having problems with sick chickens and rooster, he was near death, and it happened all of a sudden. While researching and asking questions on here I read where someone said "do not give a bath". The first thing to do when one gets sick, they say, is to isolate them in a very warm dry quiet place. If they are not eating or drinking, you need to give them electrolytes in water, mainly, when one is hurt or sick, they need heat, because they can kindof go into shock if they're hurt, and will need heat, and if they're sick, they need heat, out of draft area. All the tips I got on here have literally saved my rooster and my sick pullet would have been dead by now if I hadn't isolated them and put heat on them.
Oh yea, if they are not drinking, you will need to feed them the electrolyte water with a syringe (w/o needle), or a dropper or something like that. But be careful about how you do it. You have to do a very little at a time, and give them plenty of time to swallow. They said it is very easy to drown a chicken this way, if you're not careful, but I've been doing this successfully now for a over a week. Giving mine Apple Cider Vinegar electrolytes and antibiotics mixed with water in their syringe because mine is a respiratory problem. If you don't have electrolytes, just give her water for now. It is important to keep her from getting dehydrated, so keep her hydrated so she can recover. Also I was told to give them special treats. This person told me that when hers are sick and won't eat anytings she cooks them some rice or some scrambled eggs or boiled egg, cause they will eat this when they won't eat anything else. Mine likes spagetti strings. Good Luck
I agree if you can get some heat on her but dont over heat either. Ive read that dehydration can have some serious effects she may be trying to warm herself by sleeping/conserving her body heat my hens do it quite often, as far as impacted crop my experiance is they will still lay but you will notice thin rubbery shells or none as they dont get the nutes to make the shell and will stay away from the others like most sick animals do they will eat normally with an impacted crop but youll notice weight loss, lethargy and other signs as they are slowly starving from not getting enough nutes in their system i recently lost a hen to this it is very hard to correct not trying to worry you more but ifought this tooth and nail and lost in the end. One of the signs for crop is the snake head twisting of the neck like trying to adjust its pretty unmistakeable. Could just be the temps if not used to it or chilled from the bath let us know good luck!!!
Thank you all so so much for your responses. We think it was dehydration. We brought her to the house that morning and kept her in a dog carrier with access to food and water. She drank a ton all day! By that night we put her back in the coop with her sisters and by the next day she was absolutely fine. It was just the strangest thing! But I really appreciate you taking the time to offer your ideas and suggestions!
