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Please help, sick chicken and I don't know what to do!

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by kwestley, Jan 8, 2014.

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  1. Jan 8, 2014 #1
    kwestley

    kwestley In the Brooder

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    Apr 14, 2013
    I have a brahma that is about 8 months old. She is not laying yet. Around Thanksgiving, I noticed that she stopped roosting at night and just stand quietly on one of the corners. I thought she was sick but she seemed to be ok. I posted her issue awhile ago, and the responses I had was because of her breed, they stop flying high due to their big body. So I thought that was the issue!!
    Well, the last couple days, she stopped going back inside the coop. So for the last couple nights, I brought her inside the coop, except last night. The temp last night was around 24 F! When I found her this morning, she looked very weak and couldn't walk! I brought her inside again and separate her with other chickens. I put her on pine shaving bed and put water and food next to her and also a heat lamp! She didn't seem to be interested in eating or drinking! Is she dying? What should I do next?
     

  4. Jan 8, 2014 #2
    circesfire

    circesfire Chirping

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    Is she pooping normally? What have you offered her to eat? You could always try something more tasty (egg yolk, meal worms) to see if that would tempt her into eating. Is she showing any other symptoms?
     
  6. Jan 8, 2014 #3
    Eggcessive

    Eggcessive Free Ranging Premium Member

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    She may well be dying, but it could be a number of things. Could she be laying internally? Any diarrhea and what color? Is she standing around puffed up (the sick chicken stance?) Can you examine her crop in morning for any signs of sour crop or crop impaction? Look at her skin all over and under the vent for mites or lice/eggs. You can check inside her vent with a lubed finger for a stuck egg. Feel of her to check if she has lost a lot of weight. Check her vent to see if it is clean or messy. Offer her electrolytes/gatorade/pedialyte and vitamins in her water, plus scrambled eggs for protein. A piece of aquarium tubing plus a 35-60 cc regular tipped syringe can function as a tube feeding device. Here is a link on tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2014

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