Please help! Sick silkie and seems to be progressing quick! What should I do?

[ten chicks]

I really dont know anymore. I think we are both giving up and I dont think i should be poking and bugging her as I think she is reaching the end. She did seem to get weaker right after I gave her each injection though. She isnt wobbling and losing control of her body as much now that she is so weak, she is laying there still most the time so I will just leave her be so that she is comfortable for the remainder of her time left.

Yes,there comes the time when you have to decide if enough is enough. She is weak from not eating,and i still have a suspicion that there are crop issues. I know how frustrating and heartbreaking it is to watch a beloved pet waste away and not being able to help them. I have not had any issues yet with my chickens ,but have had issues with other pets,staying up for a week,24 hours a day,syringe feeding food/water(don't know what i would do without baby pablum,miracle food) every couple hours,animal did pull through but that was probably b/c i refused to let him die and my sheer will. I truly hope she finds the strength and will to pull through,my thoughts are with you.

 

[theacw]

Thanks for all your guys support.

I am with you Ten Chicks about refusing to let an animal die if there is even the SLIGHTEST chance, even if its hopeless I will do it all. I mean, I have syringe fed goldfish before. Haha.

She has perked up a little bit. For awhile she was so weak laying there limp, I had my hand on her praying she would just die peacefully. I believe in prayer so now that she has perked up, I will continue to syringe feed her baby food and water. I stopped all medications. I will trust the 48 hour rule or at least find comfort in it so I dont feel guilty for not doing anything for her. I want to keep fighting this and at the same time I feel I have her in "hospice care". Either way, she is getting lots of love and comfort from me

I am just so frustrated because I took this week of work and came home (this is all at my parents) to enjoy the last week of summer and the day after I get home, she starts showing symptoms and now I have to go back Monday. Agh. Some vacation....

 

[theacw]

Gah, its hard to know how to go about this. She has gained energy through out the day. Before she was so limp and when I would try to even put water in her mouth there was no response... it would just pour back out. Now, I cant believe how much baby food she has gotten in her (syringe of course) but she was taking it like a champ. I guess I will just continue feeding her as long as she is willing. She has taken in way more food just tonight than she has any other day. I wish I would have done baby food from the beginning.

She still has a hard time controlling her body which is the hardest part to watch. She does much better when I am with her and I can put weight on her back with my hand to calm her when she goes into her outbursts. I started putting a heavy object on her when I am not around and that seems to help her stay relaxed longer. Not heavy to the point where she cant escape it though and it isnt hurting her.

Dang, shes a fighter. I dont know if that is a good thing or not at this point...

 

[Nutcase]

Theacw, I admire your persistence so much! You're doing great!

It's good to hear that she's still eating food. She really is a fighter.

 

[suebee]

How is she today?

 

[theacw]

She was doing pretty rough, I was out at the lake and asked my dad to check on her and he culled her.

Im just sick about it because I dont know how humanely it was done but what can you do. I miss her already!

RIP baby girl

 

[suebee]

Please be comforted by the fact that you did everything possible to help her and she's free from her misery. You both tried your hardest to overcome this mysterious illness but sometimes it just doesn't happen. It's so devastating to lose a chicken, I know that many times over. She was so lucky to have such a caring "mommy." So sorry you lost her.

 

[Nutcase]

So sorry for your loss. You did everything you could and I admire you for it. I know what losing a chicken is like

sometimes these things happen.
Thinking of you

 

[HudokFarm]

So sorry for your loss, but what a blessing your dad gave you in removing the additional trauma of a drawn out process. Sometimes it is the kindest thing, if not the easiest. Are you going to send her in for necropsy to see what was wrong? Or was there nowhere near to you for testing?

 

[casportpony]

So sorry for your loss, but what a blessing your dad gave you in removing the additional trauma of a drawn out process. Sometimes it is the kindest thing, if not the easiest. Are you going to send her in for necropsy to see what was wrong? Or was there nowhere near to you for testing?

Doesn't have to be near... Most labs will let you use their FedEx number to ship them.

-Kathy