Please help.

[VitChickens]

One of the girls is dehydrated and thin, comb is shrunken, poor feather quality-head/neck. I have isolated her. I have also gotten samples and checked for mites/lice, and that was negative. Any thoughts... I have a son who is very attached to his chickens. Please help.

 

[theoldchick]

Have you checked a fecal sample for parasites? Otherwise keep her isolated, weigh her, and monitor the amount of food she is eating. There are so many reasons why a chicken will go down hill like this. Bacterial/viral infection along with organ failure are a few things to investigate. A veterinary consult is always recommended as they can check for internal parasites, do bloodwork and radiographs to pinpoint what is wrong with her.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Is she molting? She has pin feathers coming in. I would try to get her eating some scrambled egg, tuna, wet chicken feed, and if you have some Poultry NutriDrench, given her 2 ml daily for a few days. It would be good to worm her with Valbazen.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Assuming that the he cost of a vet is prohibitive even IF you can find one who can treat your little hen, perhaps try to give her some Pedialyte.

When they're not really eating or dy, their electrolytes can get out if whack & then their little systems just go downhill.

I'd also recommend some baby bird formula for nourishment. Maybe some others will be able to offer some additional help. Isolating her and babying her a lot will help.

 

[VitChickens]

I will take a fecal sample tomorrow, now that she is in isolation(the shower, not the first shower chicken) I will be able to know it’s hers. If she has something I will be able to treat the other girls too. There are 8, 4 road island reds and 4 brown leg horns. She will be a year in March. Happy to eat when I put her in the shower, so I’m hopeful, but very thin and dehydrated.

 

[VitChickens]

I can get some pedialyte for her thank you! Hoping the “hospital ward (shower)” and some extra care will help.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Hoping that all she needs is a little TLC & that she bounces back quickly.

 

[YES House Chickens]

Vet may offer a broad spectrum antibiotic then wait and see. They did help my one bird. Chick may have worms. Put a heat source near the chick they may be unable to keep warm this can further stress them. Are you giving it gravel along with food so they can properly digest food. Get frozen peas corn carrots mix. Warm them before you offer them to her. Fresh fruits and fresh water too. Do you offer city chlorinated water? Try only spring water.. Make her feed into a warm wet mash feed just enough for about 12 hours. I sprinkle CHICK GRIT on what ever i give her to eat but the eggs. Slowly she has gained a little.. I put a few drops of Apple Cider Vineger with red pepper in it for bad bacteria in her body. .05ml per quart. This helps with worms too. Every other day or so give it Rooster Booster Vitamin and Electrolite suppliment added to water. I give a teeny tiny bit in a in quart jar of water. Dip your damp finger tip in Vitamin powder then dip finger in quart jar with you chicks water. Chick should have it available to drink freely. I change water daily. I take a 1 ml sized syringe of this treated water and drip it down beak toward beaks end. They will then swallow it. If you have to.. give it by open mouth. I do 1.5ml total every 5 hours or so but not over nite. I give my girl one egg uncooked well stirred room temp never cold right out of fridge. I hope these things help.