Please help

[sbhkma]

I started her on a dewormer about 24 hours ago and put some vitamins in her water, but she seems worse today. She,s just laying there now and I haven't seen her eat or drink all day. I know she ate some of the dewormer yesterday because I saw her eating.

You need to manually feed the dewormer to her, not put it in food or water and hope she eats it. This is especially important for a bird that's off her food & water. It sounds like you might need to start tube feeding this gal. Liquid first. Search for Kathy (casportpony) she has been awesome at helping people learn now to tube feed. Good luck with her!

 

[Shetazzie]

She is eating again. But still isn't getting up.

 

[Shetazzie]

Ok so Turbo's comb is turning pinker and eating some food with water mixed in, but she hasn't really drank anything. I helped her stand up and she has walked around a little. Her tail is drooping I was able to see it better after she stood up.

 

[MeckTheHen]

DE does NOT deworm chickens. It doesn't prevent them and it won't kill them. It helps deter fleas and other external parasites, but if your birds have those, DE will NOT eliminate them. You need an actual dewormer to deworm them. Is this lethargic hen acting off in other ways?
Puffed up, staying away from the others.
Is her crop normal, soft and squishy or hard?
Are you sure she's eating and drinking-have you actually watched her eat and drink?
Look under her wings for parasites. Check around her vent for them too. If she has any, dust all your birds (not with DE but with an effective dusting medicine).
Does she walk normally or sort of off-balance?
Is she limping?

Sorry for all the questions, but it's the best way to try to guess what might be wrong.

DE does NOT deworm chickens. It doesn't prevent them and it won't kill them. It helps deter fleas and other external parasites, but if your birds have those, DE will NOT eliminate them. You need an actual dewormer to deworm them. Is this lethargic hen acting off in other ways?
Puffed up, staying away from the others.
Is her crop normal, soft and squishy or hard?
Are you sure she's eating and drinking-have you actually watched her eat and drink?
Look under her wings for parasites. Check around her vent for them too. If she has any, dust all your birds (not with DE but with an effective dusting medicine).
Does she walk normally or sort of off-balance?
Is she limping?

Sorry for all the questions, but it's the best way to try to guess what might be wrong.

Hi Sbhkma, you talk about walking sort of off-balance; what is this a symptom of? I have a hen who's been laying soft-shelled eggs for a few days now, pale comb, so not 100%. She also trots along "sort of off balance" as you mentioned. I'm adding calcium to her food and am busy deworming the flock, but was wondering what this other walking symptom could mean.

Thanks

 

[sbhkma]

Ok so Turbo's comb is turning pinker and eating some food with water mixed in, but she hasn't really drank anything. I helped her stand up and she has walked around a little. Her tail is drooping I was able to see it better after she stood up.

It's more important to get fluid into her than food. If she's not drinking you need to either learn to tube her, or at the very least take a syringe with water and drip some in her beak several times a day. Tubing is by far the better way to go, as you can get a LOT more fluid into her. As with all living things, she can live a lot longer without food than she can without water. Has she been dewormed? Is she breathing "funny"? How are her eyes-bright or dull-pupils look normal or odd-shaped?

 

[sbhkma]

Meck- a bird walking off balance can be a sign of lots of different things, from an ear infection, to an injured leg or foot to a bump on the head to something more serious. Adding calcium is a good call on your part. Combined with the soft shell eggs the calcium may very well help clear it up. Are you adding vitamins to her water as well? Particularly B vitamins, as from what I've learned that can affect a whole plethora of chicken health areas. Keep an eye on her and see if it clears up with the calcium and vitamins and let us know how your hen's doing!

 

[Shetazzie]

sbhkma- How much water should I be giving her? I am giving her fluids with a syringe. What amount of water should I be giving her? The feed shop just said a min of 1cc per hour.

 

[casportpony]

sbhkma- How much water should I be giving her? I am giving her fluids with a syringe. What amount of water should I be giving her? The feed shop just said a min of 1cc per hour.

The amount I give is no less than 30ml per 2.2 pounds every 6-8 hours. Can you get a tube?

-Kathy

 

[Shetazzie]

I am not really comfortable with tube feeding. She eats on her own and is taking the liquid fine right now with the syringe and I don't mind sitting there giving it to her. I am trying to find my scale to weigh her.

 

[casportpony]

I am not really comfortable with tube feeding. She eats on her own and is taking the liquid fine right now with the syringe and I don't mind sitting there giving it to her. I am trying to find my scale to weigh her.

I guarantee you tubing is safer, more effective and way less stressful to both the bird and the owner. Find your scale, weigh her and if she loses *any* weight you should tube. At her age she should be gaining daily, not losing or staying the same. I'm available by phone or PM to guide you through the process. FWIW, I taught two teenagers how to do it using the tube from their toilet tank and that bird made a complete recovery and even made it to Fair.

-Kathy