Polish Chicken acting drunk ~she lost her fight today

[GopherBoyFarms]

As I have read more about it I think this might be it. Also one of the perches got knocked down (fat butt rooster did it) and that was about the time Snowball started acting funny. She might have gotten hit on the head when the perch fell.

Another thing is when I pick her up she kicks her feet like she is stying to swim. She isnt holding her head sideways or anything or tucking her head. But the going backwards thing and falling over are the main symptoms.

She has eaten scrambled eggs, and drinks water if I help her with it.

I guess tomorrow I will be going to get some vitamins.

 

[sammi]

do check out the link to dlhunicorn's article..

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

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I did check it out, and I am going to do what I can. She is still with us today, and I am almost sure it was some kind of head, neck, or back injury. It makes me cry, I put her on the floor to see how she acts, and she just flops around. It's so pittiful and sad. I wrap her in a towel so she wont hurt herself and give her viatamin water dribbled down her beak out of a bottle. She wouldnt take any scrambled egg this morning. I am thinking I might have to put her down.......this is killing me. I told DH today we will sell the brooder cuz I dont want anymore chickens. I will care for the ones we have the best I can but it always seems like theres something or someone hurt or sick, or something wrong. Maybe I was wrong to make them as pets, I used to hate birds, I was scared to death of chickens, now I am sitting here bawling my head off cuz I dont think I can fix this pretty little chicken.

sorry kinda went off there for a moment....
I cant sit and hold her all day long. and I cant let her out of the pet taxi, if I give her to much light she flops around, so I have to keep her in a dim area. This is no kind of life. I will spend most the day trying to make her better, and see how it goes, and do all I can for her....thanks for your help.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

I cant get her to eat anything, but is drinking vitamin water.
I noticed it looks like her tail feathers are broken, or falling out? I am wondering now if maybe the rooster broke her back? it this possible and be causing her going backwards. She now sits completely on her butt and feet way out infront of her.

So far all the other chickens are acting fine (as fine as chickens can act)

when DH gets home I will see if I can ge thim to hold Snowball while I look at her tail feathers more closely and see if I can tell if they are broken and if I can see any sign of injury there.

 

[FisherMOM]

aww.. so sorry to hear she isnt better. :aww

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

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thanks. It's just breaking my heart. I want to just carry her around with me...she seems happy if I do that.

I am going to get DH now and hopefully then I can examine her more and maybe sit outside with her.

 

[dlhunicorn]

when the symptoms are that bad it is truly best to give the prednisone and follow the treatment as laid out in alan stanfords article for head injury... you can find that here:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

You really should get some baby parrot formula (this is a powder you add water to...you can make it up to any thickness though you must be careful if you are having to feed it directly in beak...you only want to give enough that it can swallow on its own > birds do not have the flap to close off the entrance to the lungs ... same applies if you are helping it to drink >add electrolytes to water to ensure it does not get dehydrated)
The vitamin E/selenium combo pill (many walmarts and such have this >just ensure the selenium content per tab does not exceed 50 MICROgrams) is ideal...just p r c k op and squeeze out contents into beak... the general supplement like aviacharge 2000 can be added to the feed (many birds refuse to drink water with added supplements to it)

 

[patienceprudencecharity]

I think that sometimes when we feel as upset as you are it can be important to pay attention to those feelings. Maybe your heart is telling you that this situation is more than you can deal with on your own and how serious it is. It sounds like you really need support and help right now in this painful situation.

Could you take her to the vet to find out if this is a euthanasia situation, or if there is something you can do to relieve her suffering?

My heart goes out to both you and your little friend.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

Snowball and I just went out and sat in the yard. She eat a little nible of bread and drank some more vitamin electrolyte water. I had to trim the feathers off from around her vent cuz of the way she is sitting now, when she pooped it just stuck all over her butt area so I trimmed it up a little after cleaning her off. Her poop looked normal but small...lots of white, but most the girls are pooping like that from time to time...I am guessing it's cuz they are getting close to laying?

Tomorrow I will go on a search for the baby parrot formula and I printed the list of vitamins I need to get for her.

thanks everyone! no one in this house seems to understnd why I am so upset. maybe cuz I am the one that feeds them and takes care of them and everyone else just thinks the chickens are a neat idea...dont know if they realize they are acctually animals.

 

[BJ]

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I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL!! (Been there...done that)

Hang in there...do your best with her and we will see how things look in the morning!!