Pullet in A Coma!!

[Arosie]

I went to the barn this morning and one of my 3-4 week old Color Pack pullets was on the floor of the coop lying there as if dead. It looked like one of the month-old turkey poults smothered her. I picked her up to dispose of her and we realized she was still alive. She was breathing very infrequently. I brought her inside and put her under the heat lamp and now she's breathing regularly. She won't wake up though! Every once in awhile she moves her head or other body parts slightly. Have any of you seen a chicken in a coma before and if so, what did you do? How do I wake her up? Thank you for any advice!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your pullet. I would continue to keep her warm and watch for movement. If she appears more alert and seems able to swallow, allow her to drink on her own by holding water. Dip her beak and let her swallow. Let us know how she gets along. Do you need to separate the chicks and poults? Pictures of your brooder may help.

 

[Arosie]

Here she is inside. I keep the chicks in the house until they start growing a bunch of feathers and then I transfer them to my barn coop with the other baby birds (chicks, guinea keets and turkey poults). There are a couple heat lamps in there and there's more room for them to run around So far they have been fine and have had no problems with smothering or anything like it. They all seem to get along fine and the plan was to move the meat turkeys out into a different pen once my little Cornish chicks are ready to go into a pen with the turkeys. But my other pen isn't ready yet.

 

[Arosie]

It died now. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am sorry for your loss. Make sure that your chicks are in a large enough brooder, and a round one or blocking off corners of a square one can help so that no others are smothered. It does happen now and then. I hope that all of your others do well.

 

[Lor]

Poor thing. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Arosie]

She wasn't in a corner when she got smothered, but thank you! I hope all the rest do fine.