pullet limping open mouth breathing

[hogster160]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
EE pullet, 22 weeks old. I haven't noticed her feeling lighter, she is one of the bigger pullets, seems normal weight to me.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
I found her laying in the bedding of coop, she didn't want to walk, I picked her up to stand her up and she limped. Then went to laying down again. Both wings spread out to her side. She is also breathing fast, opened mouth, then breathes normal with mouth closes. Comb and wattles red, she is alert and talking. She will let me pick her up, but prefers I don't. I kept her in the coop while I went inside to set up the dog crate, when I came back out to get her she was outside laying by the food.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Just this morning

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None that I can see or feel

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
They went to bed like normal, closed in their coop.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She is eating FF made from Nutrena Nature Wise Grower/layer I am mixing the two foods to transition to full layer. I have given her a bowl of Nutrena nature wise grower crumble dry and put bowls of water and grit in there for her. She is eating small bites at a time, but I haven't seen her drinking yet. I did dip my finger in the water and put it to her beak. She did drink that.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
She has pooped in the dog crate, normal firm brownish poop with white end

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Brought her inside, in a dog kennel, with pine shavings, food dry crumble Nutrena nature wise grower, water with electrolytes

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?

I would like to treat her myself, however, if it is beyond what I can do, she will be going to a vet

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

I will take a picture of her on my ipad and post pic.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

8x12 elevated walk in coop with pine shavings. 15 pullets

 

[hogster160]

 

[hogster160]

Update: She is still just sitting, no walking. No longer eating or drinking. Tried giving her the FF, she snubbed her nose at it. Tried watermelon, took 2 small bites. Won't take any water at all. Anyone have any ideas? Please?

 

[realsis]

Is her crop empty?or emptying? How long ago has she laid. Did you do a vent exam? Can you feel an egg? Is her abdomen swollen or hot? Is she straining like she wants to lay? Does she just go back to the nest when you take her out?

 

[hogster160]

She actually hasn't started laying yet. Her crop was empty this morning, she did eat an scrambled egg and a couple nibbles of watermelon just about an hour ago. Her vent is pale in color, but clean no swelling or protrusion. She is limping in her left leg he uses it very little, just really scooting around in the kennel

 

[ten chicks]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
EE pullet, 22 weeks old. I haven't noticed her feeling lighter, she is one of the bigger pullets, seems normal weight to me.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
I found her laying in the bedding of coop, she didn't want to walk, I picked her up to stand her up and she limped. Then went to laying down again. Both wings spread out to her side. She is also breathing fast, opened mouth, then breathes normal with mouth closes. Comb and wattles red, she is alert and talking. She will let me pick her up, but prefers I don't. I kept her in the coop while I went inside to set up the dog crate, when I came back out to get her she was outside laying by the food.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Just this morning

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None that I can see or feel

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
They went to bed like normal, closed in their coop.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She is eating FF made from Nutrena Nature Wise Grower/layer I am mixing the two foods to transition to full layer. I have given her a bowl of Nutrena nature wise grower crumble dry and put bowls of water and grit in there for her. She is eating small bites at a time, but I haven't seen her drinking yet. I did dip my finger in the water and put it to her beak. She did drink that.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
She has pooped in the dog crate, normal firm brownish poop with white end

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Brought her inside, in a dog kennel, with pine shavings, food dry crumble Nutrena nature wise grower, water with electrolytes

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?

I would like to treat her myself, however, if it is beyond what I can do, she will be going to a vet

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

I will take a picture of her on my ipad and post pic.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

8x12 elevated walk in coop with pine shavings. 15 pullets

What is the temperature? Some of her symptoms indicate heat stress,panting,wings spread out ,lethargic. They could be indications of something else,but this is what i immediately thought.

 

[hogster160]

its currently 84 was around 88 at highest temp today. She did eat another piece of watermelon for me. Her crop is not completely full, but I can tell there is something in it. Her first 3 poops today were all formed, brown/green with white ends on them. This last one was on the runny side, but still the same color. She did get up to try and walk when she had this last poop. More of a stumble to really, just not using that left leg much at all. I keep trying to give her a few bites of her ff. She also has grit in there if she needs it. I'm also giving her a few drops of water from a dropper at the tip of her beak, but she has yet to drink it herself yet from her bowl.

I'm gonna keep her inside tonight and see how she does.

I want to thank you for taking the time to reply. I am a new chicken mom, and this is the first problem I've run into. Thank you both for your time. Hopefully, she will pull through the night just fine and be better in the morning.

Deb

 

[ten chicks]

its currently 84 was around 88 at highest temp today. She did eat another piece of watermelon for me. Her crop is not completely full, but I can tell there is something in it. Her first 3 poops today were all formed, brown/green with white ends on them. This last one was on the runny side, but still the same color. She did get up to try and walk when she had this last poop. More of a stumble to really, just not using that left leg much at all. I keep trying to give her a few bites of her ff. She also has grit in there if she needs it. I'm also giving her a few drops of water from a dropper at the tip of her beak, but she has yet to drink it herself yet from her bowl.

I'm gonna keep her inside tonight and see how she does.

I want to thank you for taking the time to reply. I am a new chicken mom, and this is the first problem I've run into. Thank you both for your time. Hopefully, she will pull through the night just fine and be better in the morning.

Deb

Yes,just watch for heat stroke/stress. Chickens do not handle heat well. Chickens body temp is around 104-107 degrees Fahrenheit,if their body temp. reaches close to 113 degrees and up,they are in danger of heat stroke. Chickens do not have any sweat glands,they rely on their respiratory system to cool themselves down,that is why they pant,spread out wings,etc. It is a good idea to keep pails of cool(NOT COLD) water,in the event a chicken goes into heat stroke,immediately submerge them in cool water(up to neck)this could save their lives. There are several you can do to help chickens cope with hot weather,some are frozen water bottles/milk jugs(placed in coops and nest boxes),frozen watermelon/other fruit(which you already are doing)fans,hose coop down during day to cool everything down,some chickens like to get their feet wet,a small child's pool with just enough water for feet to get wet will work.

 

[hogster160]

Well, she is currently in the house with ac and is comfy. Still breathing with mouth open some. I am off to the store to get Vit b, polyvisol (with no iron) Calcium tablets and nutridrench. Her toes are now curling. I've read here that that is a sign of vitamin def. Hopefully this will help.

Thanks again for all the info!

Deb

 

[hogster160]

Just wanted to update. This bird is the same, has had no change. However, I now have 2 other birds who have changes in their eyes. I will post pictures later today. So I am now suspecting Mericks Disease.

The vitamins really seam to make little change. I tried to rule out Rickets, and think I have ruled it out. So I will continue with just the B complex and stop all others.

Deb