RIR Acting Lethargic - Please help

[Starburst]

She’s also not making any noise now, except for this occasional odd sound - kind of like a wheezing cackle...it’s hard to explain.

 

[Eggcessive]

It can be hard to know exactly what is happening to her, but reproductive infections such as egg yolk peritonitis, salpingitis, or ascites are very common. It sounds like she may be going downhill fast, and if you lose her, I would either do a home necropsy or have your state vet perform one. Take pictures of your findings and post them here. I would keep trying to give her some Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml, or electrolyte water and offer some cooked egg.

 

[Starburst]

It can be hard to know exactly what is happening to her, but reproductive infections such as egg yolk peritonitis, salpingitis, or ascites are very common. It sounds like she may be going downhill fast, and if you lose her, I would either do a home necropsy or have your state vet perform one. Take pictures of your findings and post them here. I would keep trying to give her some Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml, or electrolyte water and offer some cooked egg.

Thank you so much for your help! I unfortunately don’t have any NutriDrench, though I should, but am giving her water with probiotics...
Just gave her some scrambled egg and she gobbled it up, which I was relieved to see.

 

[azygous]

Since she's eating, I suspect she has egg material stuck inside, and she's becoming exhausted. Picture a woman in labor for 24 straight hours. That's her predicament. Give her some warm sugar water to drink since you don't have the Nutri-drench yet.

Is the calcium you are giving her calcium carbonate or calcium citrate? This is what I recommend since it acts much quicker than other forms.

Your hens needs calcium until this resolves. She also needs an antibiotic, so get busy calling around. You might hit a vet up for something if you have one that sees your other pets. They often have them on hand and can sell you a few doses until you can buy your own supply of Fish Mox. I order from this place. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/

 

[Starburst]

Since she's eating, I suspect she has egg material stuck inside, and she's becoming exhausted. Picture a woman in labor for 24 straight hours. That's her predicament. Give her some warm sugar water to drink since you don't have the Nutri-drench yet.

Is the calcium you are giving her calcium carbonate or calcium citrate? This is what I recommend since it acts much quicker than other forms. View attachment 2575108Your hens needs calcium until this resolves. She also needs an antibiotic, so get busy calling around. You might hit a vet up for something if you have one that sees your other pets. They often have them on hand and can sell you a few doses until you can buy your own supply of Fish Mox. I order from this place. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/

I’ll be sure to give her some warm sugar water - the calcium I’m giving her is citrate. I think there is some Fish Mox at a store nearby, and I’ll work on getting some antibiotics. I’m considering taking her to a vet that specializes in exotic animals...would you recommend that, or do you think it wouldn’t help?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

How do you make sugar water?

 

[azygous]

Due to there not being that many vets that understand how to treat chickens, we've heard a number of incidences where a vet made matters worse. If you know this vet, and have talked to them about their training in treating chickens, by all means have the vet look at this chicken if you are satisfied with their experience.

They will probably take X-rays, and that can help determine if an egg is stuck in her works. They may also be able to detect if your hen is laying internally. That would likely require expensive surgery, and then a hormone implant to stop further ovulation. We're talking about a huge vet bill, and hormone implants need renewing every year or so.

What I suspect is happening with your hen is a stuck egg, and by this time it may have ruptured and broken yolk is present in her oviduct. This most often triggers a bacterial infection, which I believe is a strong possibility and part of the reason she's declining.

I've had quite a bit of experience with this sort of thing in my flock, and most of the time, the hen can emerge okay with the proper treatment. That would be to continue the calcium until the hen perks back up and behaves normally again. And an antibiotic starting immediately and continuing for a full ten days.

A hen can begin to feel much better around 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic, and an egg issue usually clears up within the same amount of time with the calcium.

Run a half cup of warm water into her drinking bowl and stir in a teaspoon of sugar until it dissolves. She will like the sweetness and it will elevate her glucose and "charge up her batteries."

 

[Starburst]

Due to there not being that many vets that understand how to treat chickens, we've heard a number of incidences where a vet made matters worse. If you know this vet, and have talked to them about their training in treating chickens, by all means have the vet look at this chicken if you are satisfied with their experience.

They will probably take X-rays, and that can help determine if an egg is stuck in her works. They may also be able to detect if your hen is laying internally. That would likely require expensive surgery, and then a hormone implant to stop further ovulation. We're talking about a huge vet bill, and hormone implants need renewing every year or so.

What I suspect is happening with your hen is a stuck egg, and by this time it may have ruptured and broken yolk is present in her oviduct. This most often triggers a bacterial infection, which I believe is a strong possibility and part of the reason she's declining.

I've had quite a bit of experience with this sort of thing in my flock, and most of the time, the hen can emerge okay with the proper treatment. That would be to continue the calcium until the hen perks back up and behaves normally again. And an antibiotic starting immediately and continuing for a full ten days.

A hen can begin to feel much better around 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic, and an egg issue usually clears up within the same amount of time with the calcium.

Run a half cup of warm water into her drinking bowl and stir in a teaspoon of sugar until it dissolves. She will like the sweetness and it will elevate her glucose and "charge up her batteries."

Okay, thank you so much for helping! I’ll be going to get some antibiotics soon - I’ve been spoon-feeding her the sugar water, and currently she’s panting with her eyes close. I've noticed that she also started to do this weird head shake.

 

[azygous]

Feel her crop. It may be backing up due to the possible obstruction farther down. If it feels much fuller than earlier when you checked it, it lends more substance to out hunch that there is an egg stuck. Also keep checking her vent to see what it's doing. She could prolapse if this continues.

Continue the sugar water at least every hour. This will keep her stable so she doesn't go into shock and will give her body energy to get through this crisis.

If you can grab some Nutri-drench if you go out, it will also help her a lot.

 

[Starburst]

Alright, I checked her vent, when I brought my finger out, a little bit of yellow goop came out. She also made a gasping sound while I was doing this.