RIR Acting Lethargic - Please help

[Starburst]

@azygous, HUGE update! I took her outside to get a little fresh air, and set her beside one of the chicken waterers - she then proceeded to take 15 BIG drinks from it - maybe she wasn’t used to the water dish inside...?

 

[Starburst]

(We have been tubing water in, by the way)

 

[azygous]

That's terrific news! She's baby stepping toward recovery.

What you saw with the drinking bowl outside is why we try to keep a sick chicken with her flock when at all possible. As with human patients, familiar surroundings is one of the best medicines.

Now that our patient is making progress, you could take her out for brief periods when it's nice and let her visit with her friends.

Go back to one 250mg dose of amoxicillin tomorrow and finish up the ten days with that daily dose. I had thought of her during the small hours of the night last night and it dawned on me she likely is struggling with infection and we needed to slam the infection hard with a double dose. Sometimes I do that when I begin a chicken on an antibiotic and she's extremely sick. You can do that anytime you think a patient is losing ground.

You guys are sure getting good at this amateur vet thing.

 

[Starburst]

Hey, quick update...also a little concerning. She had some poop on her so I gave her a bath. When I was bringing her back from the tub to her box, she suddenly vomited...and wouldn’t stop for several minutes. I sadly didn't get a picture, but it was basically this liquid stuff that smelled like vomit, along with a few dead mealworms from a few days ago. Her bottom also looks kind of strange, all plucked and red looking.

 

[azygous]

Not a good. She likely has an obstruction and the food won't go down. A tumor possibly. Would you say the red rear looks swollen? Is it just behind the legs under the vent? That would indicate infection in the reproductive tract.

Keep up the care we've mapped out for today, and let's see how she is this evening. What is her behavior this morning?

 

[Starburst]

Not a good. She likely has an obstruction and the food won't go down. A tumor possibly. Would you say the red rear looks swollen? Is it just behind the legs under the vent? That would indicate infection in the reproductive tract.

Keep up the care we've mapped out for today, and let's see how she is this evening. What is her behavior this morning?

Yes, her rear end looks swollen and red, underneath the vent. I'll try to get a picture of it soon.
She isn't doing too well today - puffed-up feathers and eyes closed. She also keeps making this strangled/guttural sound. When my small dog, Oliver, snuck into the room, she didn't so much as lift a feather to his approach.
This past week has been an emotional roller-coaster for me - one day, it looks like she's getting better, the next day, her health takes a steep decline.

 

[Starburst]

I tried to get a picture, but it was much harder to show when her feathers were fluffy. It looked much more red yesterday.

This is what she looks like in her box today:

Verses two days ago:

She isn’t really opening her eyes, and when I took her out of her box to take a picture, she took a few staggering steps, then collapsed.

 

[Sally PB]

Sending hugs and hope...

 

[human1]

im sending hugs to Ponyo too

 

[Starburst]

Hey, everyone. Thank you so much for your love and support during this past, very hard week. I’m heartbroken to say that at 12:20, Ponyo, my beloved chicken, passed away in my arms. She was the sweetest little hen, and I’ll never forget the adventures we had together. From sneaking into the house, carving a pumpkin, and sharing a bowl of noodles with her, we were the best of friends. I’m so sad to see her go, but I am thankful that she is at least without pain now. She is buried in her favorite spot in the yard, where she used to spend her sunny days dust bathing and running after bugs.

A huge thank you to @azygous for all the help, time, support, and encouragement you’ve given us. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us, and you deserve all the hugs, love, and flowers.
Rest in peace, Little Ponyo, I’ll never forget you. You may have flown up to the big chicken coop in the sky, but I’ll never stop loving you. One day, perhaps, I’ll see you again. For now, though, I send you lots of hugs, love, and will forever cherish the memories we made. Take flight, little one. You’re free now.