Sad Story about Neighbors

[usschicago1]

SO i hatched 8 chickens for my neighbors who have never had chickens before. 3 days ago i went over to tell them what they had..I concluded after whatching them for a while they had 6 hens and four males (mixed breed (RIR X NEW HAMPSHIRE X EE). Well they called me at 730 today and said something was wrong with one. It was laying on the ground. Could barely walk on one foot wich was sprawled, and gasping for air and has its eyes closed. I have never seen a chicken look worse. nI didnt know what to do, and i couldnt take it home (for biosecurity reasons of course) so i told the kids to go inside and the parents and i killed it. I did it the best way i could think of. i hit it on the head (so it would be knocked out) and then drowned it. I have NEVER killed a chicken before. It was easier than i thought...But it looked right at me in the eyes, and i felt like i wanted to cry. I think i did it a favor. I wanted to share and vent a little.
Do you have any idea what it could be?
I am positive i didnt have anything broken cuz i couldnt feel it and i have successful healed broken legged chickens. I told them i think it was bacterial to to moisure and being inside for 3 days because of icy pouring rain

 

[Sillystunt]

UM, sorry for your loss. next time cut it's head off. It's more human and quicker. Might i ad, i can't even do that! i make my neighbor.

Was it choking on something? Did you check it's airways?

 

[ranchhand]

So sorry you had to deal with that. Check for moldy food everywhere. I lost a roo who happened to find a crack with moldy food in it.

ETA, he lost the use of one leg, it looked like Marek's at first. Mold/fungus causes permanant neurological damage.

 

[usschicago1]

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I checked everything. It could standnt up and it kept falling over. Nothing on it smelled at all.

 

[usschicago1]

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Thanks I never knew that (; Ill let them know.

 

[Mahonri]

I think I have some feed to throw away... dang.

 

[chicksngoats]

Too late now, but if that ever happens again you might try treating for the bacterial poisoning...I had a hen that had those same symptoms about 2 months ago and posted on here about it. We were just about to kill it when it sort of sat up a bit before it fell over again. I treated it with the molasses treatment that was recommended to me by a fellow BYC member and by morning it was up moving, slowly...By the next night, completely 100% back to normal. Thanks to the advice I got on here I still have that healthy hen today.