Severely Dehydrated Chicken!!! OMG

[BooeyBird]

For the past few days the feed store has been closed, and i am all out of feed, so she has been eating other things.
-pumpkin
-apple
-grass
-bugs/worms
-water

I felt her crop, it didn't seem very full at all, even though I watched her for a very long time and made sure she
was drinking and eating. She is alot skinnier then the others too. Last night she slept all alone in an empty
kennel that I use as an extra nesting box. The other two slept in the top hen house. I checked for mites and
dander, and she had none at all/very little. I heard pumpkin is a natural de-wormer, so I don't think it is worms
since she has been eating that often.

 

[BooeyBird]

She could have been pecked on the head, but the she is only in a pen with two other chickens that she was raised with.
My old polish cockeral that we had to rehome had his whole crest and flesh torn off his head. I could see the non full skull, cap thingy.
My 8 year old sister thought it was his brain. LOL. He did eventually recover, but always had a huge bald spot on his head and
was very skittish and shy. I don't think that is what this is though.. I haven't seen the others bullying her. Also, she doesn't
lay yet. Even my 5 1/2 month cochin bantam doesn't lay.

 

[Reurra]

Feed has lots of nutrients in it, if she is off her normal food, she may have eaten something bad for her. Chickens dont always know some things are bad for them. Or she may have found some spilled moldy feed and ate that.

What color is her poop?

When you go to get feed, get her some vitamin B. Pumpkin only deworms if they eat the seeds. I would get something more guarenteed especially if they are not laying yet, then you should not have to worry about throwing out eggs for the next 2 weeks.

Mites can be elusive and sneaky, I would not trust it. Go ahead and get some permethrin powder, it should be at the feed store. It wont hurt her. Wear gloves and a mask when applying it, you dont want to breath it.

Try giving her some scrambled egg as well. It has lots of vitamins. Thats the perfect time to get yogurt or acidopholus into her.

Lots of rest and quiet is what I recommend, but again, read all you can about her symptoms on here.

 

[BooeyBird]

Thanks, I am going to the feed store today, so I can see what they have there. She has been eating the seeds of the pumpkins too. She seems to be sleeping alot always standing up and puffed up. I wonder if maybe she did eat somthing bad.. I will see what I can find.

 

[casportpony]

She needs access to proper crumbles, now! She also needs to be inside where it's warm. While you're getting feed, stop by a Walmart or Target and buy a digital kitchen scale so you can start weighing her. If you can't afford one, go use the one at the post office. If she continues to lose weight you'll need to tube feed her.

Pumpkin seeds for worming, I've read that, too, but I seriously doubt that it works. Just show me one properly published study that shows that it does and maybe I'll think differently. If she were mine I'd worm her with fenbendazole 10% (Safeguard or Panacur, liquid or Paste) and I'd dust her for mites and lice with poultry dust or 5% Sevin powder even if I could not see any - DE does not work!

-Kathy

 

[BooeyBird]

I am getting crumbles later today when the feed store opens, the other rooster and pullet in her pen are doing just
fine. Today she is acting much more normal. She is walking without wobbling, and eating just as much as the others.
I have a heat lamp in their pen/ hen house for cold days and night time. I just went out and checked on her and she is acting competely normal.
I think it may have somthing to do with the cold. Luckily, soon our new coop will be done being built, along with the inside area
for the non-heat-hardy chickens, like her, inside the garage. I think the problem is she hasn't had acces to her normal food, plus it has
been a little bit colder out lately.

 

[Reurra]

I had a bird that was always sickly when it was damp or cold. Never knew why she was like that. She never laid an egg and eventually I put her down. Keep a close eye on her to see if this reoccurs.

One time, my favorite hen started acting weird like that, she came out of it and never had any further trouble.

Chickens are strange creatures!

For sure listen to Casportpony. She has lots of insight.

I agree about pumpkin seeds. I have read the same thing about pumpkin seeds, but i still use regular worming medicine. To me going for home remedies are great for colds, but i would never use them for more serious problems that can be solved with medication. Theys why I suggested something more guaranteed. You just cant beat a sure thing.

I cannot stress how DE does not work! And its super dangerous too! It might be food grade, but it will destroy your lungs and the lungs of your birds! Some people swear by it, but to me its sooo not worth the risk. Permethrin and sevin powder I think are the same thing, and they degrade over time as well. DE will not, it stays in every little corner, every little crack and can be kicked back up into the air at the slightest movement.

 

[BooeyBird]

She is better now. I don't know what was wrong, but all is good now.

 

[Reurra]

Good to hear it! Some chickens are like that, they love to give Mom a scare! Good luck!!