Sick 9 mo old RIR - not eggbound

[2ndTink]

I have a 9 month old RIR pullet, Crazy Eyes, who has been laying, not sure when her last egg was as she's in with 11 others, she's been puffed up for 4 or 5 days but isn't egg bound. She's been self isolating, no wheezing or any respiratory sounds. We've been getting snow and having freezing temperatures but she's the only one that is looking off.

Her comb is still bright red, last night she was on the roost early, I offered her some layer feed softened with water and she ate pretty well, her crop was really small like she hadn't eaten much yesterday.

I have some poultry penicillin, I don't want to use it if it's not needed, but I want to do something to try and help her out and I'm not sure what to do. Should I give her poultry drench or dose their water with electrolytes?

What can I check for or try with her?

 

[azygous]

With egg binding, you can't always detect an egg. So don't rule that out. It's simple enough to just pop a calcium tablet into her beak and that will help her push the egg out if this is the problem. Calcium citrate is the best because it acts fast, but a Tums will work.

It could also be a crop disorder. Here's info on how to tell. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[2ndTink]

With egg binding, you can't always detect an egg. So don't rule that out. It's simple enough to just pop a calcium tablet into her beak and that will help her push the egg out if this is the problem. Calcium citrate is the best because it acts fast, but a Tums will work.

It could also be a crop disorder. Here's info on how to tell. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Her crop is completely empty today and she's not interested in eating. I brought her inside with the other RIR from her coop since they are good buddies in case she's having trouble because of the cold. It's been freezing g at night with highs in the 30s to low 40s the past two weeks. Once she settled inside she started preening, but she's still puffed up and not looking right.

I have some calcium mixed with wetted food in the cage for her, if she doesn't eat any, I'll try and get a tablet into her.

 

[2ndTink]

@Hen Pen Jem any thoughts on Crazy Eyes?

 

[azygous]

Get the calcium tablet into her. The amount of calcium you mixed into her food isn't nearly enough to do the job.

 

[2ndTink]

Get the calcium tablet into her. The amount of calcium you mixed into her food isn't nearly enough to do the job.

Ok, I will. She's sure feisty for not feeling good when I'm trying to get her beak open.

 

[LaFleche]

Just sit her on your lap her head facing front, grab her wattles and pull down gently to open per beak, then pop the calcium tablet right in and let go of her wattles to allow her swallowing.

 

[2ndTink]

Just sit her on your lap her head facing front, grab her wattles and pull down gently to open per beak, then pop the calcium tablet right in and let go of her wattles to allow her swallowing.

Took a couple tries but I successfully got a whole tablet down. I had her inside to warm up and she ate and drank after being in for a few hours. Popped the calcium into her before putting her back in the coop.

 

[2ndTink]

No change yet in Crazy Eyes, she isn't better, but isn't worse. This will be day 3 for extra calcium. She's not really eating, but if I wet some feed she'll pick at it. We just had another snow storm last night so I made a mess of mash for everyone and she joined in and ate a bit. Not as voraciously as the others, but at least she was interested in ut enough to get a few nibbles. This cold weather seems to have all the chickens a bit off their feed.

All the waterers are on heated bases inside their coops, so their water is staying ice free and relatively warm.

 

[smdcleland]

Awww. I have RIRs. I love them. I hope she's okay. She sure is adorable. I'm new to chickens so I'm not experienced enough to help. I've read other forums about giving sick chickens Gatorade... maybe that might help?