SICK CHICKEN HELP!!

[rebeccareid11]

Hi everyone,
I have specially signed up to this page for some guidance on what might be wrong with my chicken.

I work in a child care centre and we have 2 lovely black hens in our care. In the last week or so, we have noticed one hen to not eat or drink anymore, she's stopped laying, and she's ever so lethargic.

She has this thick yellow chalky stuff coming out from her vent, her comb is on its side and is a very pale colour. She just sits all day with her head constantly twitching. One eye is closed while she twitches. She even let's me touch her which is very unlike these hens who never like to be touched!!

I don't know what's wrong. The owners of the centre won't take her to a VET so I'm trying to see what's word and if I can help her.

Please help me!!

Bec

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Hi everyone,
I have specially signed up to this page for some guidance on what might be wrong with my chicken.

I work in a child care centre and we have 2 lovely black hens in our care. In the last week or so, we have noticed one hen to not eat or drink anymore, she's stopped laying, and she's ever so lethargic.

She has this thick yellow chalky stuff coming out from her vent, her comb is on its side and is a very pale colour. She just sits all day with her head constantly twitching. One eye is closed while she twitches. She even let's me touch her which is very unlike these hens who never like to be touched!!

I don't know what's wrong. The owners of the centre won't take her to a VET so I'm trying to see what's word and if I can help her.

Please help me!!

Bec

Based on the symptoms you describe, it sounds like she may have egg yolk peritonitis. This thread has some additional information, including on how others have treated it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis.

If it's EYP, it's a life-threatening condition and needs treatment immediately. I've only had one hen with EYP and she didn't survive. I hope yours fares better.

 

[rebeccareid11]

Based on the symptoms you describe, it sounds like she may have egg yolk peritonitis. This thread has some additional information, including on how others have treated it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis.

If it's EYP, it's a life-threatening condition and needs treatment immediately. I've only had one hen with EYP and she didn't survive. I hope yours fares better.

Oh wow! Possibly! She hasn't laid for a couple weeks so maybe she was egg bound, and now the egg has seeped? I'm so worried. I won't be able to tend to her till Monday because of the weekend. The symptoms do match up.

It's sad cos only a few weeks ago she was fine!!

 

[MrsBrooke]

An egg bound hen usually won't make it longer than 48 hours, so I don't think it's that.

EYP is very possible. How does her abdomen feel? Soft and squishy?

EYP is caused by an e. Coli infecton of the yolks. It's difficult to treat, because it's usually secondary to internal laying, where yolks are deposited in the body cavity... that's when the e.Coli sets in. As she keeps laying internally, the infection increases.

You can treat it with Baytril (enrofloxican), which you can get online or from a vet, though the vet route doesn't seem like a possibility.

If you want to save her, I would move her into a constantly dark, quiet environment to disrupt her egg-laying. She will need to be tubed electrolyte water or Pedialyte immediately. Check out https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding for more information on tubing.

I am very sorry for your troubles... This is usually a case where the hen simply doesn't make it.

MrsB

Edit to add: EYP is contagious, as the hen can spread the e.Coli to other birds via the ground, feeders, and drinking water. Isolate her as soon as possible.

 

[rebeccareid11]

Thank you for all your help everybody. Unfortunately the hen passed away on the weekend

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Thank you for all your help everybody. Unfortunately the hen passed away on the weekend

My condolences on your loss.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thank you for all your help everybody. Unfortunately the hen passed away on the weekend

I am very sorry for your loss.

MrsB