Sick Chicken - HELP!

[cdtaylor91]

Hi Everyone,
I have about a 3 year old hen. I noticed the other day she was walking around very slowly and away from the flock, but eating and drinking fine. Then 2 days ago she was outside the coop door like she couldn't get up the ramp so I put her in. Yesterday she stayed inside the coop all day. I gave her egg and water. I decided to bring her in the house today and isolate since she seems so weak. I've been giving her boiled egg and water with vitamins and electrolytes. She seems extremely tired and she cannot stand. I tried to place her to stand up and she kind of just laid on her side. Her droppings are not runny but a little soft and super stinky. She seems to be eating fine but I have to bring it up to her face to eat (that includes the water). Any thoughts???

 

[Samblast]

has she molted yet this season? My chickens always get a little sick right when they are about to molt. Could she have eaten something bad? Has she been laying eggs? Bullying?

 

[cdtaylor91]

has she molted yet this season? My chickens always get a little sick right when they are about to molt. Could she have eaten something bad? Has she been laying eggs? Bullying?

She stopped laying awhile ago. I cant remeber the last time I got an egg from her. She also isn't molting. No bullying from what I have seen. They do free range in the evenings but nothing they can get into that I'm aware of.

 

[Samblast]

I don’t really know what it could be then. Hopefully someone else will comment with some ideas. If there are more symptoms let us know.

 

[mcdze]

i'll tell you what is 'devastating' to poultry and gives symptoms like that .. it may of course not be whats wrong with yours .. but lead poisoning .. im an avid shooter but years ago i learned that dusting off a shotgun in the yard or setting up targets and shooting pellets was the cause of my birds getting progressive debilitating illness .. its a slow death .. yeah they eat little lead pellets theyre fascinated by them ... hope that not what it is and yours recovers thoguh but thought i'd put it out there .. DONT shoot in your yard where they have access ..

 

[cdtaylor91]

Oh no. I really hope not. We have done some patterning of shotguns in the yard. It's been at least a year since we've done it though. I have never thought about them being exposed to the pellets. I definitely will make sure we don't anymore though!

 

[Chicalina]

what breed is she?

 

[cdtaylor91]

what breed is she?

She is an Isa Brown

 

[Sally PB]

mcdze: Thank you for this information! My shooting range (handguns is all I shoot) is nowhere near my birds, and they don't free range. But this is a very good thing to know. Thank you again.

 

[Chicalina]

ok, as I thought. She is an egg laying machine, and has burned herself out. She is only 3 and had stopped laying. This could probably be the end of her life, sorry to say.

Or you could have a disease in the flock and she is the first to succumb. Or she has developed a condition because she is weak.

Have you wormed her?
Have you checked her crop, is it hard, soft or waterfilled (impacted, sour, bad breath)?
Is she eggbound (check inside her vent)?
Is she thin (check how sharp her keel is)?
Does she have ascites (water belly)?
How is her breathing (laboured, raspy, wheezy)?
Any discharge from her eyes or mouth?
Check for hidden injuries (wounds from a bite)?

You may get to the bottom of it and treat what is wrong or you may not if she has just reached the end of her road. Sounds like you are giving her good care.

post your findings here because people may be able to help.