Sick Chicken

[Rickovo]

P.S. The 'friend' is not necessarily the next up in the pecking order. They can be the one with the most to prove. A high ranking hen may be better although she will have to put up with some trouble and as long as blood isn't spilt you will have to let things take their course. One to one shouldn't be too bad.
Good luck

 

[Eggcessive]

I would cage her inside the coop or run with the others, and provide her own food and water. That way they won't keep her from eating. Then, when she is stronger, let them out to free range together during the daytime. She will get pecked some, but hopefully they will work it out. Separate any one aggressive bird for a week or so to lower her in the pecking order.

 

[freedom chick]

Today she is looking like she is dying

She will not stand, her head is down, eyes are closing. She seems weak. Not really eating or drinking today. I have only seen her take 2 drinks.

Yesterday I thought she was doing better.

???

What do I do?

 

[freedom chick]

Here are some pics. I need some help. Anyone?

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks very weak. Have you been able to get her to take some electrolytes? I worry that she may have some neurolgical problem, such as Mãreks disease or botulism from eating decayed animal remains. Wæs she vaccinated for Mareks? Cãn you check your feed for ãny mold?

 

[Janice123456]

Give her save a chick electrolytes with probiotics. If you don't have this mix some sugar small amount of salt and a human probiotic pill mix with small amt water. Syringe feed her. I gave bread with olive oil to a chicken like this along with the electrolytes and she was fine in two days

 

[freedom chick]

She has been up and down. Now she looks like she may pull through.

No neurological problems, just weak and lethargic. I have been giving her electrolytes and just started her today on the probiotic, along with Oxytetracycline in her water.
No Marek's vaccine on this one. The other 3 chickens she came with are all doing great.

Again, started drinking more and has been pecking at crumble. I put the probiotic in a mixture of applesauce with crumble and she took all of it within a couple hours. She has had one normal poo since! She has been pecking at an apple I left with her. I managed to get her to get a good start on drinking the water with the antibiotic in it.

I have a box of straw in her penned area that she gets into at night by herself.
She can rest tonight. Tomorrow I may give her bum a bath again.

My little Beatrice has been a fighter!

 

[freedom chick]

Where would she pick up botulism? What kind of animal remains? She is a Buckeye, which are suppose to be good mousers. I had originally considered this when trying to figure this out. Could she have gotten a mouse? Then I was worried she ate some scratch or food from scratching around the litter in the hen house and maybe has a fungal infection. being she is the lowest in the pecking order (and quite petite and small) I am not sure if the other hens have been keeping her away from the feeder so she found what she could?

No Marek's and no cocci.

???

 

[Janice123456]

Glad to hear your chick is better. It so sad to see them ill. I worry about the random scratch and feed they throw around the run too. Could the hens have got into spoiled feed that is left on the run floor?
I have feedersand give them leftovers. They spill food all the time. It's a dirt floor so things get all mixed in. I'm going to look to see if there is any old feed ,on the run floor and scoop it up. I just went through a sick chicken too. How long can you leave feed in feeder and it remains fresh? Wonder if dampness can spoil it?

 

[Eggcessive]

Botulism is caused by eating a toxin in dead animal carcasses, maggots, and vegetation that has been without air. It starts with paralysis of the feet followed by the wings and neck in that order. It progresses very quickly, and may be fatal within a day or two. Mold in feed, and Mareks can be two other things that can look similar. Extreme dehydration and weakness from not eating can resemble those things. So many things can make a chicken look sick and many times we have to guess. Let us know how she is progressing.