Sick hen! Help!

[Slpoer]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the sight.
I've got a sick Gold Laced Wyandotte hen. She is this years hatch. She fell ill on me sometime in the past two days. I found her acting strangely yesterday afternoon. I immediately isolated her and looked her over. I couldn't find anything unusual to the naked eye so I then went out and looked over the coop. Cleaned it good and still found nothing that would lead me to an answer to her condition. She just wanted to sit (not broody) and she acted a little drunk (feed is good) . We are feeding her layer crumbles 16% from Orcheln.
I looked her over for egg binding and couldn't feel an egg so I don't think she is egg bound. Yesterday evening I made the decision to bring her inside in a pet carrier to keep an eye on her. She hardly moved last night, won't eat or drink on her own. Her comb and waddle are both good color. She has lost weight and is very light to pick up.
Today, she stands but doesn't hold her head up. She can't. I have ben giving her electrolytes through a syringe to prevent dehydration. I think I'm losing my golden girl.

What do you all suggest I do to help save her?

 

[mistifier99]

This happened to me too. I believe mine was snake bite though. I suppose depending on where you live it could be heat stroke (or just heat).

I have four golden laced girls too, but the one that got sick was a lohmann brown hen.

If she is very dear to you a vet may be able to help. But she could just be like a human, and die from internal things.

I am thinking of you, and hope she gets better!

Xx

 

[Slpoer]

Thank you. I love her like family. She's more of a pet really. Always with me out in the yard and right by my feet if I'm in the swing.
She is taking electrolytes still (syringed) and tonight when we let her out to do her business she went for some grass. That's a plus. She hasn't wanted to eat at all so I have only forced fluids. Her stools are extremely watery.
No snakes to my knowledge and the temps here have been very tolerable lately. We're in Indiana and it hasn't bee over 60 until today for the past 2 weeks.

What does a chicken with an impacted or infected crop act like? I know to withhold feed if this is the concern,
We unfortunately don't have a vet in our area or in the next three towns to help her. You would think in a framing community we would.

 

[mistifier99]

I have never had issues with this:

But I just looked at THIS website, and it looks fairly helpful.

 

[ten chicks]

Any indication of crop issues,such as impact or sour? If she has lost weight then this has been going on for awhile,any indication of mites/lice? A worm load will also cause weight loss. Any new birds recently? Any other birds displaying unusual symptoms?

 

[Slpoer]

I have gotten a lot of info from the BYC site today alone.

 

[Slpoer]

The rest of the flock is doing fine. We have 50 birds. Varying in age.
She is trying to eat grass but can't stand or hold her head up long enough to get it in. I've been researching all day. The more I read the more I fear it may be Mareck's Disease.
I have her isolated from the other flock members but I still worry for them if it is in fact Mareck's.
Which brings me to a few new questions:
1. Is it to late to vaccinate when they are older ? Part of my flock was hatched early Spring and have been laying since July. The others are much younger and still have several months before they will be ready to lay. I'm guessing close to early Spring 2015. I'm not aware of any of them having been vaccinated when I bought them.
2. What do you use to clean the coop with to eradicate it? I know it is a herpes sort of virus that is in the dander and HIGHLY contagious with a mortality rate of at least 80%.
I'm so worried for my sweet birds.
My "golden girl" is fighting. I'm calling a vet in the morning.
Its heartbreaking!

 

[mistifier99]

I wish you luck, and am thinking of you. I know how it feels...