sick hen - need advice

[sirbbrown]

I need some help/advice on what else I can do ... over a week ago while free ranging, all our girls must've gotten spooked by something ... we found them all scattered and hiding. This one seemed to have injured her eye. After 2 days she was still acting disoriented and in shock. We separated her and now have her in a slightly heated section of the barn. Her eye is open, but I think she may be blind by the way she is turning to look out of the other eye. However, the real problem is her lack of eating/drinking. I finally got her taking water with electrolytes and she will eat very small amounts of wet pellets, but she only seems to do this when I am practically forcing her. She is still somewhat lethargic, stays puffed with tail down, and has watery stool that smells horrible! I can hear her GI system making noise so I am sure she is miserable!
I have tried some yogurt, and even some warm cream of wheat ... she just isn't getting her appetite back.
I'm concerned and don't know what else to do. I've even thought of slowly integrating her back in with the other 6 to see if she will pick up on eating once she is surrounded by the others.
Help! Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Chickery Chick]

Here is a great link for help. I think your chicken is/was in shock and very stressed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/710180/chicken-in-shock
I would not put her in with the other chickens. They may peck at her eye or simply just peck at her because she is lethargic and week. This will only stress her more and also she needs to rest and be monitored. It would be best if you could get her in the house in a dog crate or large cardboard box with dim light when she is resting, and keep her warm 70-75 degrees.
Here is another excellent link for help.
http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/CARING FOR A SICK OR INJ 9_08.pdf

 

[sirbbrown]

Thank you! These are great resources and I am going to try that recipe tonight.
We can turn the heat up where she is (we were afraid to make it too warm). I do have her in a dog crate ... we open during the day so she can come out and move around (which she does a little). I will also look for a way to do a dim light - there is either natural light or bright florescent - so a night light may help her.
She isn't one of my "friendliest" Goldens, so I am sure all of this close attention might be adding to her stress.
Thanks for your help!!

 

[Eggcessive]

I need some help/advice on what else I can do ... over a week ago while free ranging, all our girls must've gotten spooked by something ... we found them all scattered and hiding. This one seemed to have injured her eye. After 2 days she was still acting disoriented and in shock. We separated her and now have her in a slightly heated section of the barn. Her eye is open, but I think she may be blind by the way she is turning to look out of the other eye. However, the real problem is her lack of eating/drinking. I finally got her taking water with electrolytes and she will eat very small amounts of wet pellets, but she only seems to do this when I am practically forcing her. She is still somewhat lethargic, stays puffed with tail down, and has watery stool that smells horrible! I can hear her GI system making noise so I am sure she is miserable!
I have tried some yogurt, and even some warm cream of wheat ... she just isn't getting her appetite back.
I'm concerned and don't know what else to do. I've even thought of slowly integrating her back in with the other 6 to see if she will pick up on eating once she is surrounded by the others.
Help! Any advice is appreciated.

Aside from the injured eye, your chickens seems to have most of the symptoms of coccidiosis. How old is she? Is she or any of the others new to the flock? Is her eye swollen like a respiratory disease? Here is a link for cocidosis--Corid (amprollium) is the best treatment: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

 

[sirbbrown]

I had read a bit on the coccidosis ... but she doesn't have blood or mucous in her stool and she doesn't seem to be pale.
Her eye hasn't been swollen since the first 24 hours, but it isn't as bright as the other one ... I think it is getting dull which is why I think she may have lost the sight. At first it was oozing/watery and became crusted shut, but it hasn't done that again either. (I wasn't home when all the drama occurred so I am left to rely on my husband's description of her eye when he found her ... and it makes me think she ran into something and either poked/scratched it bad).

 

[Chickery Chick]

Good point Eggcessive, it could be cocci. It is opportunistic, meaning when an animal is stressed thus immune system drops then cocci goes to town. Probably not a bad idea to have a fresh fecal sample taken for the Vet to examin if she is not eating and especially not drinking after trying various methods and recipes. It does not take log for an animal to die of dehydration.

 

[sirbbrown]

I just wanted to thank you all for your input/suggestions! She is doing MUCH better and I don't believe she is blind in the injured eye. We are hoping to reintegrate her this weekend if all goes well!
Thanks again - I don't know what I would do without this site!

 

[Chickery Chick]

Great news! So glad to hear she is doing much better.