Sick hen - overnight

[WendySA]

Hello everyone

We have 6 hens. The youngest one has gotten sick suddenly.

Last evening I noticed that she didn't come forward at feeding time, just sat at the back of the coop.

This morning she is sitting there, head drooping and her bottom eyelid is up.

I am not sure what to do....

 

[Gonda]

I just went through the same thing today and posted a similar question. Now (after trying to save my hen unsuccessfully) I read the "sticky" that's posted at the top of this column, where they list specific information that should be posted with a question, to get a better response. Do you see the "sticky" where it says "read this first"? Hopefully you can get some help. I had not had any experience with this and could not find anything specific like diarrhea or other signs, other than that she seemed dehydrated, and I wondered if it was because she had been ostracized by the flock when she first arrived and was not getting enough to eat and drink. So I tried to rehydrate, but I wasn't sure about the rules for how much, how often. She seemed to be coming around and then by the end of the day, she was gone after all. I hope you can find out what the cause is, so you can treat it.

 

[Gonda]

I can share with you what I learned today. I came across some helpful sites:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pwhjQ6Yng877iz_JNiCN1IQ (health problems of poultry)

http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/CARING FOR A SICK OR INJ 9_08.pdf (caring for a sick or injured chicken).

The first thing you have to do is isolate this chicken from the others, and then try to determine the cause. I gathered that cocci is a common cause, and mites. What symptoms are you seeing? Is there any change in her breathing? Is there any sign of dehydration? You can tell by the comb, or lifting some loose skin. If the pinched skin falls back right away, she's probably not dehydrated. If the pinched skin stays in the pinched position or slowly returns to normal, she's dehydrated. In mine, the comb and wattle were very dry and shriveled looking. I took her inside and started trying to rehydrate with water, sugar, salt, and she seemed to start coming around. But I'm not sure if I overdid it. Will your hen drink if you offer her a little from the end of a syringe?

I hope this helps a bit! All the best!

 

[WendySA]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. 1 year old approx, not sure of bread, she is very light
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Won't eat, sits in the back of the coop, bottom eyelid is halfway up
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?Since last night
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.no
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.maybe the other hens not allowing her access to food but she has been fine in the past. We have a rhubarb plant which has had some leaves chomped...maybe a chicken?
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.nothing since last night
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.not sure, her vent has white poop marks on it
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?just isolated her
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?our vet is closed on sundays
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.none
11) Describe the housing/bedding in usecoop with 5 other hens, sandfloor, tyres with straw for laying/nesting, roosting poles for night. Roam out for 1 hr a day wile dogs locked up.

 

[WendySA]

Thanks Gonda,

She will not take any water even if I wet her beak....I have isolated her and she is in the kitchen with me in a crate. I have made her some porridge to offer and have some cucumber there for her....

 

[WendySA]

Well I have been giving her water and an electrolyte solution every 1hr, I have noticed that she has very watery poop...anyone?

 

[Morri]

For the watery droppings she will prob have a lack of food so try sunflower seeds. My chooks go mad for them and sometimes with a sick hen i put them in her mouth and she will eat it then!! I hope she gets better!! Best of luck!!

 

[ranchhand]

Try some scrambled eggs as well, they all love them. Has she been laying regularly?

It could be the others aren't letting her eat or drink, in which case you can set up separate feeders and waterers. Sometimes, removing the most dominant hen for several days will disrupt the pecking order.
She may be eggbound, in that case you should be able to feel an egg in her abdomen.
She may be an internal layer, you might see some yellow yolk as well as the clear coming from the vent.
Check carefully for mites, they can kill a chicken pretty fast- but if she has them, the others will too.

All of the above can be found by searching BYC, top right. Far more info than I can post.

Good luck, hope she makes it.

 

[WendySA]

Thanks, I have some sunflower seeds in her crate and just "force fed" her some scrambled egg and more water.

Still no improvement though.

 

[Gonda]

I would be careful with the water and electrolytes. While I did see improvement in my hen yesterday and she seemed to be coming around, all of a sudden she was gone. I wondered if I'd given her too much water, or maybe too much salt. I'm not sure what the formula is for chickens, and not sure how much water is safe. Maybe stick with the 1/2 cup in 24 hours. The site I sent you recommended 1/2 strength gatorade or pedialyte so that might be safer than making your own formula, unless you can find out what's a safe formula for chickens, for rehydration.

At one point, when I given her water every hour, she suddenly toppled forward, to the right and couldn't stand. I don't know much about this, but I wondered if it was because the water was all sitting in her crop (is that correct?) and the crop is on the right front, and she was so light, so maybe the accumulation of water in the crop made her topple forward. I hadn't given her that much, maybe 40 mls over the morning. I'm just not sure and would love to know what I might have done wrong, for a next time.

Is your hen perking up at all?