Sick hen - what to try?

[Trixynsw]

Hi chook parents,
I’m not sure if my girl has managed to get herself some fertiliser or not but I think this is the culprit. I found chooken under the coop ramp at night and was still there half hour later. I got her out and gave her a good wipe down with baby wipes and then followed up with a bath because her rear was covered in diarrhoea. She was very fluffed up so immediately got to stay in my casualties room. She had access to water, layer pellets, and salads. Particularly enjoyed the lettuce. Supergirl stayed in the caged for two days and seemed a bit more perky so I let her spend the day with her sisters. I came home that evening and she tried so hard to follow me but fell over on the grass and was too weak to move. Back inside we went. Yoghurt was touched but not as much as I’d have liked and the water with vitamins and wormer in it was barely touched. There was plain water in there too. I had some boiled egg yoke and shell available too.
Tonight I get home and she is on her side. I’ve found her leg stuck in the cage which has made her even more weak.
She was freed but I didn’t think she was going to make it. Again, we bathed. We are syringing water with vitamins and I tried another with ACV. Supergirl is so weak she won’t stay awake but will shake her head when I try to water her. I have no hope in getting any food in.
Can anyone give me an suggestions on what to try? The cat is filthy that there’s a chicken in her in front of the fireplace.
Thank you.

 

[chickens really]

Parasites possibly?..Multiple causes actually. She almost sounds too far gone.

 

[chickens really]

@Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

her rear was covered in diarrhoea. She was very fluffed

she tried so hard to follow me but fell over on the grass and was too weak to move.

Tonight I get home and she is on her side. I’ve found her leg stuck in the cage which has made her even more weak.

I'm sorry about your hen.
Do you think she ate fertilizer?
How old is she?
When was the last time she laid an egg?
Photos of her and her poop may be helpful.

If you have vet care, that is always best.
With chickens, sometimes it's hard to pinpoint the cause of their decline. Check her crop to see that it is empty by morning, feel her abdomen for any swelling, look her over for any external parasites. Get a fecal float to rule out worms or coccidiosis overload.

Some of the symptoms you mention like weakness, getting the leg stuck, falling over could be an indication of disease like Marek's. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

You also mention you have wormer in her water? What are you using? Have you seen any worms? If you are offering a wormer in the water, that water should be the only source of drinking water until the course is completed.

It sounds like you are doing what you can for her, try to keep her hydrated and encourage her to eat. If you have finished the wormer, then offer poultry vitamins for a couple of days.

 

[Trixynsw]

Thank you. Yes she could very well have had fertiliser whilst scratching in the run. She didn’t touch the plain water or the other water (in a much preferred waterer by her) and she’s not keen on me forcing on her. I only have a kids medicine dropped at the moment.
I haven’t seen worms or lice but I’ve never been too sure on her legs. Hopefully you can see them in the photo.
I haven’t had a full 6 eggs on any day so she may not have laid in a while. I estimate her to be around 4.
She’s going to hang out in the cat bed tonight. She has been like this in front of the fire (drying her off) for the past 5hrs. She hasn’t moved or had any droppings. I highly doubt she’s been since this morning and the crop is small and deflated. She’s very pale. I hope the picture helps.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes she could very well have had fertiliser whilst scratching in the run.

The poor dear, she looks very ill.

Do you have a vet that can see her?
In case this is from fertilizer, can you clean that up so the other chickens don't get into it?
It's always a good idea to keep something like fertilizer or weed killer away from chickens since they will eat just about anything.

She looks like she has Scaly Leg Mites on the legs. The bath you gave her may have helped with those, but put a little Vaseline or oil (coconut, castor, olive) on the legs, rub it into the scales. The oil will smother the SLM. Check her very carefully through all her feathers for signs of other parasites (lice/mites).

Have you felt to see if there is an egg stuck? With her age, I would lean more toward her have a reproductive disorder like internal laying, cancer, tumors or Egg Yolk Peritonitis.

 

[chickens really]

I hate to be the one to say this...Sometimes Culling is a better solution. I had to Cull my favourite Hen and although hard it was the best to end her suffering.
Chickens generally don't show illness until it's too late.

 

[Trixynsw]

Unfortunately Hubby was feeding the lawn but was throwing it around the yard from the path. I feel some bits missed the lawn altogether

I’ll give that a go with her legs and assume a toothbrush will be gentle enough but effective. I haven’t found anything within the feathers upon inspection however it was the start of winter I gave them their last mite powdering.
I felt her earlier this evening and didn’t feel anything eggy. Just skin and bone as they say.
Will keep you posted.

 

[chickens really]

Possibly she has a Coccidiosis over load if she is really thin..

 

[Trixynsw]

That does sound a lot like her.
I’ll have to let her go as is tonight while she’s tucked up in the ensuite and I’ll work on her legs before work tomorrow.
Hubby also suggests letting her go too but I’ll give her until tomorrow afternoon when I’m home from work and reassess the situation. I had a condition that I wouldn’t take them to the vet as they can be easily replaced. Grrr.
Her breathing is rather faint so I don’t think I’ll see her in the morning but I hope so!! At least Hubby can do the deed while the kids and I aren’t home if worse comes to worse - I couldn’t bare to take our Roo to the ‘farm’.
Will update in a few hours.