Sick Leghorn. Help?

[sunny_bellyboo]

So sorry for your loss. If you would like to get a necropsy on Monday or Tuesday, you can get a basic necropsy to look for a cause of death for $23 if you deliver the body to the state lab in Reynoldsburg near Columbus. The body would need to be kept cold, not frozen, in a cooler or refrigerator, and wrapped in plastic. Extra testing and histology costs a little extra if you give permission. You can also ship the body overnight via Fedex or UPS, and they may send you a prepaid shipping label. Here is a link that has their phine number for contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

I would rather not. This is a really hard time for me. I'd rather just bury or burn her and get it over with.

We're burying her. Thank you for the recommendation. I really appreciate it even if I can't se it.

 

[sunny_bellyboo]

I am sorry.
Chickens are masters at hiding illness. Most of the time they hide it until nothing can be dane.

Thank you I just wish I could have done more.

If I got there earlier I maybe could have saved her, but there's no reason to beat myself up and I know that. but it's hard

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you I just wish I could have done more.

If I got there earlier I maybe could have saved her, but there's no reason to beat myself up and I know that. but it's hard

I have lost a couple young birds over the years too. A bantam cochin running across the yard dropped dead right there at 9 months old and an EE at 8 months to egg binding.

The recommendations to send her for a necropsy are sincere and really could save your other birds as it could reveal of it was something contagious.

 

[sunny_bellyboo]

I have lost a couple young birds over the years too. A bantam cochin running across the yard dropped dead right there at 9 months old and an EE at 8 months to egg binding.

The recommendations to send her for a necropsy are sincere and really could save your other birds as it could reveal of it was something contagious.

well thanks but I might not do it. Eventually we're switching our flock over to mainly Rhode Island Reds and Black Australorps.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is understandable if you do not want to get a necropsy. Losing a chicken the first time is very upsetting. I can understand wanting to bury her. We all lose a chicken now and then. After I lost a few, I chose to do my own necropsy at home. It was very hard, but I learned so much about what was going on with my sick hen. Take care.

 

[BroodyCluck]

First of all keep her warm if she is dehydrated her body temperature is dropping. I would put a heating pad under her but not touching her at anytime. Just under everything. It sure sounds like she is dehydrated and may not be able to overcome without moving right away. I've had a bit of luck putting something sweet like syrup into water then with a spoon full of this sweet liquid hope she will accept it. Hold her close to you with her wings down so she cant resist or flap her wings causing an accident. Try then holding a spoonful (preferably a small plastic throw away spoon) of the sweet water to her beak. See if she will accept it if you point her beak into it. If so, offer her more by doing this as many times as she will take some. If she wont, gently force open her beak hoping she will accept it when the spoon is partially put into her beak with you holding her and forcing it there. But dont force the liquid down her, just the spoon of sweet water held between her beaks. Now see if she will want to accept a bit if you give her a bit of slack. Be cause it could go into her lungs and cause further serious problems if you force it. You can try an eye dropper and put just a tiny drop into her lower beak and she may raise her head up and take it. If no dropper just use the spoon pouring a very small stressing small amount into the lower beak with her head straight ahead and not raised back. We are hoping she will voluntarily raise her head back and accept it. If that doesn't work, put a very small amount of the thick syrup with your finger into her lower beak. I'm aiming at hoping she is now going to want to take some water from the spoon from you on her own or the dropper if you are lucky enough to have one. Anyway, if she starts to take the sweet water after applying the syrup, then give her all she will take. If she does you can also wet your fingers into some of her laying mash or what ever food she eats and try to Simi wet it to kind of stick a small amount of it together and put some into her lower beak. This is only after she has accepted water. Hopefully she will take it. Or if she has pellets put one briefly into the water to soak it, then place into her lower beak.
I believe if she voluntarily accepts it enough times when you work with her, she will start eating again.
But if I had her, I have the supplies around and I would give her a tube feeding of gravy like consistancy of substance directly into her crop. Doing this maybe once or twice would probably put her in order. You would need a medicine syringe with a rubber hose like aquarium hose about 3 inches long. Only if you want to do that, I'll go into the details of how that can be done. I'll come back to the thread in my spare time for a few hours to see. Or maybe another member here will guide you. I hope your chicken pulls thorough.

 

[21hens-incharge]

First of all keep her warm if she is dehydrated her body temperature is dropping. I would put a heating pad under her but not touching her at anytime. Just under everything. It sure sounds like she is dehydrated and may not be able to overcome without moving right away. I've had a bit of luck putting something sweet like syrup into water then with a spoon full of this sweet liquid hope she will accept it. Hold her close to you with her wings down so she cant resist or flap her wings causing an accident. Try then holding a spoonful (preferably a small plastic throw away spoon) of the sweet water to her beak. See if she will accept it if you point her beak into it. If so, offer her more by doing this as many times as she will take some. If she wont, gently force open her beak hoping she will accept it when the spoon is partially put into her beak with you holding her and forcing it there. But dont force the liquid down her, just the spoon of sweet water held between her beaks. Now see if she will want to accept a bit if you give her a bit of slack. Be cause it could go into her lungs and cause further serious problems if you force it. You can try an eye dropper and put just a tiny drop into her lower beak and she may raise her head up and take it. If no dropper just use the spoon pouring a very small stressing small amount into the lower beak with her head straight ahead and not raised back. We are hoping she will voluntarily raise her head back and accept it. If that doesn't work, put a very small amount of the thick syrup with your finger into her lower beak. I'm aiming at hoping she is now going to want to take some water from the spoon from you on her own or the dropper if you are lucky enough to have one. Anyway, if she starts to take the sweet water after applying the syrup, then give her all she will take. If she does you can also wet your fingers into some of her laying mash or what ever food she eats and try to Simi wet it to kind of stick a small amount of it together and put some into her lower beak. This is only after she has accepted water. Hopefully she will take it. Or if she has pellets put one briefly into the water to soak it, then place into her lower beak.
I believe if she voluntarily accepts it enough times when you work with her, she will start eating again.
But if I had her, I have the supplies around and I would give her a tube feeding of gravy like consistancy of substance directly into her crop. Doing this maybe once or twice would probably put her in order. You would need a medicine syringe with a rubber hose like aquarium hose about 3 inches long. Only if you want to do that, I'll go into the details of how that can be done. I'll come back to the thread in my spare time for a few hours to see. Or maybe another member here will guide you. I hope your chicken pulls thorough.

Reading the whole thread would be a good idea.

This bird has sadly passed away.

 

[BroodyCluck]

I want to add to my last directions. When holding her close to you, keep her up like standing position. Do not place her upside down at any time. Always wash hands thourally before you begin and especially after you are done. Regrettfully chickens carry many infections and diseases that people can get. And I would change clothes too.

 

[BroodyCluck]

Reading the whole thread would be a good idea.

This bird has sadly passed away.

Yes I'm sorry that I did not think about that. I just reacted knowing how serious dehydration can be. I'm old forgive me you all. Especially the deceased hen owner.

 

[sunny_bellyboo]

First of all keep her warm if she is dehydrated her body temperature is dropping. I would put a heating pad under her but not touching her at anytime. Just under everything. It sure sounds like she is dehydrated and may not be able to overcome without moving right away. I've had a bit of luck putting something sweet like syrup into water then with a spoon full of this sweet liquid hope she will accept it. Hold her close to you with her wings down so she cant resist or flap her wings causing an accident. Try then holding a spoonful (preferably a small plastic throw away spoon) of the sweet water to her beak. See if she will accept it if you point her beak into it. If so, offer her more by doing this as many times as she will take some. If she wont, gently force open her beak hoping she will accept it when the spoon is partially put into her beak with you holding her and forcing it there. But dont force the liquid down her, just the spoon of sweet water held between her beaks. Now see if she will want to accept a bit if you give her a bit of slack. Be cause it could go into her lungs and cause further serious problems if you force it. You can try an eye dropper and put just a tiny drop into her lower beak and she may raise her head up and take it. If no dropper just use the spoon pouring a very small stressing small amount into the lower beak with her head straight ahead and not raised back. We are hoping she will voluntarily raise her head back and accept it. If that doesn't work, put a very small amount of the thick syrup with your finger into her lower beak. I'm aiming at hoping she is now going to want to take some water from the spoon from you on her own or the dropper if you are lucky enough to have one. Anyway, if she starts to take the sweet water after applying the syrup, then give her all she will take. If she does you can also wet your fingers into some of her laying mash or what ever food she eats and try to Simi wet it to kind of stick a small amount of it together and put some into her lower beak. This is only after she has accepted water. Hopefully she will take it. Or if she has pellets put one briefly into the water to soak it, then place into her lower beak.
I believe if she voluntarily accepts it enough times when you work with her, she will start eating again.
But if I had her, I have the supplies around and I would give her a tube feeding of gravy like consistancy of substance directly into her crop. Doing this maybe once or twice would probably put her in order. You would need a medicine syringe with a rubber hose like aquarium hose about 3 inches long. Only if you want to do that, I'll go into the details of how that can be done. I'll come back to the thread in my spare time for a few hours to see. Or maybe another member here will guide you. I hope your chicken pulls thorough.

This is fantastic information I can use in the future, so thanks, but sadly the bird has already died weeks ago.