Sick or hurt hen

[sadiepoo]

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Backyard chicken people and friends I came home to find my hand it was about two years old laying out the yard on her side last night I thought she was dead until this morning when my husband checked her and she was actually sitting up however both her eyes are swollen she's not eating or drinking and I'm at a loss at what to do I included a couple pictures however I'm at work and my son took them for me so it's not a great close-up I don't know if she was attacked or if she is coming down with something???

 

[PD-Riverman]

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Backyard chicken people and friends I came home to find my hand it was about two years old laying out the yard on her side last night I thought she was dead until this morning when my husband checked her and she was actually sitting up however both her eyes are swollen she's not eating or drinking and I'm at a loss at what to do I included a couple pictures however I'm at work and my son took them for me so it's not a great close-up I don't know if she was attacked or if she is coming down with something???

There is so many things it could be, If she was mine I would be giving her tylan50 once or twice a day---I do oral 1ml for a average size chicken for a few days. You need to put her far away from your other chickens---you need to pick her up and examine her for any visual problem, check for her weight to see if she feels about normal or real light. With the swollen eyes etc---I do not know---maybe someone on here will give you a idea what you are dealing with. Good Luck

 

[sadiepoo]

Thank you so much. That's what we're trying to figure out if she was attacked by something or if it's an actual respiratory type disease but it's hard to say the only place she is missing a few that feathers is on top of her head but I see no other signs of trauma

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you so much. That's what we're trying to figure out if she was attacked by something or if it's an actual respiratory type disease but it's hard to say the only place she is missing a few that feathers is on top of her head but I see no other signs of trauma

I am wondering if she was in a fight with another hen---I just can not tell from the pic--it does look like some dried blood on her comb. I am sorry but I do not take a single sick chicken to the vet, so I doctor them myself and I feel I have saved a lot of them. Sure some die, but a small % based on having had over 1200 at one time----not now though---maybe again soon---or even more.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like she was attacked by a predator. With the blood, swelling, and missing feathers, plus the fact that she was laying on the lawn when you found her, that is what it looks like. I would try to get her cleaned so that you can see how bad it is. Use saline to clean her wounds and especially her eyes. Her eyes may be swollen for a few days, so that it may be hard to tell if they are intact. Antibiotic ointment such as Terramycin can be found by asking for it at feed stores. Vetericyn eye gel or eye wash are also good. Hawks, raccoons, and dogs are pretty common predators, but it could be others. Make sure that she is drinking plenty of water or feed her some from a dropper. Add some water to a small amount of feed to make it soupy to get more into her.

 

[sadiepoo]

Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you.

Please let us know how she is getting along in a day or two. And you're welcome.