Sick Rhode Island

[Dayna Campbell]

I went out yesterday to the coupe for sum odd reason (usually I don't in the afternoon) glad I did cause my girl was laying on her side , very lethargic. I picked her up and brought her in I held her for a bit noticed she was moving her eyes in a weird way almost like tracers back n forth, I couldn't believe how much weight she had lost , breastbone was sticking out . Floppy is one of my biggest and is the top girl in her flock ,in pecking order that is. I had some hen boost probiotics mixed it in her water and she drank and did a 180`in about 30 min as far as her alertness , so I thought she finished molting about 2-3weeks ago but I did notice after that she kinda was acting different , I have never worked any of my chickens and they are anywhere 3-5 years old. Whenever I ask at the feed store they say if they are healthy looking and all doing what their suppose to don't worry about it. So I currently have her in a tote in the house , her comb is cold even though it's warm in the house. Eating and drinking a lot of that water. I thought she was dehydrated cause her waddles were shriveled up , now they hang a bit . Her comb seems more flopped over than usual too. What should I do ?

 

[fawndane]

It may be dehydration, believe it or not, chickens drink just as much water in winter as they do in summer. If a warmed water supply is not available in winter either because someone simply thinks it is o.k to not give chickens water in winter, you don’t have a water warmer, the water is frozen, or that particular chicken is not drinking. I’m not too knowledgeable on this topic, I don’t want to give false information, for this is all I know about dehydration, but someone will come and help you more than I can. Best of luck!

 

[Lolacan]

I agree with blue. It could have been dehydration or even eating something bad.
I always tell friends" Licking ice is not getting fresh water"

 

[Dayna Campbell]

I am sad to say my head girl Floppy passed Monday night, I had brought her in the house, made her a nice bed in her tote and like I said she had totally perked up on Sunday after giving her the probiotics and she had a good appetite . Monday she wasn't eating or drinking . I noticed she had sum clear maybe mucas coming from her beak holes. I am so sad for this girl, she was comfortable in her tote ! THANK YOU FOR your input so appreciate it? I moved there water closer to their coupe too , it had been very cold for two weeks previous and the ground had been frozen , and she had a hard mult this year, when I had checked her body for lice ect....I noticed she was still getting new feathers, normally our ground isn't that frozen for that many days. I am thinking all these things are probably contributing factors of the weight loss and so on. Thanks again
Dayna

 

[Lolacan]

Sorry things didn't work out.

 

[fawndane]

I am sad to say my head girl Floppy passed Monday night, I had brought her in the house, made her a nice bed in her tote and like I said she had totally perked up on Sunday after giving her the probiotics and she had a good appetite . Monday she wasn't eating or drinking . I noticed she had sum clear maybe mucas coming from her beak holes. I am so sad for this girl, she was comfortable in her tote ! THANK YOU FOR your input so appreciate it? I moved there water closer to their coupe too , it had been very cold for two weeks previous and the ground had been frozen , and she had a hard mult this year, when I had checked her body for lice ect....I noticed she was still getting new feathers, normally our ground isn't that frozen for that many days. I am thinking all these things are probably contributing factors of the weight loss and so on. Thanks again
Dayna

So sorry for your loss.