Hello! One of my favorite hens, Strawberry, is in trouble. I did not realize that she was ill. It began to rain today, so I went out, to see that everything was buttoned up. There she was, standing under the eaves, with her beak resting on the ground. I picked her up, and her head just lolled.
She is on the bed, covered with a blanket. She tries to lift her head, but it is as though her control ends about 1/4 of the way up her neck.
I looked her over, which she resisted strongly, thrashing her wings around. Her vent looks awful! She is an older hen. And I guess I have never really looked at her vent, in particular, before, so I can't say for sure whether it always appears so ... unincorporated, is as good a word as any, I guess. It looks like it's draw-string has broken ... or not. But it has calcium poop all crusted near it. It also appears very wet. I cannot tell if it has a bad odor or not. I have lost my sense of smell to covid. There appears to be partially dried blood above her vent, but I cannot see a source. I do not see any coming from inside.
She says that she is thirsty, bit I can't tell whether she is able to swallow the water that I offer. She seems to try, anyhow.
I will attach pics. She has good color. She may have a bit of fever, but I don't have the right kind of thermometer to check.
Does this sound like anything anyone recognizes? I researched the symptoms, and came up with vent Gleet. But, that condition does not seem to include the lolling head, and overall weakness.
I have no real idea how old she may be. She came here, maybe 4 years ago, having been rescued at a local high school, from a bunch of feral cats that had her cornered. She was mature, then, but just how mature, I have no idea.
I have to go milk, and hope she will manage until I return. Any input will be valued! Thank you!
She is on the bed, covered with a blanket. She tries to lift her head, but it is as though her control ends about 1/4 of the way up her neck.
I looked her over, which she resisted strongly, thrashing her wings around. Her vent looks awful! She is an older hen. And I guess I have never really looked at her vent, in particular, before, so I can't say for sure whether it always appears so ... unincorporated, is as good a word as any, I guess. It looks like it's draw-string has broken ... or not. But it has calcium poop all crusted near it. It also appears very wet. I cannot tell if it has a bad odor or not. I have lost my sense of smell to covid. There appears to be partially dried blood above her vent, but I cannot see a source. I do not see any coming from inside.
She says that she is thirsty, bit I can't tell whether she is able to swallow the water that I offer. She seems to try, anyhow.
I will attach pics. She has good color. She may have a bit of fever, but I don't have the right kind of thermometer to check.
Does this sound like anything anyone recognizes? I researched the symptoms, and came up with vent Gleet. But, that condition does not seem to include the lolling head, and overall weakness.
I have no real idea how old she may be. She came here, maybe 4 years ago, having been rescued at a local high school, from a bunch of feral cats that had her cornered. She was mature, then, but just how mature, I have no idea.
I have to go milk, and hope she will manage until I return. Any input will be valued! Thank you!