There's something going on with one of my bantams.

[speckledhen]

Is it cold enough for a heat lamp? Being too hot is worse than being a little cool. If it's a ceramic reptile bulb offset from her exact location, it might be okay if temps are still cool outside, but I don't know what your temps are now. She can have chick crumbles if she will eat them, sure, easy to digest.
As far as closing one eye more than the other, it may be nothing. Is there swelling underneath the eye area at all? Just know that you won't always be able to determine exactly why she is favoring one over the other, maybe she just wants to keep awareness of her surroundings and keeps one open, who knows? When you have no idea what you're treating, best to just give some plain water, maybe a couple of drops of Polyvisol without iron in her beak (or, in lieu of that, an avian vitamin/mineral supplement) to be sure she's getting the vitamins, along with easily digestible food like the starter or even scramble an egg for her. We often are just providing supportive care when we can't really determine the cause of her behavior. There are just too many variables here to be very specific. Could be several things.
I've heard of hens that looked like they were on their last legs rallying and recovering, so they do have great powers of healing if they're generally healthy in the first place. We just do what we can and hope for the best. Some would throw antibiotics at it in a shotgun approach, but that is bad on their gut, especially for a very ill bird. I don't ever do that unless I have a very specific reason, which is ultra-rare.

 

[Fwoof]

Is it cold enough for a heat lamp? Being too hot is worse than being a little cool. If it's a ceramic reptile bulb offset from her exact location, it might be okay if temps are still cool outside, but I don't know what your temps are now. She can have chick crumbles if she will eat them, sure, easy to digest.

Okay, got it. She'll probably be fine sleeping in her coop tonight, then. It's a warm day, shouldn't be a cold night.

As far as closing one eye more than the other, it may be nothing. Is there swelling underneath the eye area at all? Just know that you won't always be able to determine exactly why she is favoring one over the other, maybe she just wants to keep awareness of her surroundings and keeps one open, who knows? When you have no idea what you're treating, best to just give some plain water, maybe a couple of drops of Polyvisol without iron in her beak (or, in lieu of that, an avian vitamin/mineral supplement) to be sure she's getting the vitamins, along with easily digestible food like the starter or even scramble an egg for her. We often are just providing supportive care when we can't really determine the cause of her behavior. There are just too many variables here to be very specific. Could be several things.
I've heard of hens that looked like they were on their last legs rallying and recovering, so they do have great powers of healing if they're generally healthy in the first place. We just do what we can and hope for the best. Some would throw antibiotics at it in a shotgun approach, but that is bad on their gut, especially for a very ill bird. I don't ever do that unless I have a very specific reason, which is ultra-rare.

Thank you!
I mixed her electrolyte water (I have a homemade recipe) with some oatmeal, so that should be nice and gentle.
Also noticed that she's preening and itching her face a lot. Starting to wonder if maybe there's an irritant bugging her that I don't know about.

 

[LaFleche]

I would deworm her as internal and external parasites take advantage of the reduced/slow metabolism and trance of a broody to proliferate.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, what LaFleche said. She may have mites or something depressing her system since she is scratching. Worth trying, for sure. Let us know what happens with her.
Adding that you should check her ears *not easy with a tiny bantam, but still*. May not be mites but something in her ears, some cheesy buildup in there, which would necessitate drops of peroxide to foam it out; just adding another possibility since she's scratching at her face a lot. Saw that with one of my roosters.

 

[Fwoof]

Yes, what LaFleche said. She may have mites or something depressing her system since she is scratching. Worth trying, for sure. Let us know what happens with her.

I definitely will.

Adding that you should check her ears *not easy with a tiny bantam, but still*. May not be mites but something in her ears, some cheesy buildup in there, which would necessitate drops of peroxide to foam it out; just adding another possibility since she's scratching at her face a lot. Saw that with one of my roosters.

I just checked her ears, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
I did notice that the skin near her earlobe/behind her eye is purplish and slightly more wrinkled looking. Barely and only noticeable if you look closely, but still not normal.

 

[Fwoof]

@speckledhen, @Wyorp Rock, @LaFleche, can chickens get headaches? If so, what signs do they show when they have them?
I noticed her shaking her head rapidly today, and she's lifted the top part of her beak up a few times, so I found that strange. Most likely something is wrong with her head/face.
I wish I knew what's going on with her, I just want my little girl to feel better. Doing all the research I can.

 

[LaFleche]

There might be something wedged inside her mouth or throat. Take a close look with a flashlight and inspect roof of mouth (there is a slit) and tongue area too.

 

[speckledhen]

I can't say they get headaches; after all, how would you ever determine that?
My Brahma rooster was doing just what you described, shake his head, scratch at his face, open his beak like he was trying to dislodge something, etc, and when I looked into his ears (thankfully, he's a big baby and easy to manage), I saw cheesy stuff, first time in 20 years of chickens that I've ever seen that. I treated with peroxide several times, but it seems to come back occasionally. He is elderly and this is a recent issue so may be immune system-related. He did almost die about 5 years ago, was touch and go, and we never could figure out what it was (not respiratory, seemed to be lead poisoning, no idea how he would get that) and it may have done something to him permanently, hard to say. He's about to turn 8 years old in a week or so, so I don't expect him to be around too much longer. You just have to follow symptoms and check inside her beak, in her ears, etc. to see what you can see.
As La Fleche said, they can lodge stuff in their beaks and that slit on top. Could be a grain got stuffed in there or something and set up infection.

 

[Fwoof]

There might be something wedged inside her mouth or throat. Take a close look with a flashlight and inspect roof of mouth (there is a slit) and tongue area too.

I can't say they get headaches; after all, how would you ever determine that?
My Brahma rooster was doing just what you described, shake his head, scratch at his face, open his beak like he was trying to dislodge something, etc, and when I looked into his ears (thankfully, he's a big baby and easy to manage), I saw cheesy stuff, first time in 20 years of chickens that I've ever seen that. I treated with peroxide several times, but it seems to come back occasionally. He is elderly and this is a recent issue so may be immune system-related. He did almost die about 5 years ago, was touch and go, and we never could figure out what it was (not respiratory, seemed to be lead poisoning, no idea how he would get that) and it may have done something to him permanently, hard to say. He's about to turn 8 years old in a week or so, so I don't expect him to be around too much longer. You just have to follow symptoms and check inside her beak, in her ears, etc. to see what you can see.
As La Fleche said, they can lodge stuff in their beaks and that slit on top. Could be a grain got stuffed in there or something and set up infection.

Didn't see any grain or anything. Her beak looked healthy and clear.
She is doing a little bit better today, she squeak/squawked at me when she saw me getting food for the flock.
I am glad that she hasn't lost her appetite and carries her tail high when she does move around. She doesn't look severely ill, just under the weather and uncomfortable.

 

[Fwoof]

I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for her (electrolytes, a bit of dewormer, and fresh dandelion and nasturtium) and see how she does.
Even though I don't know exactly what's bothering her, I want to thank all of you for your information and support. So thankful for BYC and all of their wonderful chicken-folk!