Thought my hen was dead, but she's barely holding on

[MomentaryBlossom]

Have you found any wounds?

None other than the plucked area on her back that must've happened after she collapsed.

 

[MomentaryBlossom]

Symptoms of sour crop can include:

• A squishy, swollen crop.
• Lethargy.
• Lack of appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Sour, disgusting-smelling breath.
• Liquid or gas exiting the beak, particularly if you gently touch the crop.
• White patches in the mouth.

I've been checking for the symptoms, but I don't notice any fluid or gas leaving her beak when I massage it. Her crop is squishy, but doesn't seem to be bigger than normal. It's definitely still a big possibility, but I'm not 100% sure without taking her to the vet.

 

[ZZbean]

She's breathing alright now, but still every once in a while making a gasping motion with her beak. She's been drooling clear saliva on occasion, too.
I've been cleaning her in between giving her fluids. I don't want to stress her out too much with the cleaning before she can hold herself up a bit better, so I'm trying to take it slow. The black part on her back is mostly scabbing, I believe. I scrubbed it pretty good, got all of the dirt and dried blood off of it, and applied antiseptic to it. She's got some poop/mud in her feathers from collapsing, and I got most of it off but obviously not all of it.

With the smell can you describe it or locate it? I would check her vent five months is early but possible.

 

[MomentaryBlossom]

Honestly such a sudden change is a very bad sign. Most of the time chickens don’t go from fine to near death so quickly.

If there is no noticeable wounds or abnormality then I’d just keep doing what you are doing now. Giving her electrolytes, some food if you can, and keep her warm/comfortable.

I hope she makes it <3

She ended up passing a few hours ago. I'm sad she didn't make it, and I'm worried it could be something contagious to the other chickens. I really hope it isn't, I'd be devastated to lose my whole flock.

 

[MomentaryBlossom]

With the smell can you describe it or locate it? I would check her vent five months is early but possible.

I checked her vent and didn't see anything. She ended up passing a few hours ago. The smell was like death, which is one of the reasons I thought she was dead this morning. I was very surprised when she turned out to still be breathing and moving. I knew she probably wouldn't make it, but since she was still holding on I wanted to try everything I could to help her fight. I'm hoping it's nothing contagious to the other chickens.

 

[SkyWolf]

She ended up passing a few hours ago. I'm sad she didn't make it, and I'm worried it could be something contagious to the other chickens. I really hope it isn't, I'd be devastated to lose my whole flock.

Just keep an eye on them. I’ve had birds drop dead for seemingly no reason a few times. Usually it has something to do with an internal issue that can’t hurt the flock.

 

[ZZbean]

She ended up passing a few hours ago. I'm sad she didn't make it, and I'm worried it could be something contagious to the other chickens. I really hope it isn't, I'd be devastated to lose my whole flock.

There are many many other possibilities of what could’ve happened other then an illness, just watch them closer for the following weed like I’m sure you will be doing anyway after something like this. My personal guess would be she got injured (internally?) while she escaped and while trying to recover in the run the other chickens got at her. Don’t be to hard on yourself you did a lot more then most would for her.