Today I found my chicken laying in direct sunlight and shaking/unable to stand

[azygous]

The symptoms are those of a neuro toxin. Sources of these toxins are in petroleum distillates (insecticides, hydraulic fluid and motor oil, kerosene, paint thinner), botulism infected beetles, moldy feed. Rodenticides can cause this. A poisonous spider bite, snake bite, some caterpillars.

Acivated charcoal might help if it isn't too late, but nothing helps in cases of petroleum distillates. Look for machinery leaking fluids onto the ground.

 

[chikensandhen]

We do have an old car I will check if it is leaking anything. What are the risks to people from passthough? I'm certain we ate at least 2 brown egg when we made scrambled eggs 2 days ago for the whole family.

I will take a pic and I'll post back later.

 

[azygous]

Probably no risk to humans from the tiny bit a chicken would pick up on contaminated grit. But just a few pieces of gravel from under a crankcase leaking oil or a transmission leaking fluid can kill a chick or small hen or paralyze a chicken for life.

 

[Dhkoenig]

I wish i knew. do you have an avian vet? Poor them and poor you, so traumatic when we don't know how to treat them and they aren't doing well <3

 

[chikensandhen]

Hi all I figured out how to get the pics to my computer. Meet Pasta and Blondie. Pasta is the one I found yesterday laying direct sun. Sadly she seems to be getting worse, since this pic her neck is completely bent inwards. Blondie is the one who was having what I believe are seizures.

I am having a really hard time getting them to eat or drink, they jerk me off and refuse the eyedropper. I will keep trying.

Also I have never taken any of my chickens to a vet as they have always been healthy and never needed anything, my oldest hen is 10 years old btw and she still lays most days. Thank you all for the support and tips.

 

[azygous]

If you hold food or water under her beak, will she take them? Try it if you haven't. She appears to be paralyzed. She may still be able to eat.

 

[chikensandhen]

I tried that and she sipped a little. Blondie, the one who is able to stand seems to be getting better, she is walking a bit but mostly standing in place, if she walks too much she gets disoriented and starts walking in circles. No chance I can get food though but at least they had a few drops of gatorade.

Also I did look for car leaks and I found a very strong smell of gasoline or oil I'm not sure which is which but that is something to consider as well. I have cut off access to the rest of the flock in the mean time while I get it removed and the area cleaned up.

 

[azygous]

Try giving them vitamin E. It can improve neurological issues sometimes. It's worth a try. Keep trying to get Gatoraid into them. Do it by syringe if they aren't able to take enough on their own. Like this:

Be sure to insert on the right side.

 

[chikensandhen]

Thank you for the tips. I don't have any vitamin e at the moment but I'll try to get some tomorrow. I also have no syringes atm so I will have to do it this way till I can get one tomorrow.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Thank you for the tips. I don't have any vitamin e at the moment but I'll try to get some tomorrow. I also have no syringes atm so I will have to do it this way till I can get one tomorrow.

Do you happen to have any wheat germ oil, sunflower seed oil, or olive oil? These are all very high in vitamin E, and already contain the fat needed to absorb it. Do you have a medicine dropper, or perhaps some children's medicine with a dropper? It could work....