Unhappy chicken

[kopeck]

I know that's a terrible description but that's what best describers her at the moment. She's been moping around and a bit but has been eating and drinking fine. The only visual signs of a problem are a "poopy butt" and she tend to be puffed up a bit.

Two days ago she was looking pretty good, not puffed up and had a little more spring in her step but today it's the opposite and she's just laying down under the porch.

My wife is going to catch her and isolate her. I'm thinking maybe worms, I'll stop at the farm store and see what I can pickup.

Does that seem like the right plan of attack? She been this way for two weeks, like I said she looked like she was getting better so I just kind of let her be. The rest of the flock looks healthy.

I also have some Terramycin if that would help.

Thanks,

K

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Is she laying?

 

[kopeck]

No, but she hasn't been laying for a while. She was always a very, very spotty layer. Now she's 3 years old I just don't expect to find eggs from her.

My wife said she found some maggots on her so she's quite a bit worse then the last time I checked her. She very well maybe a lost cause at this point. Boy they can go down hill quickly...

K

 

[Yay Chicks!]

If she has maggots on her, are they at the site of a wound? Or, at the site of her "poopy butt?" If the later, you may be able to give her a bath to remove them, and also find out how bad the damage is. Chickens can come back from this with a lot of care. If you do a search on maggots and treatment, you may find a couple of examples. I know that there was something with a silkie who had a horrific maggot infestation and she was able to diligently treat it and bring it back to health.

 

[kopeck]

This is second hand but she said they were under her, what ever that means.

I'm guessing maybe the diarrhea caused some sores that have been attacked. The other X-factor is we've had fox problems, it's possible she got injured in an attack. I didn't see anything before but who knows. The foxes haven't been back in week though, seems like I would have seen something earlier.

She says she's very lethargic, doesn't want to move at all. I'll have to take a closer look when I get home.

K

 

[kopeck]

Well, just got up from doing a little chicken cleaning....

She had a wound way up by where her leg attaches to her body. Maggots, got as many as I could, the little ones were a real bugger, I'm sure I missed a few. washed everything in warm soapy water followed by flushing the area with hydrogen peroxide. I followed it all with a shot of blue kote.

I'm not sure the blue kote was the ideal thing but I wanted to try and discourage the maggots since I'm sure there's some left. If she pulls through the night I flush again and go from there.

I didn't see the wound when I took a quick look at her, it was hidden pretty well. I feel bad that I didn't find it earlier.

I thinking now that the fox may have grabbed her and opened the skin. Then it was just a matter of time.

She ate a few mouth fulls of yogurt but she just quite at the moment. Honestly I'm not expecting this to end well but you never know. Chickens are pretty tough critters.

K

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Good luck!

 

[kopeck]

Well, she's no longer with us.

She went from bad to really bad, wouldn't even lifter her head.

Sad but at least she's no longer suffering.

K

 

[goldies99]

very sorry about your chicken....its very sad to lose any animal......

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'm sorry to hear it

At least you gave it a shot.