Update, Help, Hen suddenly lethargic, laying down, not moving, DEAD, less than 2 hours later

[Burleigh Chick]

My 9 month old Barnevelder/chanteclair cross Holy (her sister is Moly) has suddenly fallen ill or injured. This morning I went out and did not notice anything out of the ordinary, a couple hours later I noticed she is laying down under a table, with her eyes closed. I threw some scratch to her and she pecked at it. I pulled her out and set her down and she sort of held her wings out a bit and settled down again and ate a meal worm. Her comb looks paler, and she seems to have no strength in her legs. I have brought her inside to watch her, and gave her electrolytes, but its weird how fast whatever this is happened, she is normally kind of scared of us, but she just lays there

. Any suggestions??

 

[Haunted55]

have you checked her for mites? Have you wormed her recently?

 

[dawg53]

She also could be eggbound. If you suspect she is, place her in a container of warm water up to her sides. Then gently massage her underside front to rear for about 20 minutes while she's soaking. The warm water will relax her and expand her innards. Massaging will help move the egg along. Then put a disposable glove on and put olive oil on a finger and insert the finger inside her vent checking for debris. Then remove your finger and put a little olive oil just inside and outside of her vent. Putting your finger inside her vent stretches it and putting olive oil inside the vent will make it easier for her to lay the egg...if that's what the problem is.

 

[dufusanddingus]

Earlier this year a similar thing happened with our rooster. Out of the blue he just got really lethargic, had basically just laid down on his face and closed his eyes, and I thought for sure he was going to die. He even let me pick him up and hold him, which he would never do normally. I held him for a long time, and when he didn't die I set him in a nest of a blanket inside the house so that he was propped up, and put some food and water with electrolytes within his reach. Amazingly about an hour later he just kind of snapped out of it, and got up and walked away. He's been normal ever since. I don't know what happened, but maybe he just ate the wrong thing and felt like crap for a while. I hope the same is true for your bird!

 

[Burleigh Chick]

I was preparing to give her the soak in case it was egg binding, I went to the cage to grab her and saw her stretched out legs behind her, and watched her contort, spasm and die! right then and there. Hmmmmm, I am considering cutting her open to see if she was bound.... but not sure how easy that will be for me. Of course, now I am worried about everyone else....I put some leaves in the coop this morning, so I removed them all after this, just in case there was something on them. Any resources out there on how to preform a post mortem?

 

[dawg53]

Sorry for your loss. This link might help you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/186940/warning-graphic-pics-of-internal-egg-layer-necropsy

 

[Michael Apple]

I've found an effective treatment for egg bound hens is Metacam. 1 cc orally causes contractions and the egg is expelled in a 5 lb. hen.

 

[Haunted55]

I was preparing to give her the soak in case it was egg binding, I went to the cage to grab her and saw her stretched out legs behind her, and watched her contort, spasm and die! right then and there. Hmmmmm, I am considering cutting her open to see if she was bound.... but not sure how easy that will be for me. Of course, now I am worried about everyone else....I put some leaves in the coop this morning, so I removed them all after this, just in case there was something on them. Any resources out there on how to preform a post mortem?

I am so very sorry. I don't blame you for wanting to know either. There is a thread on BYC, I can't remember where it is but if you search for home necrospsy I am sure you will find it. It will be hard at first, experience talking, but in the end, you will have answers that you will need and use in the future. If you can't find the thread I am thinking of, sorry I can't be of more help with that, go to the meat bird section and see how to clean the birds. Same thing only you'll be looking at the organs and everything else to find your answers. I am just so very sorry this happened.

Now another question, their feed, did it have any odor that may have been off? Any clumps? The reason I am asking is some of the feed, okay, let's be honest, a lot of the feed I have been able to get through TSC has had problems with clumps and mold. This can kill your birds, quickly. Hopefully this is not the issue, but I have seen it and have to ask just in case.

 

[Haunted55]

I've found an effective treatment for egg bound hens is Metacam. 1 cc orally causes contractions and the egg is expelled in a 5 lb. hen.

What is Metacam and where can you get it? I've never heard of it before.

 

[Funky Chooks]

Oh dang it. That's so sad, and I am sorry.

Because it's so sudden, it sounds like egg binding, especially at 9 months. I think I've read it happens much more in brand new layers. Can anyone confirm this?