Urgent 8/20/18: Lethargic Buff Orpington

[Jodi Keilman]

The diarrhea could be because of dehydration
Or
Worms or coccidiosis
Or
Illness.

You say she was totally normal twenty four hours before the garage incident and no one else in the flock seems unwell?

Correct - totally normal 24 hours ago.

I’m taking all of the advice I’ve seen so far. Running up to Stock Shop for some items & then I’ll do the warm bath treatment.

It’s been a couple hours since my 1st post and no change in her behavior. But, she’s still alive! I just hope to keep her that way.

 

[ronott1]

Correct - totally normal 24 hours ago.

I’m taking all of the advice I’ve seen so far. Running up to Stock Shop for some items & then I’ll do the warm bath treatment.

It’s been a couple hours since my 1st post and no change in her behavior. But, she’s still alive! I just hope to keep her that way.

 

[meetthebubus]

I'm so sorry! I have buff orps and I'm in AZ too and the temps being low and then a big increase is hard on them, and if she didn't have access to water that could of done her in maybe... (bc she was missing)

Just to be sure was she missing bc she was broody? The soak is good and you can get a dropper to drop electrolyte water into her and maybe a ice bottle bc inside it is cooler but can still be warm to them I've noticed in one of mine before...

 

[Eggcessive]

It is very hard ro know exactly what would cause illness in a 9 month old pullet who has stopped laying and has been separating herself and been lethargic with a poor appetite. The Corid was a good place to start, to treat for possible coccidiosis, and it will not harm her. Before though, give her some electrolytes and water, since she would have to be dehydrated out in the heat. When you start Corid, stop any vitamins (most electrolytes have them) until you are finished with Corid. You can give them after finishing it.

Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid or 1 1/2 tsp of the powder Corid per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Make sure that she drinks plenty. Offer some chopped egg and some wet chicken feed(you can use Corid water in that.)

Since she is not laying, she could have something going on with her reproductive system, such as internal laying or other problems. Check her crop in the early morning to make sure that it has emptied. Let us know if it is full and hard or puffy. If not, she could have sn impacted or sour crop. Check the skin under her vent for tiny bugs—lice or mites.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry I thought I read that she had stopped laying, but just reread that she laid yesterday. My mistake.

 

[staceyj]

I still think dehydration is a key element in this situation, however with her being a buff like the silly girl in my avatar- “Dory, Princess of Broodyville”
we also must consider another situation which may have started innoncently enough but ended dangerously because of the heat.
Could it be that she’s become/thinking about becoming broody?
...And snuck off in search of a quiet place to contemplate broodiness other than the nesting box, then got stuck in the hot garage overnight and became sick from the heat?

Has she been compliant during your care and attention today or has she fussed with you for handling her, pecked at your hand, squealed or growled?

Just trying to look at this from all angles.

 

[JJtonar]

I had a hen, Raven, who was suddenly lethargic. She was drinking a lot of water but it was going right through her. She was also spitting up water and anything she tried to eat. I kept her inside for a few nights and gave her yogurt and baby food. She was fine after about 36 hours. Her feces was runny but eventually got back to normal. I’m sure your girl will feel better soon.

 

[Jodi Keilman]

UPDATE:
First off - I am so thankful for everyone’s input on this thread. It warms my heart.
My hen has survived! I went to Stock shop, talked to a chicken woman there who calmed me & was absolutely confident that heat stroke was the cause. I purchased electrolytes & a curved plastic syringe. For the following 4 days, I forced the electrolyte water into her beak every couple of hours (minus a 4-hour break while I slept). I administered 3x syringe-fulls each time (we called it water-boarding - trying to make light of the trauma I was feeling). Her comb & waddles went super pale & drooped. She would stand for no more than 2 minutes at a time. Refused food except for a few nibbles of hard boiled egg on a couple of occasions. I tried a vet-recommended recipe of scrambled eggs + raw liver + salt + milk, she wouldn’t touch it.
On day 3, I brought her friend, another hen, into the dog cage with her, inside the cool house, and that was magical! My sick hen went over to the turkey mash I had placed inside the cage & started eating! Then she drank out of her waterer. I left her friend inside the cage for 2 hours, then removed her & let Hei Hei rest alone.
Day 4: she ate again, drank again, stood for several minutes. Later in the day, she actually began making clucking sounds again- jackpot. I knew that was a good sign. She had been silent/mute for 4 days. I brought her out back & she’s been amazing since.
Outlook: all signs point to her being fully recovered- same disposition, same energy, BUT no more eggs. Her last egg was the morning she went missing. It’s been 9 days since the heat stroke and not another egg.
Question: does anybody have any hope that her laying again is a possibility? Again, she’s 8 months-old, been laying since 6-months-old, and then survived a heat stroke. Is there any history of that possibility?

 

[micstrachan]

Yay for a happy outcome!

I don’t have experience with it, but think she will lay again. It’s possible the stress from the ordeal will send her into molt, in which case she wouldn’t lay again until afterward.

 

[meetthebubus]

My buff orps take egg breaks, plus she's been through a trauma so she will need more time jyst be patient as long as she's healthy she will get back to laying!