Urgent Advice Needed (time sensitive)!

[RileyB]

My five month old hen Mimi has been laying oddly on the floor of the coop sticking her legs out in front of her the past few days. I assumed she was trying to lay an egg because my other birds have started to lay and I've found eggs on the floor of the coop and thought they could be hers. Tonight I found her in a slumped over position looking dead. She moved her head and when I picked her up she started trying to fly away but could only do an odd jump landing on her side. When she lands she doesn't move her one side at all (except the occasional kick of the leg). She is open mouth breathing and looks and acts dead unless you try to pick her up. I am furiously reading all of my chicken disease books but am wondering if anyone knows what this might be and how I can treat her quickly.
Thanks!

 

[fowl farm]

I have no experience with poultry diseases, but could she have broken something? Just an idea

 

[dawg53]

She might be eggbound or egg impacted and may not survive. You can try soaking her in a container of warm water up to her sides and gently massage her underside for 20 minutes. The warm water will relax her and expand her innards. Massaging will help move the egg along. Hopefully she'll lay an egg.

 

[casportpony]

My five month old hen Mimi has been laying oddly on the floor of the coop sticking her legs out in front of her the past few days. I assumed she was trying to lay an egg because my other birds have started to lay and I've found eggs on the floor of the coop and thought they could be hers. Tonight I found her in a slumped over position looking dead. She moved her head and when I picked her up she started trying to fly away but could only do an odd jump landing on her side. When she lands she doesn't move her one side at all (except the occasional kick of the leg). She is open mouth breathing and looks and acts dead unless you try to pick her up. I am furiously reading all of my chicken disease books but am wondering if anyone knows what this might be and how I can treat her quickly.
Thanks!

Have you brought her inside and given her a heat source? Way too cold for a sick bird to stay outside. Hope she's okay.

 

[RileyB]

Yes, I had done that but she died overnight. The rest of the chickens are acting normal and healthy. I'm thinking it may have been a bound egg, but I cant be sure.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Yes, I had done that but she died overnight. The rest of the chickens are acting normal and healthy. I'm thinking it may have been a bound egg, but I cant be sure.

Sorry for your loss, and that this information is so late in gettin' to ya … sometimes, the best we can do w/ bad things that happen is learn.

An excellent link, in regard to egg binding:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

A link to an online presentation of the anatomy of the chicken:
http://www.poultryhub.org/anatomy-of-the-chicken.swf ('right click' and 'save as' to keep a local copy ~'-)

These links open in a new browser window, as do those in the list at the bottom of this post (in the signature).

 

[casportpony]

Yes, I had done that but she died overnight. The rest of the chickens are acting normal and healthy. I'm thinking it may have been a bound egg, but I cant be sure.

So sorry for your loss, I know it all too well. The open mouth breathing often means that the dying process has begun. From what I've read, once it starts, there's no stopping it. You did what you could... Have you thought about doing your own necropsy?

 

[Infnityhrt]

I might suspect Marek's disease with the legs sticking out funny for a couple of days before she died, its a pretty common disease caused by a herpes virus that they contract when they are young and usually die from as they get older, but most of the time before 8 months or so. Birds usually aquire a naturally immunity by the time they are 5 months old, if they have not been exposed to it before hand. Shagbark Bantams have some good health articles on their website you might want to check out on Marek's. Sorry about your bird. Good Luck

 

[seminolewind]

It looks like it might have been Botulism. It usually looks like Marek's with the leg oddity, but kills fast where Marek's usually does not.

I would check around for poison or something bad she could have eaten.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

It looks like it might have been Botulism. It usually looks like Marek's with the leg oddity, but kills fast where Marek's usually does not.

I would check around for poison or something bad she could have eaten.

Botulism, which is normally present in the beaks and guts of all birds, produces a toxin which is what actually has the potential to kill so quickly. The prevention of which is painfully simple -- adding Apple Cider Vinegar to their water, at the rate of about four teaspoons (1 and 1/3 tablespoons) per gallon, make it slightly acidic, which also serves to cut down on algae and other potential problems, and the tanins strip the mucus from their systems for improved nutrient/vitamin uptake, and the list of benefits continue (I've yet to find a single circumstance in which it was the cause of any harm, save for in the case of those that use galvanized waterers). Do NOT put adetic acid or ACV into the metal waterers -- use plastic ones, instead.

I filter the chlorine from water offered to anything around here, which increases the consumption by about 6~8% in my own experiments, and our water is slightly acidic, so I've reduced the concentration slightly for my use. I have also begun decreasing/increasing the amount in a cycle.