GingerChickieChick
In the Brooder
- Jan 7, 2025
- 4
- 20
- 29
Hello! I am a first time chicken owner. We got eight chicks back in October and built a stationary coop in our backyard. We live in a city with predators, so they stay in their enclosed run 24/7. One of my hens is unwell, and we separated her. I hope you all can help me see what else I can do for her.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
-She is an olive egger hen, a little over 3 months old. Her weight seems normal, from what I can tell?
2) What is the behavior?
-Here is what we have noticed.
She is wobbly, uncoordinated, and falls over. She's walking with her legs unsteady and lower to the ground. If you pick her up, her feet curl up, and they do not spread out when you put her back down, and she falls on her face.
Her right eye is squinty and her head is held tucked in and close to her body like she's unconfortable.
Her mouth stays open and she looks like she has trouble breathing. She is quietly wheezing. Monday it got worse with her stretching her neck and shaking it. Every exhale her beak opens and her head sticks out. (Possibly gapeworm?)
I'm new to chickens, so I don't know if this is abnormal. She has a honking cluck. She talks to me when I come up and say hello, but apart from the one honk, it sounds like it's hard for her to make any other noises.
She's a tad slower, but otherwise, she's been eating and drinking normally. She has good energy and curiosity. Not so much energy to peck at me or run away.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
-I noticed these symptoms starting Saturday (1/4/25), thinking it wasn't a big deal, but then separated her Monday (1/6/25) when I saw the symptoms worsen.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
-There is one other hen where we cannot tell if she is affected. She looks like she may be walking funny, but I can't tell if that's just her mannerisms. She can run from me and stand up straight. She has no other symptoms, so we're keeping an eye on her.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
-She may have had a physical injury, but I cannot tell apart from what appears to be neurological weakness.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
-My only guess could be old food scraps that we left out there, or infection from their coop floor. It's bare dirt that we spray down with the hose weekly. They have automatic feeders of food and water in buckets we keep stocked and clean.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
-She has good appetite and is drinking regularly. They get hose water, and Pink Rose Organix layer feed, along with freeze dried larvae and some kitchen scraps. I didn't think to clean up old scraps from off the ground, but my husband usually clears it up with the weekly cleanings, and they usually clean it all up in a day or two themselves.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
-Her poop is dark green and clumped together, almost like a tuft of lawn clippings. Definitely off, but not liquidy.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
-We have her inside, in a covered dog kennel, in our spare room so she doesn't get cold. She has her normal organic feed with some "magic water" I made. It has 1/2 tsp ACV, 1 garlic clove, and 1/8 cup honey in a quart jar. I sprinkled some cayenne pepper in her feed to help with a possible parasite problem. I bought a few more supportive things like Strong Animals e-lixer and deworming herbs, but they won't come for a few days. This morning she got one scrambled egg with the shell, and some sprinkled organic unsalted sunflower seeds to help add vitamin b and e to her system. She's sitting down but interested in the food and talking. I'm glad to see she made it through the night and is still chatting with us.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
-I don't have the money for a vet, and I want to treat her myself the best I can. If she gets worse, we'll put her down so she doesn't suffer, but it looks like she could pull through.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
-The coop is spacious with a deep litter method using wood shavings. The run is bare dirt that we spray down every week. They have a small bin with sand for dust bathing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I appreciate your help and attention.
First picture is of her before Christmas, and the other two are from Monday with her not feeling so well.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
-She is an olive egger hen, a little over 3 months old. Her weight seems normal, from what I can tell?
2) What is the behavior?
-Here is what we have noticed.
She is wobbly, uncoordinated, and falls over. She's walking with her legs unsteady and lower to the ground. If you pick her up, her feet curl up, and they do not spread out when you put her back down, and she falls on her face.
Her right eye is squinty and her head is held tucked in and close to her body like she's unconfortable.
Her mouth stays open and she looks like she has trouble breathing. She is quietly wheezing. Monday it got worse with her stretching her neck and shaking it. Every exhale her beak opens and her head sticks out. (Possibly gapeworm?)
I'm new to chickens, so I don't know if this is abnormal. She has a honking cluck. She talks to me when I come up and say hello, but apart from the one honk, it sounds like it's hard for her to make any other noises.
She's a tad slower, but otherwise, she's been eating and drinking normally. She has good energy and curiosity. Not so much energy to peck at me or run away.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
-I noticed these symptoms starting Saturday (1/4/25), thinking it wasn't a big deal, but then separated her Monday (1/6/25) when I saw the symptoms worsen.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
-There is one other hen where we cannot tell if she is affected. She looks like she may be walking funny, but I can't tell if that's just her mannerisms. She can run from me and stand up straight. She has no other symptoms, so we're keeping an eye on her.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
-She may have had a physical injury, but I cannot tell apart from what appears to be neurological weakness.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
-My only guess could be old food scraps that we left out there, or infection from their coop floor. It's bare dirt that we spray down with the hose weekly. They have automatic feeders of food and water in buckets we keep stocked and clean.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
-She has good appetite and is drinking regularly. They get hose water, and Pink Rose Organix layer feed, along with freeze dried larvae and some kitchen scraps. I didn't think to clean up old scraps from off the ground, but my husband usually clears it up with the weekly cleanings, and they usually clean it all up in a day or two themselves.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
-Her poop is dark green and clumped together, almost like a tuft of lawn clippings. Definitely off, but not liquidy.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
-We have her inside, in a covered dog kennel, in our spare room so she doesn't get cold. She has her normal organic feed with some "magic water" I made. It has 1/2 tsp ACV, 1 garlic clove, and 1/8 cup honey in a quart jar. I sprinkled some cayenne pepper in her feed to help with a possible parasite problem. I bought a few more supportive things like Strong Animals e-lixer and deworming herbs, but they won't come for a few days. This morning she got one scrambled egg with the shell, and some sprinkled organic unsalted sunflower seeds to help add vitamin b and e to her system. She's sitting down but interested in the food and talking. I'm glad to see she made it through the night and is still chatting with us.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
-I don't have the money for a vet, and I want to treat her myself the best I can. If she gets worse, we'll put her down so she doesn't suffer, but it looks like she could pull through.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
-The coop is spacious with a deep litter method using wood shavings. The run is bare dirt that we spray down every week. They have a small bin with sand for dust bathing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I appreciate your help and attention.
First picture is of her before Christmas, and the other two are from Monday with her not feeling so well.
